A Case Study of Immigrants and Education:
The Scalabrinian Experience with Italian Americans
Mary Elizabeth Brown
Center for Migration Studies
(pp. 187-195) Vol. 2 No. 2; Dec 1998
This article describes the experience of the Society of Saint Charles, commonly known as the Scalabrinians, regarding the Catholic education of Italian immigrants between 1887 and 1933. It relates this historical situation to the following issues facing contemporary Catholic immigrant education: 1) financing local parochial educational programs with nonlocal funds; 2) developing theories regarding transcultural education; and 3) considering education inclusively to incorporate programs beyond parochial schooling.
Financial Planning for Catholic Secondary school: Essential but Not Determinative
Richard J. Burke
Catholic School Management, Inc.
(pp. 479-490) Vol. 2 No. 4; June 1999
Financial planning is one of the essential ingredients in successful Catholic secondary schools. Along with effective budgeting, solid financial management, financial reporting, and an effective teaching/learning program and environment, financial planning is key to the long-term viability of Catholic secondary schools. However, with increased emphasis on the need for financial planning, some Catholic school administrators and board members have allowed financial planning to determine the future direction of the Catholic secondary school. This article argues that this is an inappropriate course of action. Rather, long-range financial planning is one element in the comprehensive Catholic-school planning model. Indeed, this model should be mission driven, and any financial plan should be based upon the school’s strategic model which has proven to be effective for Catholic secondary schools.
The Quiet Revolution in Catholic Schooling in Australia
Kelvin Canavan, FMS
Catholic Education Office, Sydney, Australia
(pp. 46-54) Vol. 2 No. 1; Sept 1998
This brief overview of changes in Catholic schooling in Australia over the past 30 years identifies four key factors—the smooth transition from religious to lay staff, the reintroduction of government financial assistance, the development of strong Catholic Education offices, and the steady increase in enrollments—to explain the robust state of Catholic schooling in Australia.
A Favorable Legal Environment for Voucher Programs
Mark E. Chopko
National Conference of Catholic Bishops
(pp. 87-96) Vol. 3 No. 1; Sept 1999
A pressing legal issue at the close of the millennium is the use of public tax dollars to assist parents, especially lower income parents, with the rising tuition at private schools. The idea of vouchers, as they have been commonly named, has been argued in legal circles for decades. However, the 1990s have seen a particular urgency on this issue as several states have passed legislation implementing pilot programs. This article summarizes the current state of the debate, reviews significant legal cases, and highlights the differences among individual states in their interpretation and application of the law. While maintaining that a properly designed voucher program could pass constitutional review by the U.S. Supreme Court, the author argues that broader public policy and justice issues are at stake.
Including and Serving Students with Special Needs in Catholic Schools: A Report of Practices
W. Patrick Durow
Creighton University
(pp. 473-489) Vol. 10 No. 4; June 2007
Based on responses to a survey of 19 Midwestern Catholic dioceses, the author reports the mission, educational practice, and financial means utilized to serve students with special needs in Catholic schools.
The Accessibility of American Catholic Secondary Schools to the Various
Socioeconomic Classes of Catholic Families
John B. Huber, C.S.B.
St. Thomas High School, Houston, Texas
(pp. 271-287) Vol. 10 No. 3; March 2007
The purpose of this study was to discern which socioeconomic classes are represented in Catholic high school populations across the United States. In addition, the study sought to discover the motivations of those families whose children were currently enrolled in American Catholic high schools. Also explored were the reasons why Catholic families who have sent their child or children to Catholic elementary schools were electing not to continue Catholic education at the secondary level. Because financial aid availability has risen along with tuition (Tracy, 2001), this investigation included the extent to which such financial aid was considered by Catholic families, as well as the perceptions of Catholic families as to its availability at the secondary level. As tuition rates rise at a higher level than the cost of living and averages wage increases, this study additionally examined the extent to which the assertion (Baker & Riordan, 1998, 1999; Riordan, 2000) that American Catholic high schools were becoming more elitist is true. The Catholic Church’s statements as to the accessibility of Catholic education to all social classes provided a framework throughout the investigation.
The Financial, Legal, and Political Context of Private Education
Bruno V. Manno
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
(pp. 33-51) Vol. 3 No. 1; Sept 1999
Five principles underlie the changing policy architecture of American K-12 education. The author discusses these principles; how they are blurring the traditional demarcation of public and private schools; and the implications of this discussion for a private education
research agenda.
School Vouchers: Blessing or Curse for Catholic High Schools?
Joseph D. Massucci & Timothy J. Ilg
University of Dayton
(pp. 352-361) Vol. 6 No. 3; March 2003
The voucher debate has thus far focused almost exclusively on elementary schools. Since Catholic and private high schools tend to be more expensive to operate than elementary schools, this article hypothesizes about the potential future impact of voucher programs on Catholic high schools.
Vouchers and Religious Schools: Why Some Religious Schools May Refuse to Participate
Ralph D. Mawdsley & Charles J. Russo
Cleveland State University & University of Dayton
(pp. 362-371) Vol. 6 No. 3; March 2003
With the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision (Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, 2002), upholding the vouchers portion of an Ohio-based scholarship program, interest in vouchers is at an all-time high. Will the availability of voucher programs create an exodus of students from public schools? Will private schools open their doors and classrooms to respond to the increasing need? Several problems remain before voucher programs can become widespread, and even then some private and religious schools may opt not to participate. This article discusses the autonomy of religious schools, summarizes relevant court cases, and explores three possible reasons why some private and religious schools may not be willing to accept vouchers.
Process of Compassion: Pastoral Care During School Closings
Patrick J. McDevitt, C.M., Anthony J. Dosen, C.M., & Frances Ryan, D.C.
DePaul University
(pp. 24-40) Vol. 10 No. 1; Sept 2006
Catholic education in the United States continues to face mounting economic challenges. Dioceses are being challenged with the painful reality of closing Catholic schools that have long served communities. These school closings leave behind wounded and disillusioned professionals. The Process of Compassion Workshop was developed to provide personal and professional help for healing so that teachers could move forward in their careers. This article provides a theoretical framework with action research to care for the dedicated people school closings leave behind.
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 and its Impact on Catholic Education
Dale McDonald, PBVM
National Catholic Educational Association
(pp. 107-118) Vol. 3 No. 1; Sept 1999
Teachers and administrators worldwide are struggling to equip schools with the latest technology in an effort to enhance learning environments. This article discusses legislation concerning the funding of these efforts, with a strong focus on the specific funding challenges facing Catholic schools in the United States.
The Legal and Social Infirmities of Zelman v. Simmons-Harris
Scott McLeod
University of Minnesota
(pp. 328-341) Vol. 6 No. 3; March 2003
With a spirited criticism of Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (2002), this article summarizes many arguments against the voucher decision, including the dissenting opinions of U.S. Supreme Court justices, opponents of the decision, and amicus curiae briefs from the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Ohio School Boards Association, all of whom argued against the Cleveland Plan. In the end, the decision may prove dangerous to Catholic schools that accept public voucher monies.
The Political Climate in the Current U.S. Congress for the Public Policy Agenda of the
Catholic School Community
Frank J. Monahan
United States Catholic Conference
(pp. 74-80) Vol. 3 No. 1; Sept 1999
This paper discusses the political climate for addressing education policy issues in the 106th Congress, which convened in January 1999, and assesses the politics surrounding the issue of federal financial assistance for Catholic elementary and secondary education. It identifies two categories of issues: the equitable participation of nonpublic school students and teachers in federal education programs and school choice initiatives such as tax credits or vouchers. The article draws from historical and current political trends to explain why equity for Catholic school students and teachers in education programs is likely to be achieved through the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in this Congress. It also addresses the potential difficulties in pursuing a school choice agenda.
Good by Choice: A Tale of Two Schools
Richard Ognibene & Mel Shay
Seton Hall University
(pp. 474-490) Vol. 3 No. 4; June 2000
What are the positive and negative effects of voucher programs and school choice initiatives? Do Catholic schools benefit by receiving voucher students? Are public schools challenged to change by the availability of tuition vouchers? This essay provides an in-depth look at one voucher experiment in Albany, New York, and reports on changes in both the Catholic school receiving voucher students and the public school from which the students came.
Agostini v. Felton and the Delivery of Title I Services in Catholic Schools
Charles J. Russo, Allan G. Osborne, Jr., Gerald M. Cattaro, & Philip Dimattia
University of Dayton, Snug Harbor Community School, Fordham University, Boston College
(pp. 263-274) Vol. 1 No. 3; March 1998
The Supreme Court’s recent decision in Agostini v. Felton is its most important case involving Catholic schools since the landmark 1971 ruling in Lemon v. Kurtzman. In Agostini, a closely divided Court took the unusual step of overturning its 1985 decision in Aguilar v. Felton, which prohibited the on-site delivery of Title I services to students enrolled in religiously affiliated nonpublic schools. In light of the potential ramifications of Agostini, this article reviews the Court’s rationale in detail before reflecting on how Agostini might affect the delivery of educational services under Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act to students in Catholic schools.
Choice and Schools: An Analysis of Free Market Financing and Educational Values
Joseph Watras & Edward St. John
University of Dayton & Indiana University
(pp. 400-413) Vol. 1 No. 4; June 1998
In the public policy discourse about vouchers, many Catholic school advocates have been aligned with the new conservative critics of public schools. A review of the Dayton, Ohio, area Catholic schools reveals that need-based student subsidies, which are a variation on vouchers, might reverse the declining urban enrollment in Catholic schools and continue their tradition of educating poor and disadvantaged students. However, the case suggests that choice schemes can alter the educational aims of schools in unexpected ways.