Catholic Education: Schools and Parishes
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati is the sixth largest Catholic school system in the country. Our elementary schools and high schools are living embodiments of the Catholic values we hold dear. The people of this archdiocese highly value Catholic education, and we are currently serving more than 44,000 students in 113 schools. Our students receive instruction formed by faith and morality, with a strong emphasis on character development and service to the community. Our test scores show that our students consistently outperform national and state averages and our graduates matriculate to top colleges and universities. Additionally, our alumni serve in leadership positions — in the Church, in their professions, and in their communities — throughout the world. Rooted in the Gospel message of Jesus Christ, we are dedicated to the faith formation, academic excellence, and individual growth of our students.
We have always demonstrated a commitment to Catholic schools. Most schools operate with parish tuition assistance funds and regional efforts such as the Catholic Inner-city Schools Education Fund (CISE) and the Seeds of Growth Fund. These programs have had great successes and assist many of our families. EdChoice, the Jon Peterson Scholarship, and other publicly funded programs have also helped many to afford a Catholic education.
In spite of this support, the demand for additional funding remains acute. Primarily due to demographic shifts and economic challenges, Catholic school enrollment has been declining nationwide, and the effects have been felt in our archdiocese as well. Unfortunately, 23 of our schools have closed or been consolidated over the last 13 years.
In response to these challenges, a comprehensive study of archdiocesan schools culminated in the 2012 release of Lighting the Way, a plan detailing dozens of initiatives directed toward sustaining high quality, thriving, and authentically Catholic schools. Lighting the Way has an ambitious goal of assuring a Catholic school education that is accessible, available, and affordable for any family who wishes their children to attend.
One Faith, One Hope, One Love allows us to address these objectives with endowments and immediate funds that provide for:
- A tuition fund for needs-based assistance, used in concert with available tuition assistance and a proportionate and reasonable family sacrifice.
- Professional training, faith formation, and leadership development for teachers and administrators, including catechists in parish religious education programs throughout our archdiocese.
- Programs that foster quality and vitality in our schools, such as innovative marketing efforts, Latino outreach, and new methods of data collection and accountability.
Check out some of our Catholic education news stories to learn more about how the campaign funds are being used.
