We believe parents have the primary role in the education of their children and access to Catholic education is primary to our mission as Catholics. It is how we serve the needs of children and families and help improve their lives. Catholic education is a public service and a contributor to the common good by creating a model of “schools for the human person.”
Catholic education models faith in action and has the unique capacity to address many of the obstacles facing poor and minority families. Our nation’s history credits the achievement of Catholic schools that moved thousands of children from poor immigrant families into the middle class and beyond, often in one generation.
Today, parents in underserved communities continue to share those aspirations and need assistance educating their children. These parents want a choice because they know the consequences of under-performing schools better than anyone and appreciate Catholic schools for the respect they show to them, their families and their students. Overwhelmingly, they cite the learning environment that is a hallmark of our education model as a primary reason they chose our schools for their child. The components of diversity, consistent achievement gains across income levels and ethnicity, student engagement and teacher commitment continue to serve as well today as in the past.
As Catholics and as parents, we believe our responsibility for our children’s education and for insuring the vitality of the schools that support that mission is how we meet our obligations to our faith, our children, our communities and the future.
