Do you think catholic education is overpriced?

[Cariethra]

That sounds about right from when I was in Catholic schools 15 years ago (that makes me feel old). ><;

There is one K-8 school in my area that will teach the child for free as long as the parents are parishioners and volunteer 40 hours a week at the school.

 

[Morwenna]

Your $10/week number is a little low, but not by that much. We have around 1200 families a week attending Sunday mass, so that would be around 12000*52=624K. That would go a long ways towards subsidizing tuition enough to make education affordable to all (but not tuition free).

Nevertheless, you have made my point. The problem is solvable, if the Church provided the leadership and formation to make it happen. I will say it bluntly again, it is a failure of the Church in our country.

I will say this, I think some pastors and Bishops are starting to get it, at the parish level. Catholic high schools? The problem does not even appear to be on their radar screens.

I’ve read that the Diocese of Wichita does this:

WICHITA, Kan. — As Catholic school enrollment continues to decline and schools close across the country — more than 1,400 since 1990 — dioceses could learn from the example of the Diocese of Wichita, Kan.

The diocese of more than 120,000 Catholics is not closing schools; rather, it’s opening them.

The diocese’s distinct emphasis on stewardship has enabled parishes to fund their ministries, **including completely funding their parish schools since 2002. **

Full story: ncregister.com/daily-news/catholic-education-stewardship-thriving-in-wichita#ixzz2OnBTDEvI

And from EWTN:

The Wichita diocese provides tuition-free enrollment in its schools to the children of active parishioners, through its vigorous model of stewardship.

Full story: ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=123827

 

[IBombAtomically]

YES! Catholic schools are way outside the realm of affordability in our area. Humbly, I think it is a broken system. Speaking for my daughter’s school, they are breaking even only with support from a benefactor. The teachers are paid less than one third of a public school teacher’s salary. We have all sorts of fundraisers with the community, and the school does well in not wasting the little money it has. At the moment, we have one school-aged kid, and her tuition alone is 1/5 of my husband’s salary (I stay home) and if I had to list the sacrifices we’ve made to send her there, I’d be typing at this computer all day! We get no financial aid, because there is none available.

Very, very few kids from our parish are sent to the local Catholic schools because it is just too expensive. Many of the families who CAN afford it are not Catholic (and those who are, aren’t practicing), and they send their kids because it’s a private school… despite the religion, rather than because of it.

For those of us who have large families, Catholic school is not a reality unless you’re super wealthy.

Someone really should come up with a solution!!

 

[Soren_Itenu]

Solution: abolish public schools. Public schooling is a failed experiment.

 

[Sheeniac]

I would love it if the schools were so Catholic that it would matter. And if the kids of active parishoners could attend for free. Of course, it’s all academic for me.

I am single/no kids, have been paying property taxes for over a decade, give **more **than $10/ week, donate to diocesan school fund, was giving extra when there were envelopes for the school at my parish (new pastor is using the additional monthly collection for the maintenance fund), and also support some of the fundraisers.

 

[tafan]

So, you want me to pay taxes to send the public school kids to school, and you want me to donate money to the Church to send the Church kids to school?

Would you like me fund yet a third option as well, if the other two don’t work out?

I’ve made the decision not to send my kids to Catholic school. Why would I send other people’s kids to Catholic school?

I don’t mean to be argumentative, but I don’t get this idea at all.

Yes I do want that, and, just as importannt, I want a Catholic school system that you want to send your kids to. A system where the second sentence of the following canon is not needed:

Can. 798 Parents are to entrust their children to those schools which provide a Catholic education. If they are unable to do this, they are obliged to take care that suitable Catholic education is provided for their children outside the schools.

 

[bookgirl32]

I’ve read that the Diocese of Wichita does this:

WICHITA, Kan. — As Catholic school enrollment continues to decline and schools close across the country — more than 1,400 since 1990 — dioceses could learn from the example of the Diocese of Wichita, Kan.

The diocese of more than 120,000 Catholics is not closing schools; rather, it’s opening them.

The diocese’s distinct emphasis on stewardship has enabled parishes to fund their ministries, **including completely funding their parish schools since 2002. **

Full story: ncregister.com/daily-news/catholic-education-stewardship-thriving-in-wichita#ixzz2OnBTDEvI

And from EWTN:

The Wichita diocese provides tuition-free enrollment in its schools to the children of active parishioners, through its vigorous model of stewardship.

Full story: ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=123827

This is true and really working. I’m in Lincoln, NE and our tuition is extremely low, but there are several schools trying to copy this model as well. Right now the grade school our son is in is $800 a year, and we are the highest tuition as we are the newest school. The high school is $1500 a year and once you have more kids in there is a sliding scale. No one is turned away for being unable to pay and yet the tuitions are capped by the diocese. But here’s the thing: Our schools are not ritzy, exclusive prep schools intent on seeing their students go to Harvard (although I’m sure they wouldn’t mind). They are basically equivalent to the city’s good public school system in terms of educational quality. Although there is the added bonus of greater disciplinary control. The emphasis is on raising and educating kids in the true teachings of the Church in order to send them out into the world as valuable members of society spreading the truth. Every school has religious, although some more than others, and there is an entire (growing) order of religious (School SIsters of Christ the King) dedicated to the diocesan schools. Most of the schools have these nuns as regular grade school teachers in certain grades, not just religion teachers, and the majority also have nuns as principal. The high school’s religion classes are ALL taught by priests. But we also have an abundance of vocations, probably due to the great Catholic schools . (Also, the Bishop of Wichita is from the Lincoln diocese .)

Edit: I only mentioned one religious order dedicated to teaching, we have two. The Marian Sisters of the Diocese of Lincoln teach in the high school in the city and in the surrounding towns. They also run a special full time boarding school for special needs kids, although that one, understandably, is more expensive.

 

[john78]

well one answer to this, is to start sending children to religious ed classes at ones local parish, some have trained chatecists some do not, but there can be more to learn there, our parishes can fill in the gaps, to provide volunteers to help tutor those that need help in classes, to teach the faith and etc.

It takes some organizing to make the changes necessary, also where Catholic Charities can not reach, there are the Knights of Columbus, plenty of other good orgs out there willing to help.and then i would suggest to start a dialouge with your local diocese, and if you dont find the answer suitable , come up with suggestions, find other parents and families facing the same situation.

 

[KellyPalmer]

That’s about what it is at our only option for Catholic school. It’s actually even higher for preschool, lol. The reason I was given for the Catholic preschool being higher was b/c it’s considered “daycare” and thus not subsidized. That leads me to believe the other grades are. I would be more willing to suffer financially for this investment if I felt it would be much different than sending them to public school. No doubt it’s better, but by how much? Most of the teachers aren’t Catholic. There are only 2 Nuns teaching in the entire school (prek - 8th grade) and I don’t think there are any Nuns teaching in the high school.

 

[KellyPalmer]

Solution: abolish public schools. Public schooling is a failed experiment.

Truth!

 

[KellyPalmer]

well one answer to this, is to start sending children to religious ed classes at ones local parish, some have trained chatecists some do not, but there can be more to learn there, our parishes can fill in the gaps, to provide volunteers to help tutor those that need help in classes, to teach the faith and

Our Parish only has religious Ed classes once a month for part of the year. My kids were sick on class day the time before last so they went months without religious Ed.

 

[llenadegracia]

The Catholic high schools in my area average close to $10,000 a year.

10k is more than my college’s annual tuition.

I live in a public school district that has a fantastic character-building, pro-volunteering spirit. Yes, the school district is filled with nearly half who receive government aid. Yes, the school district struggles with violence issues. Yes, the school district can’t affiliate with any morals closely tied with religion. But there was something beautiful about going to public school that I think I would have missed out big time had I attend one of the local Catholic high schools… Something beautiful about becoming enwrapped in my community and neighbors. I worked on group projects with kids who didn’t have running water! They became my friends. I don’t come from a wealthy family myself by any means and we barely skimmed by growing up sometimes…but becoming friends with peers who did not even have running water living in run down trailers surely put things in a new perspective for me. When we brought in canned food to school…we were bringing in food for our peers. It’s obviously not all about the financial side, but also about that we all came from different backgrounds and religions and ideas and opinions! I remember doing a close-read of an English poem…it was a poem about God…and in my group was a Catholic (me), a Mormon, Muslim, Jew, and atheist. Talk about diversity and bringing something unique to the table.

I don’t know. My high school experience taught me such a strong sense of community that I feel like my friends who attend the Catholic high schools missed out on. They’re not linked to the city we live in. Again, about half receive financial assistance in my city…but my friends who attended Catholic high schools view financial hardship as something that occurs in far away places or in less developed countries…truth is…it’s right here in our backyard. They never gained the same understanding and appreciation and tolerance for diversity. One friend had her first job the summer after we graduated high school and she used to call me and ask for advice…people at her work were asking her questions about Catholicism or laugh about other Christians behind their backs at work and she told me, “I never knew people actually did that!” She now attends a Catholic university.

I’ll stop there…I have a lot of thoughts on this though…

But to answer to the OP’s question directly: Absolutely I think Catholic education is overpriced! I don’t necessarily like the word overpriced because I think many dioceses are taking measures to reduce cost and overpriced implies (in my opinion) that they are doing nothing to help financially…so I think “unaffordable for a significant amount of people” fits better.

I would have LOVED to go to a Catholic school where I could have been taught about the tenets of the Catholic faith. But that’s not possible for a multitude of reasons where I live. Sadly, the Catholic schools in my city attract (and are only possible for) the wealthy. Nobody else wants to go there because there is such a gap in lifestyle that sometimes it becomes hard to form friendships.

Also, the academics are parallel and the catechesis is lacking. So no real motivation there.

Ok…really though…I’m done typing. Let us pray for the future that one day Catholic schools will be affordable for all and catechize well

 

[pollynova]

I hated going to public school and I desperately wanted to go to the Catholic high school. But there was just no way my foster parents could afford it. I applied for scholarships, but didn’t get any, mostly because I had no extra-curricular activities. Of course if I had been a star athlete I could have gotten the tuition paid for.

I looked a couple Catholic colleges and… no. First, I doubt I would have been accepted in the first place and second, they were simply too expensive.

 

[jeannetherese]

Well, I go to a combined junior senior high… I am currently in 8th grade in the junior high and my tuition is 5,000 dollars not including lunch money, book fees ect. For the highschool it is about 10,500 dollars. Is this a cheap, average, or high price for a quality catholic education??

  Thanks in advance,
                   Trey C. :)

I bolded the “quality Catholic education” part. If the formation is solid and it helps you get to heaven, it’s an excellent investment in your future. Perhaps you will help to lead many others to Christ.
There are several teaching orders that are growing and sending their sisters out to teach. May this lead to stronger catechesis and to Catholic education that is more affordable in our communities. May God bless the Nashville Dominicans and all who are called to vocations in support of Catholic education. Amen.

 

[KCT]

Our Parish only has religious Ed classes once a month for part of the year. My kids were sick on class day the time before last so they went months without religious Ed.

Except for what you were doing at home, right?

 

[tafan]

Our Parish only has religious Ed classes once a month for part of the year. My kids were sick on class day the time before last so they went months without religious Ed.

Wow, so now parishes are ignoring all education. Once a month? Shocking

 

[Kelfa28]

The k-8 school at our parish is about $3,000 a year…with an emphasis on the fact that tuition is on a case by case basis. Everyone is required to participate in at least one large fundraiser activity to help raise money…but there are 4 or 5 of them they do annually.

The high school is more expensive at $8,000 a year.

Better start saving now!

 

[PaulinVA]

When I was a kid, St. Mary’s was free for grades one through eight. Lake Catholic HS cost no more than $500 per year in the early 1970s. What a change! Pope Paul VI (Fairfax, VA) is $12,310 for the first student. St. Andrew the Apostle (Clifton, VA) tuition is $5,420 for the first student. The rates I posted are based on Catholic students only.

We vowed never to send a child to PVI after watching the band and cheerleaders and flag team or whoever they were in the City of Fairfax Fourth of July parades. The girls were dressed scandalously. Every year people along the side of the road would look at each other as they went by and comment, “They’re a CATHOLIC high school? Hmmm”

I’m sure there are many good Catholic schools. Somewhere.

 

[SamH]

Well, I go to a combined junior senior high… I am currently in 8th grade in the junior high and my tuition is 5,000 dollars not including lunch money, book fees ect. For the highschool it is about 10,500 dollars. Is this a cheap, average, or high price for a quality catholic education??

  Thanks in advance,
                   Trey C. :)

New York City spends over $18,000 per student and over 80% of their graduates can’t read at a highschool level (note these are the graduates - does not include dropouts or underclassman). Your education sounds pretty cheap with much better results.

 

[KellyPalmer]

Except for what you were doing at home, right?

This question doesn’t make sense so I’m not sure how to answer. No? I don’t enroll my kids in religious Ed classes at the Parish in my home either. If you meant to ask if religious education is also a part of our everyday life at home, the answer is yes. But then my Parish offers more education for my kids than just the RE classes as well…but that’s not what the PP said so that’s not what I addressed.