Maine Town Tuitioning Program: Amount and How to Apply

How Town tuitioning works

What you get	Tuition paid by your school district, up to a state formula. For 2025-26 the state average tuition rates were $13,077.51 (elementary) and $15,055.22 (secondary). Payments to private elementary schools may not exceed the statewide average; secondary rates add an allowance for building costs. The 2026-27 rates are due in December 2026.
Who qualifies	Students whose Maine school administrative unit neither runs a school for their grade nor contracts with a particular school for it. If the unit has a contract, students attend the contract school and the unit pays only that contract, so living in a town without its own school is not enough on its own.
How full it is	1,827 students in 2024-25, according to EdChoice.
When to apply	There is no state application. Families in a tuitioning town choose an approved school, and the school administrative unit pays the tuition.
How the money moves	Your school administrative unit pays the school. The final amount is negotiated between the school and the unit.
What it covers	Tuition.
Federal tax credit, 2027	Maine was not on the IRS opt-in list for the federal scholarship tax credit as of September 14, 2026.

Worth knowing: Only families whose school administrative unit neither runs a school for that grade nor contracts with a particular school for it get to choose. Religious schools became eligible after the 2022 Supreme Court case Carson v. Makin.

We read this on October 2, 2026 from: Maine Department of Education, tuition rates and approved private schools; Maine Department of Education, private school approval; EdChoice, Maine town tuitioning; 20-A M.R.S. 5203, elementary students (contract schools and parent choice); 20-A M.R.S. 5204, secondary students (contract schools and parent choice). Rules change when the legislature meets, so check the official program site before you count on a number.

Related programs

School vouchers by state

Is there an income limit for Town tuitioning?

There is no income test. A student qualifies by living in a school administrative unit that neither runs a school for the student's grade nor contracts with a specific school for that grade, and there is no priority order. Source.

How to apply for Town tuitioning

Contact the superintendent of your school administrative unit and ask whether your town runs a school for your child's grade, contracts with a specific school, or offers a choice of schools for tuition; the state Department of Education does not keep this information.
If your unit offers a choice, pick a public school or a private school approved by the Maine Department of Education to receive public tuition.
Get your child accepted at that school; the law requires the unit to pay at the school of the parent's choice at which the student is accepted.
The school administrative unit pays the tuition directly to the school, up to the state maximum rate, and you pay any balance above that.

Steps and limits read on October 2, 2026 from: Maine DOE, approval for receipt of public funds by private schools (FAQ); 20-A M.R.S. 5203, elementary students; 20-A M.R.S. 5204, secondary students; 20-A M.R.S. 5806, private school secondary tuition; Maine DOE, tuition rates and approved private schools; Maine DOE, directory of school administrative units. Limits change each year with the federal poverty guidelines, so confirm on the official site before you apply.

Run your own numbers

What would you pay?

Yearly tuition the school quoted Fees, books, uniforms Town tuitioning award Children

We could not confirm this year’s Town tuitioning amount, so type in the figure from your award letter. An award can never be more than the school actually charges. This is arithmetic, not a quote.

Which schools take it

The Maine Department of Education publishes two PDFs of private elementary and secondary schools approved to receive public tuition, covering 2020-21 through 2025-26 and dated January 23, 2026. Schools are approved each year. Schools marked with the badge here have a 2025-26 public tuition rate on those lists; we match by school name and town, or by a name that appears only once in the state.

28 schools on the Town tuitioning list, by town Browse private schools in Maine

Private schools in Portland (18 nearby)
Private schools in South Portland (14 nearby)
Private schools in Auburn (13 nearby)
Private schools in Brunswick (10 nearby)
Private schools in Lewiston (10 nearby)
Private schools in Bangor (6 nearby)
Private schools in Blue Hill (3 nearby)

Get one email when applications open

Most programs open once a year, and several ran out of money or seats in 2026. Pick your state and we will email you the day the next window opens, with the official link. That is the only email you get.

One email per application window. No calls, no sharing your details.

Questions parents ask

How much does Town tuitioning pay in Maine?

Tuition paid by your school district, up to a state formula. For 2025-26 the state average tuition rates were $13,077.51 (elementary) and $15,055.22 (secondary). Payments to private elementary schools may not exceed the statewide average; secondary rates add an allowance for building costs. The 2026-27 rates are due in December 2026.

Who is eligible?

Students whose Maine school administrative unit neither runs a school for their grade nor contracts with a particular school for it. If the unit has a contract, students attend the contract school and the unit pays only that contract, so living in a town without its own school is not enough on its own.

Does it cover the full cost of private school?

Not always. The award is a set amount and every school sets its own price. Ask each school for tuition plus fees, then subtract the award. The calculator on this page does the sum for you.

How do I know a school accepts Town tuitioning?

The Maine Department of Education publishes two PDFs of private elementary and secondary schools approved to receive public tuition, covering 2020-21 through 2025-26 and dated January 23, 2026. Schools are approved each year. Schools marked with the badge here have a 2025-26 public tuition rate on those lists; we match by school name and town, or by a name that appears only once in the state.

When do I apply?

There is no state application. Families in a tuitioning town choose an approved school, and the school administrative unit pays the tuition.

Is there an income limit?

No. Eligibility depends only on where you live and whether your school unit runs or contracts for a school at your child's grade.

Do I apply to the state?

No. Maine has no voucher program and the Department of Education makes no direct tuition payment; the school administrative unit where the child lives pays the tuition.

My town has its own school. Will it pay private school tuition?

No. If your unit runs its own school or contracts with a specific school for that grade and you choose a private school, the parent pays the tuition.

How much will the town pay?

The unit may pay up to the statewide average public school tuition rate for that year, and parents pay any balance. For private high schools the maximum is the school's own rate or the state average, whichever is lower, plus an allowance for buildings and equipment.

When are this year's tuition rates published?

The state posts the rates for the current school year after December 1. Until then, the previous year's maximum rate can be used as an estimate.

Can my child attend a private school outside Maine?

Yes, if that school is approved. Private schools outside Maine can be approved for public tuition on the same basis as schools in Maine.

Maine Town Tuitioning Program