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 Next Generation” A Study of Catholic High School Religion Teachers
Timothy J. Cook
Creighton University
(pp. 115-121) Vol. 4 No. 1; Sept 2000
The Next Generations: A Study of Catholic High School Religion Teachers is a McGivney Grant-funded study that will examine the critical and growing shortage of credentialed high school religion teachers. Using survey research, this study will assess the national situation and attempt to forecast what the future holds. Ultimately, the study will make recommendations regarding the future recruitment, preparation, and retention of religion teacher candidates.
Recruitment, Preparation, and Retention of Catholic High School Religion Teachers
Timothy J. Cook
Creighton University
(pp. 530-556) Vol. 4 No. 4; June 2001
In September 2000, this journal announced an important national study, funded by grants from the Lilly Endowment, the Knights of Columbus McGivney Fund, and the Chief Administrators of Catholic Education, on the impending shortage of religion teachers in Catholic high schools. This article reports the findings of that study in three important areas: recruitment, preparation, and retention. The study summarizes the results of surveys to nearly 200 Catholic high schools and 1000 religion teachers throughout the United States. Extensive recommendations are offered for each area studied, with a view to securing a stable future pool of highly qualified high school religion teachers.
The State of Special Education in Catholic Schools
Leonard DeFiore
The Catholic University of America
(pp. 453-466) Vol. 9 No. 4; June 2006
Catholic educators in recent years have worked to increase their schools’ capacity to provide special education services to more students. The expansion of federal programs to support students with special needs has aided in dealing with this issue, but it has also exacerbated problems. The exacerbation comes from the increased focus on both the needs of children and the inability of the schools to respond positively as often as they would like. The aid comes in the form of some governmental assistance as well as increased financial support from local sources. However, the demand for services continues to exceed the resources available to respond. This paper explores the current dimensions of this situation.
Moral Education and Teachers’ Self Perceptions:
Novice Male Teachers in the Catholic High School
Aine Donovan
U.S. Naval Academy
(pp. 441-460) Vol. 3 No. 4; June 2000
This article describes a qualitative study of six Catholic high school teachers, all male and all relatively new to Catholic education. Each subject participated in six hours of ethnographic interviews, yielding a rich description of their self-perceptions, educational competence, and faith background. Teaching as a vocation and moral education emerged as important themes for these teachers and for future study.
The Evolution, Validation, and Use of a Personal Form of the Catholic School Classroom Environment Questionnaire
Jeffrey P. Dorman
Australian Catholic University
(pp. 141-157) Vol. 3 No. 2; Dec 1999
The research reported in this article contributes to classroom environment research and Catholic education by describing the development, validation, and use of a personal form of the Catholic School Classroom Environment Questionnaire (CSCEQ). Using the class form of the CSCEQ as a basis, a 49-item instrument that assesses a student’s perceptions of his or her own role in the class was developed and validated with a sample of 1317 students from 52 religious education classes in 17 Australian Catholic high schools. This instrument assesses seven classroom environment dimensions: Student Affiliation, Interactions, Cooperation, Task Orientation, Order and Organization, Individualization, and Teacher Control. The research revealed differences in the religious education classroom environment in Catholic boys’, girls’, and coeducational schools, differences between grade 9 and grade 12 classes, and differences between boys’ and girls’ perceptions of the environment in coeducational classrooms. This application of the CSCEQ’s personal form demonstrates its usefulness as a research tool in Catholic high school religious education classes.
Some Determinants of Classroom Psychosocial Environment in Australian Catholic High Schools: A Multilevel Analysis
Jeffrey P. Dorman
(pp. 7-29)
This research investigated some determinants of classroom environment in Australian Catholic high schools. The Catholic School Classroom Environment Questionnaire (CSCEQ) was used to assess seven dimensions of the classroom pyschosocial environment: student affiliation, interactions, cooperation, task orientation, order and organization, individualization, and teacher control. The sample consisted of 1,719 students from 80 classes in 20 Catholic coeducational and single-sex schools. Validation data attested to the sound structural properties of the CSCEQ. Because the data were nested (i.e., students within classes within schools), multilevel analyses were used to investigate the influence of student gender, grade, subject, and school type on students' perceptions of the classroom environment. Statistically significant associations between some of these grouping variables and some of the CSCEQ scales were evident, with gender and grade the main explanatory variables. Variance in order and organization was not explained by any of the four hypothesized grouping variables.
Thomas Aquinas: Integrating Faith and Reason in the Catholic School
Dennis Doyle
University of Dayton
(pp. 343-356) Vol. 10 No. 3; March 2007
The Second Vatican Council, social upheaval, and quickly changing cultural norms were a part of the fabric of life in the 1960s. Values and beliefs held firmly for generations were called into question. Faith, once solid, appeared to some Catholics to turn fluid and doubtful. Though now well over seven centuries old, the work of Thomas Aquinas can itself be understood and appreciated as a response to the demands of philosophical challenges that threatened to make things fall apart. By his fitting together of faith and reason, Aquinas’ intellectual approach can serve as a inspiration for educators, especially those at the high school level.
The President/Principal Model in Catholic Secondary Schools
William Dygert, C.S.C.
Providence Catholic Schools
(pp. 16-41) Vol. 4 No. 1; Sept 2000
The purpose of this research about the president/principal model was to examine this emerging model of dual leadership in Catholic secondary schools in the United States to determine its forms, functions, and perceived advantages and disadvantages. The study was qualitative and gathered data by use of a survey. Based on the information gathered, dealing with the ever-increasing complexity of administering a Catholic secondary school by dividing the multiple administrative roles and responsibilities between two individuals, and in some cases more than two individuals, is a strategy that works. This division not only provides for academic leadership and the daily operation of the school, but also provides for leadership in institutional advancement, management of financial resources, strategic planning, fidelity to mission, and vision building.
Enacting Social Justice to Teach Social Justice: The Pedagogy of Bridge Builders
Karen E. Eifler, Jeff Kerssen-Griep, & Peter Thacker
University of Portland
(pp. 55-70) Vol. 12 No. 1; Sept 2008
This article describes a particular endeavor, the Bridge Builders Academic Mentoring Program (BAMP), a partnership between a school of education in a Catholic university in the Northwest and a community-based rites of passage program for adolescent African American males. The partnership exemplifies tenets of Catholic social teaching, in that it is community-based, justice-oriented and in many ways countercultural. The pedagogy aligns with the goals of service learning; that is, the service extended by university students satisfies a genuine community need, and at the same time affords those engaged in service an opportunity to acquire crucial knowledge, skills, and dispositions to which they would not otherwise have access. Implications for translating this program to other contexts are provided.
Conceptions of Well-Being Among Academically Successful Adolescent Girls of Color in a Catholic School
Jennifer Ekert & Eleanor Drago-Severson
Harvard Graduate School of Education & National Center for the Study of
Adult Learning and Literacy
(pp. 183-201) Vol. 3 No. 2; Dec 1999
This article reports the findings of an ethnographic study conducted in an urban Catholic high school, with a focus on girls of color. By giving voice to this regularly neglected group, this research gives us the opportunity to hear from girls of color and to learn firsthand of their successes, joys, and struggles. Academic achievement and psychological health are presented as goals for high school programs.
Ability Grouping in Catholic and Public Schools
Brandy J. Ellison & Maureen T. Hallinan
University of Notre Dame
(pp. 107-129) Vol. 8 No. 1; Sept 2004
Researchers have found that students who attend Catholic high schools tend to outperform public high school students on standardized tests of achievement. Although many aspects of this finding have been examined in subsequent research, little attention has been paid to the issue of how ability grouping affects achievement across school sectors. A nearly universal practice in middle and secondary schools, ability grouping works to channel learning opportunities to students. The authors trace the history of ability grouping and review the findings regarding ability group effects, the assignment process, and mobility across groups in each school sector. Their analyses suggest that the way ability grouping is implemented in Catholic schools contributes to the Catholic school advantage in achievement.
Cognitive Spirituality and Hope in Catholic High School Students
Bruce B. Frey, Jennifer Teramoto Pedrotti, Lisa M. Edwards, & Diane McDermott
University of Kansas, California Polytechnic Institute, University of Notre Dame, &
University of Kansas
(pp. 479-491) Vol. 7 No. 4; June 2004
This study explores the validity of a construct of cognitive spirituality as measured by a recent measure, the Spirituality Index of Well-Being, in a sample of Catholic high school students. Spirituality on this scale is conceptualized as a composite of life scheme (having meaning in one’s life) and generalized self-efficacy. Construct-based validity evidence was produced through factor analysis and examination of correlations between the spirituality scale and subscale scores with scale and subscales on the Children’s Hope Scale, a well-being indicator previously used for this population. In addition, differences between male and female students were found, with females producing higher scores on the life scheme subscale, suggesting a greater sense of meaning in their lives. The Spirituality Index of Well-Being also demonstrated high internal reliability in this sample. It is argued that the goal of Catholic education is education of the whole person and that this conceptualization of spirituality is consistent with that goal. The Spirituality Index of Well-Being appears to be a valid and reliable measure of cognitive spirituality for this population and a useful indicator of student-well-being.
The Mission of Catholic High Schools and Today’s Millennials: Three Suggestions
James L. Heft, S.M. & James D. Davidson
University of Dayton & Purdue University
(pp. 410-422) Vol. 6 No. 4; June 2003
A new generation of American Catholics, called the millennial generation, has emerged. This article examines how millennials think about their world, their Church, and their schools; discusses how and why their thinking will change as they mature; and offers research-based suggestions on how best to present the Catholic tradition to them.
The Catholic Secondary School Climate:
Forming a Culture of Nonviolence and Healthy Relatedness
Sharon M. Homan, Stephanie Starkloff Morgan, Mary Domahidy
St. Louis University
Kenneth B. Homan, Joleene Unnerstall, & Rachel H. Fisher
Quincy University, Project H.A.R.T., St. Louis, & Washington University
(pp. 281-300) Vol. 4 No. 3; March 2001
In The Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium, the Congregation for Catholic Education (1998) suggests that the foremost challenge to third millennium education is a “crisis of values” that assumes the form of moral relativism, subjectivism, and nihilism. Teen violence, disengagement with others, power games, date rape, and other forms of unhealthy sexual relationships are manifestations of this crisis. One of the characteristics of the Catholic school that enables it to respond is the climate of the educating community. The Congregation states, “The educating community, taken as a whole, is…called to further the objective of a school as a place of complete formation through interpersonal relations” (p. 12). Fostering healthy relationships is key to the formation of young persons in our Catholic secondary schools. This article examines three questions confronting our secondary schools: How does interpersonal violence threaten both interpersonal relations and the climate of the educating community? What approaches can be used in secondary schools to contribute to a culture of nonviolence? How are healthy interpersonal relations fostered among teens in a Catholic school? We analyze these questions from an interdisciplinary perspective which draws upon research and practice from the fields of public health, education, and psychology and the theological tradition of Catholic education, particularly moral theology.
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.
How Much Does a Private School Student Count? A Critical Analysis of the Athletic Multiplier
John T. James
Saint Louis University
(pp. 409-432) Vol. 10 No. 4; June 2007
As Catholic high schools continue to experience success in interscholastic athletic leagues, state associations have repeatedly contemplated ways to thwart the perceived Catholic school advantage. One such effort, the multiplier, receives critical assessment in this article.
A Search for Common Ground: Value Preferences of Lay and Religious Teachers in Roman Catholic Secondary Schools
Candace H. Lacey
Arkansas State University
(pp. 55-67) Vol. 2 No. 1; Sept 1998
This study examined the value preferences of full-time lay and religious faculty members in Roman Catholic secondary schools in one archdiocese. Using The Study of Values (Allport, Vernon, & Lindzey, 1960), two main research questions were addressed: What relative importance do teachers place on the six identified values? And what differences exist between the value preferences of religious and lay teachers? Findings indicated that both religious and lay teachers considered the religious value preference most important, while the economic value was the least preferred orientation. The significant difference found between groups for the religious valued preference is discussed in terms of instrumentation. Implications for hiring are presented and recommendations for future research are made.
Success Central: Implementing a Program to Meet the Needs of
Diverse Learners in a Catholic School
Teresa Marie Laengle, S.C., Deborah Redder, Wilma Somers, & Kathryn Sullivan
Catholic Central High School
(pp. 355-362) Vol. 3 No. 3; March 2000
Catholic high schools are among the most effective educational environments in the United States. Often celebrated as comprehensive and college preparatory, the typical Catholic high school boasts of its graduation rate, percentage of college-bound seniors, National Merit finalists, athletic prowess, and scholarship awards. This article pursues a relatively new theme for most Catholic high schools: creating an environment responsive to the needs of diverse learners. Following a school-within-a-school model, one Catholic high school in the Midwest designed and implemented a program to serve students with special needs. Their insights, struggles, and vision form the basis of this article which chronicles a success story worthy
of replication.
Catholic High School Students’ Attitudes Toward Homosexuality:
A Snapshot of Incoming College Freshmen
Michael J. Maher
Loyola University Chicago
(pp. 432-478) Vol. 7 No. 4; June 2004
This study is a survey of incoming freshmen at a Midwestern Catholic university on their agreement with Church teachings on homosexuality. In general, females had more homo-positive attitudes than males, graduates of Catholic high schools had more homo-positive attitudes than graduates from non-Catholic high schools, and graduates from coeducational Catholic high schools had more homo-positive attitudes than graduates from unisex Catholic high schools. Also, if respondents agreed with the Church’s teaching against homosexual activity and that homosexuality is a disorder, they were less likely to agree with the Church’s teachings that gay and lesbian people have rights that the Church should protect.
Gay and Lesbian Students in Catholic High Schools: A Qualitative Study of Alumni Narratives
Michael J. Maher
Loyola University Chicago
(pp. 449-472) Vol. 10 No. 4; June 2007
The Catholic Magisterium has made a distinction between homosexual orientation (disordered but not sinful), homosexual activity (sinful, but judged “with prudence”), rights of gay and lesbian people, and the Church’s pastoral responsibilities to gay and lesbian people. Both the Vatican and the American bishops have clearly stated that the topic of homosexuality must be addressed in Catholic education, but the emphases on how it is addressed differ between the Vatican (emphasis on finding causes and cures) and the American bishops (providing pastoral care and inclusion). This article deals with the experiences of gay and lesbian youth in Catholic high schools. It is based on in-depth interviews with 25 (12 female and 13 male) gay and lesbian alumni who attended Catholic high schools in the 1980s and 1990s. What emerged is a theme of “disintegration.” Things simply did not fit together in their lives in the areas of family, peers, school, spirituality, and identity. This is in stark contrast with Catholic teaching, which proposes that the purpose of Catholic education is the integration of all these areas.
The Catholic High School and American Educational Reform: Challenges and Opportunities
Bruno V. Manno
Hudson Institute
(pp. 7-20) Vol. 1 No 1; Sept 1997
This paper provides answers to two questions. First, what challenges and opportunities does the movement to reform American public education, and to make it more accountable, raise for Catholic high schools? Second, what challenges and opportunities does the effectiveness of Catholic high schools in educating disadvantaged students raise for American public education?
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.
Urban Catholic High Schools and Disadvantaged Females
Corinne R. Merrit
Emmanuel College
(pp. 206-222) Vol. 12 No. 2; Dec 2008
The purpose of this study was to discover the life experiences of disadvantaged female graduates of urban Catholic high schools and what they say about the capacity of Catholic education to meet their academic, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. Based on narrative inquiry, this study was conducted using a series of in-depth, semistructured interviews to elicit the life experiences of 5 participants. Twelve common personal characteristics emerged directly from the narratives of the participants and provided the backdrop for two patterns: (a) the importance of education, and (b) the importance of relationships. This study found the high school experiences met the academic needs of all participants, but the different school sites varied in their ability to meet the emotional, social, and spiritual needs. This study also found four characteristics interacted in creating the Catholic school culture: (a) building relationships, (b) promoting a sense of community, (c) supporting a caring and nurturing environment, and (d) emphasizing respect for all members of the school community.
Students’ Choice of Schools for Their Children:
Logistic Regression Analysis on Contributing Factors
Magdalena Mo Ching Mok & Marcellin Flynn
Hong Kong Institute of Education & St. Joseph’s College, Australia
(pp. 6-33) Vol. 8 No. 1; Sept 2004
School choice has been an issue in the education systems where parents are given the autonomy to select schools for their children. Previous research suggests that parental decisions are affected by demographic, financial, and value-related factors. This study investigated variables including: demographic and socio-economic background, motivation, quality of school curriculum, quality of school life, and classroom environment as factors contributing to secondary students’ choice of schools for their own children. The sample comprised 8,265 secondary students from 70 Catholic schools in New South Wales, Australia. Analysis of variance and logistic regression were used to identify contributing factors of school choice. Findings suggested that students’ expectations of schools, quality of school curriculum, quality of school life, and the classroom environments they experienced all contributed to their intention to send their own children to the same schools, after controlling for their background differences. On the other hand, students’ intentions were not affected by their gender, socio-economic backgrounds, or country of birth.
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.
Victor and Constance Daniel and Emancipatory Education at the Cardinal Gibbons Institute
Cecilia A. Moore
University of Dayton
(pp. 396-404) Vol. 4 No. 3; March 2001
From 1924 to 1934, Victor and Constance Daniel practiced emancipatory education at the Cardinal Gibbons Institute, a Catholic high school for African Americans in Ridge, Maryland. The purpose of emancipatory education was to liberate Black and White Americans, both mentally and morally, from the vestiges of slavery that created and perpetuated racism in the United States. Emancipatory education placed the study and appreciation of African American history and culture at its center. The Daniels rooted their development of emancipatory education in their experience as Catholic educators, the racial uplift movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and African American scholarship.
The Catholic Teacher: Our Greatest Resource
John King Mussio, J.C.D.
Late Bishop of Steubenville
(pp. 364-374) Vol. 4 No. 3; March 2001
The 56th annual meeting of the National Catholic Educational Association was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1959. The following essay is a transcript of a talk delivered at that meeting on March 31, by the then Bishop of Steubenville, Ohio, the Most Reverend John King Mussio. He was speaking to the Secondary School Department about the importance of Catholic high schools and the vital role of teachers in the education and formation of youth. Although over 40 years have passed, Mussio cites many problems and challenges facing Catholic educators that are still with us today. His praise of teachers is almost poetic; his love of Catholic education is profound. Calling teachers the fifth mark of Church, Mussio clearly values the Catholic school system and those whose example and teaching help youth “to keep in step with Christ.”
Teacher’s Perceptions of Power Relationships
Barbara E. Ochterski
(pp. 335-356) Vol. 5 No. 3; March 2002
Research exists on the power relationships experienced by teachers in public schools as they interact with each other and with the principal. However, no such studies had been done in non-public schools. What takes place in Catholic schools should be examined because of the significant role these schools have played in the American educational system. The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover how teachers describe their experiences of power relationships as they talked about school-related issues in two Catholic secondary schools for girls. Research methods included semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and informal conversations. Data were analyzed according to Nyberg’s (1981b) four forms of power theory (force, exchange and bargaining, rhetoric, trust and mutual commitment). The findings suggest that in Catholic schools, securing commitment to the mission through the use of rhetoric is important, perhaps essential. In girls’ schools, the trust and mutual commitment form of power is present where there is a traditional, hierarchical organizational structure. The exchange and bargaining power form is common among teachers and with the principal in both settings. Insights gained from this study are intended to promote understanding of the personal and social dynamics which support positive power relationships, lead to greater involvement of teachers in substantive decision making, and ultimately benefit students.
Catholic High Schools: Can Inclusion Work Without Significant Publicly-Funded Resources?
Marie A. Powell
Department of Education
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
(pp. 86-106) Vol. 8 No. 1; Sept 2004
Catholic high schools do not generally have a reputation for serving students with special needs. This article, using primary sources related to one high school’s history, demonstrates how even an academically elite school can meet the needs of a wide range of students. Specific strategies are suggested that can help Catholic high schools be more inclusive.
The Experience and Meaning of a Marianist Education Today:
A National High School Study of Mission and School Culture
Carolyn S. Ridenour, Alan Demmitt, & Jill L. Lindsey-North
University of Dayton
(pp. 419-428) Vol. 2 No. 4; June 1999
Focus groups conducted with students, parents, teachers, and alumni (N=540) at 13 Catholic Marianist high schools provided rich insights into the experience and meaning of the education provided at these institutions. While academic excellence was a common thread woven across meaning given by both parents and teachers, students and alumni articulated a meaning replete with images of belonging. That these schools valued persons holistically (rather than solely academically) permeated most groups. Using theories of organizational culture as the foundation, the relationship between missions and the meaning of life in these schools
is discussed.
Reshaping Catholic Secondary School Curriculum through Culminating Portfolios
Mark P. Ryan
Loyola Marymount University
(pp. 446-461) Vol. 7 No. 4; June 2004
This study analyzes qualitative data on student perceptions and curriculum transformation from a schoolwide culminating portfolio program of a small, urban, archdiocesan Catholic high school located on the West Coast. Over 4 years, all graduating students (n=102) developed culminating portfolios, evidencing their accomplishment of specific learning outcomes and presented those portfolios to panels of educators, parents, and community representatives. Students, teachers, and panelists were surveyed to determine their perceptions about the benefits and challenges of this process. The study found that (1) students’ perceptions of the portfolio and panel processes were very positive, including the belief that the portfolios helped students determine for themselves the extent and quality of their learning; (2) panelists and school faculty reported the belief that the portfolio process better prepared students for college and helped students reflect upon and assume personal responsibility for their learning; and (3) significant curricular transformations had taken place in what was being taught at the school, how it was being taught, and how it was being assessed. Teachers, students, and panelists identified the benefits of the process for students as well as suggestions to increase the impact of the process on classroom teaching and learning. Challenges in the process included logistics of portfolio management, the amount of time required to develop and continue the process, and the development of methodologies for continued refinement of the program.
Advanced Placement Science Programs in Catholic High Schools
Daniel D. Schinzel
Westside High School
(pp. 417-440) Vol. 3 No. 4; June 2000
The purpose of this study was to examine Advanced Placement (AP) science programs in participating Catholic high schools and develop guidelines for the implementation of similar programs at other Catholic schools. The areas of interest were curriculum, instruction, and Advanced Placement examination results. Administrators and teachers at Catholic high schools with Advanced Placement science programs were surveyed using instruments developed by the researcher. The responses of AP teachers and administrators were analyzed and compared in order to determine important features of existing science programs.
The Importance of Religion in Adolescents’ Lives
Barbara Schneider & Holly Rice
The University of Illinois at Chicago
Lisa Hoogstra
The University of Chicago
(pp. 366-389) Vol. 7 No. 3; March 2004
This study examines the importance and relative impact of religious behaviors in the development of adolescents. The links among adolescents’ positive emotional and behavioral outcomes, religious practices in the home, and extracurricular activities at school are explored.
Liturgy as Curriculum: The Dynamics of Liturgical Education
Robert J. Starratt
(pp. 57-71) Vol. 4 No. 1; Sept 2000
Most Catholic schools avail themselves of many opportunities during the academic year to gather for an all-school Mass. Select teachers and students typically plan the liturgy and execute the needed ministries during Mass. This article situates liturgy planning and celebration in the context of the formal curriculum and calls for explicit liturgical education in Catholic schools. One Catholic high school’s experience with a “showcase liturgy” concept is described in detail.
Perceptions of Faculty Members in Selected Catholic High Schools Regarding North Central Association School Improvement Models
Karen L. Tichy
Archdiocese of St. Louis
(pp. 295-311) Vol. 2 No. 3; March 1999
This article discusses a study which compared faculty members’ perceptions regarding the North Central Association (NCA) evaluation process based on format used (conventional, individualized, or outcomes) and school type (diocesan or private). Data were collected on the independent variables of format, school type, and prior NCA experience. The dependent variables were respondents’ ratings on a seven-point Likert-type scale regarding the mechanics of self-study, faculty ownership, relevance to local and professional concerns, improvement generated, and the results of participation. The author concluded with the following recommendations: (1) more time for conducting the self-study; (2) more clarification of the evaluation process, especially the outcomes format; (3) additional examples of exemplary self-studies; (4) greater attention to designing the self-study, developing faculty leadership, sustaining faculty motivation, and developing specific action plans; and (5) increased emphasis on student learning.
