’To Include or Not to Include?’ That is Not the Question
Jean M. Barton
(pp. 329-341) Vol. 3 No. 3; March 2000
Turning to psychological research, intelligence theory, and behavioral studies, this article offers practical advice for implementing an inclusive model of Catholic education. Field-tested models are discussed and suggested components for any inclusion program are provided. The article concludes with a vision statement for inclusive Catholic education.
Attributions for Success and Failure in Mathematics: A Comparative Study of Catholic and Public School Students
Janine Bempechat, Eleanor Drago-Severson, Beth A. Boulay
Harvard University
(pp. 357-372) Vol. 5 No. 3; March 2002
The documented higher performance of minority students in Catholic versus public schools raises questions about motivational factors that may underlie the impact of parochial education. This study examines attributions for success and failure and their relationship to mathematics achievement in a sample of African American, Latino, and Caucasian fifth- and sixth-grade public and Catholic school students. Results showed that relative to their public school peers minority students in Catholic schools endorsed attributions that were more adaptive for learning. Specifically: 1) Latino and African American Catholic school students were less likely to attribute success in mathematics to external factors, 2) Latino Catholic school students were more likely to attribute success to ability, and 3) African American Catholic school students were less likely to attribute failure to external factors. Further, for Latino students, Catholic but not public school membership was positively associated with mathematics achievement. Results are discussed in the context of school culture.
Recommendations for Catholic School Administrators in Facilitating Special Education Services
Mary Elizabeth Blackett
(pp. 479-492) Vol. 4 No. 4; June 2001
Educating students with special needs in Catholic schools is a challenge facing all Catholic educational leaders. This article provides recommendations to assist administrators in taking full advantage of recent legal cases, state policies, and local special education services in order to serve students with special needs in Catholic schools. Arguing that principals must be conversant in local and state educational policy questions, the article outlines a comprehensive approach for Catholic school administrators seeking assistance to provide special education services in the Catholic school and concludes by suggesting that requiring students with special needs to attend public schools to reach such services may violate the Constitution.
The Cultural Clash in Northern Ireland
Fr. Oliver Brennan & Gerald M. Cattaro
St. Patrick’s College & Fordham University
(pp. 203-212) Vol. 2 No. 2; Dec 1998
This paper sets out to demonstrate that the religious, political, and socio-economic elements of the conflict in Northern Ireland should be considered as manifestations of a basic cultural divide between the two groups comprising the society of Northern Ireland. To date, insufficient attention has been paid to this cultural divide, which must be bridged if lasting peace is to be achieved. This paper will detail the important role of the educational establishment, particularly Catholic schools, in this reconciliation process.
Answering the Call to Prepare Special Education Teachers at Institutions of
Catholic Higher Education
Carole W. Brown & Marie Celeste
The Catholic University of America & Loyola College of Maryland
(pp. 473-498) Vol. 9 No. 4; June 2006
Concerns for social justice have called Catholics and others to be compassionate and supportive to children with disabilities by establishing schools and other learning opportunities to nurture this population. Special education as a field has developed over the past 40 years. This study examines the incidence, context, and nature of special education personnel preparation programs in institutions of Catholic higher education (ICHE). Through literature searches and web-based searches on the National Catholic College Admission Association website, a survey, and individual college websites, the study has identified 89 ICHE that offer special education degrees out of a total of 260 Catholic colleges and universities. Within the context of the demographics of ICHE, the results of this exploratory study show regional variation in special education degree programs; patterns of other education degree offerings that often occur with special education degrees and dual certification; along with information about faculty, financial aid, accreditation, practicum sites, and relationships to Catholic schools. Recommendations are offered to strengthen special education personnel preparation in areas of need, including rural areas, and special education teachers who work with culturally and linguistically diverse populations.
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.
To Remember, Repent, Renew
David L. Coppola
Sacred Heart University
(pp. 196-202) Vol. 2 No. 2; Dec 1998
The National Catholic Educational Association (1998) reports that 13.6% or 359,146, of all students in Catholic elementary, middle, and secondary schools are non-Catholic, manifesting the importance of educating Catholic school students to understand and appreciate the diversity of cultures and religions other than their own. This article examines some ways that Catholic schools can educate students about the Jewish Holocaust, or Shoah, and through its study embrace a truly Catholic approach.
Supporting Children with Disabilities in the Catholic Schools
Abby L. W. Crowley
Catholic Community Services, The Catholic University of America
Shavaun Wall
The Catholic University of America
(pp. 508-522) Vol. 10 No. 4; June 2007
Many children with disabilities attend Catholic schools, but the resources to serve these children adequately are limited. Teacher assistants are increasingly being used to meet this need by assisting students with disabilities in regular classrooms. The authors maintain that such assistants can be effectively used in Catholic schools for this purpose, and others, if appropriately prepared. This article identifies the education needed to enable urban teacher assistants to work effectively with students with special needs in regular classrooms in Catholic schools. The article also examines a preparation program at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.
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.
Ten Dimensions of Inclusion: Non-Catholic Students in Catholic Schools
J. Kent Donlevy
University of Calgary, Alberta
(pp. 293-320) Vol. 10 No. 3; March 2007
This article addresses the inclusion of non-Catholic students in Catholic schools. It provides a brief review of the literature on inclusion and the results of a study of inclusion from the perspectives of Catholic students and Catholic teachers in four Western Canadian urban Catholic high schools. The study employed grounded theory as its methodology and focus groups as well as documentary analysis as its methods. The results of the qualitative study indicate, among other things, that there are at least 10 dimensions to inclusion: pedagogical, social, psychological, racial, cultural, spiritual, political, financial, legal, and philosophical. Moreover, the dimensions form an interactive matrix which is of great importance to
Catholic schools.
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.
Educating Urban African American Children Placed At Risk: A Comparison of Two Types of Catholic Middle Schools
L. Mickey Fenzel & Janine Domingues
(pp. 30-52)
Although the number of urban Catholic schools has declined in recent years, Nativity model middle schools, first developed by the Jesuits over 35 years ago, have appeared throughout the nation to address the need for effective alternative education for urban children placed at risk. The present study compares the effectiveness of two types of high-poverty Catholic schools for 322 African American middle school students. Result show that Nativity schools are more successful than traditional Catholic schools in effecting student gains in standardized test score performance. Results also suggest that features such as small school and class size, small student-teacher ratios, and an extended academic day contribute to these gains. The quality of the school and classroom environment, as perceived by students, that contributed to the amount of engaged learning time also may have contributed to their stronger academic performance. Implications for urban schooling for African American middle school children placed at risk are discussed.
Collaborative Problem-Solving: The Journey of Dayton Catholic Elementary School
Margaret Frey
University of Dayton
Karyn Hecker, Delores Hardy, Shannon Herzog, Theresa Paulette, & Jeri Robinson
Dayton Catholic Elementary School
(pp. 342-354) Vol. 3 No. 3; March 2000
As Catholic schools continue to excel academically, some parents, teachers, and board members question the availability and advisability of effective teaching for all students. This article outlines a comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of all students in Catholic schools, including students with special needs. Following a plan that calls for collaborative problem solving and an intervention assistance team, the authors provide a first-hand account of how one school successfully serves a diverse student population.
Planning for the Inclusive Classroom: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners
Alison Gould & Sharon Vaughn
University of Texas at Austin
(pp. 363-374) Vol. 3 No. 3; March 2000
Students with a wide range of academic abilities and behavioral needs are represented in general education classrooms. This article provides practical suggestions for individualizing instruction within a large class to meet the needs of diverse learners. The article describes the Planning Pyramid, a format for planning multilevel lessons; provides special considerations for students with behavior problems; and offers suggestions to support teachers through the use of effective staff development programs.
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
(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.
Getting Started with Collaborative Teamwork for Inclusion
Diana Lawrence-Brown & Kim S. Muschaweck
St. Bonaventure University & Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems
(pp. 146-161) Vol. 8 No. 2; Dec 2004
The article illustrates the collaborative team process for inclusion as it grew within two schools attempting to improve their efforts to welcome students with disabilities into general education classrooms. Team members learned specialized skills needed for successful collaboration, in the context of bringing about specific changes they deemed critical to the desired outcomes of their own projects.
Preparing Special Educators to Assume Collaborative and Consultative Roles
Thomas J. Long, Carole Brown, & Agnes Nagy-Rado
The Catholic University of America
(pp. 490-507) Vol. 10 No. 4; June 2007
The incidence of children with disabilities is growing in both the private and public school sectors. As a result of this trend and efforts to place children in inclusive settings, there is an increasing need for special educators who can provide instruction within the context of a regular education classroom, develop individualized education plans (IEPs), support parents, and be consultants to teachers on behalf of children. The consultative special education teacher will be increasingly in demand in the future if children with disabilities are to be successfully included in public, private, and Catholic schools. The Catholic University of America utilizes a consultative, collaborative model for preparing Master’s candidates in its special education program. The results of the first 4 years of this program demonstrate that the candidates in this program have acquired the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are needed to be effective consultative, collaborative special educators in the field. This article provides a detailed description of the elements that make up this personnel preparation program. Particular focus is placed on the skills and knowledge to carry out consultative planning, including a rubric to evaluate the candidates’ performance. The article offers guidance to universities who may choose to create special education programs that prepare consultative special educators.
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.
A Rationale for Special Education in Catholic Schools
Thomas J. Long & Merylann J. Schuttloffel
The Catholic University of America
(pp. 443-452) Vol. 9 No. 4; June 2006
Debates about inclusive education for students with special needs challenge Catholic educators to develop a rationale consistent with Catholic theology and Church teaching. Guided by the rationale, arguments are made for the role Catholic schools, seminaries, and Catholic higher education should contribute to realize an inclusive Church. Contemplative practice offers a process for engaging Catholic identity with school practitioner decision making for implementing inclusion. This article posits that the rationale for Catholic special education reflects an authentic understanding of Catholic identity within Catholic learning communities.
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.
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.
Catholic Higher Education and Latino(a) Students:
Exploring the Experience of University Undergraduates
Lisa M. Raphael, Michael Pressley, & Jennifer Kane
Michigan State University. Michigan State University, & Rutgers University
(pp. 197-218) Vol. 7 No. 2; Dec 2003
The experience of Latino(a) undergraduates at Notre Dame was the focus of this study. In general, the students had a positive experience at the university, but one that included challenges, including physical separation from family and familiar community. Family and spiritual supports were important to the Latino(a) students as they coped with difficulties they encountered at the university, than for a comparable sample of Anglo students attending
Notre Dame.
Catholic Schools and Multicultural Education: A Good Match
Charles J. Russo, Shauna Adams, & Mary Ellen Seery
University of Dayton
(pp. 178-186) Vol. 2 No. 2; Dec 1998
This article reflects on the place of multicultural education in Catholic schools. The authors review the history and development of Catholic schools in order to set a context for examination of the appropriateness of multicultural education.
The Delivery of Special Education Services in Catholic Schools:
One Hand Gives, The Other Hand Takes Away
Charles J. Russo, Joseph D. Massucci & Allan G. Osborne, Jr.
(pp. 375-389) Vol. 3 No. 3; March 2000
This article examines legal issues surrounding the delivery of special education to children whose parents have voluntarily enrolled them in Catholic schools. In so doing, the article reviews the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), its regulations, and case law over the extent to which special education must be provided, the way in which it is delivered, and the quality of services that students in Catholic schools receive. The final portion of the article addresses questions about the delivery of special education in Catholic schools, including guidelines for implementing the new provisions in the IDEA in a manner that avoids running afoul of the Establishment Clause.
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.
The Grammar of Catholic Schooling and Radically “Catholic” Schools
Martin Scanlan
Marquette University
(pp. 25-54) Vol. 12 No. 1; Sept 2008
A “grammar of Catholic schooling” inhibits many elementary and secondary Catholic schools from reflecting on how they practice Catholic Social Teaching (CST). The values of human dignity, the common good and a preferential option for the marginalized are central to CST. Schools can live these values by serving children who live in poverty, are racial, ethnic, and linguistic minorities, or have disabilities. This article demonstrates how a grammar of Catholic schooling has allowed Catholic schools to fall into recruitment and retention patterns antithetical to CST. Drawing upon a multicase, qualitative study of three urban Catholic elementary schools serving marginalized students, the article illustrates how select Catholic schools are breaking the grammar of Catholic schooling by practicing CST. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Section 504 and Catholic Schools
Nikki L. Schweinbeck
Spalding University
(pp. 464-478) Vol. 4 No. 4; June 2001
This article explains the implications of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 for Catholic schools educating students with disabilities and special needs. The author delineates the types of disabilities covered; accommodations required under the law; suggestions for teachers, parents, administrators, and pastors; and the need for ongoing staff development to empower faculty to be responsive to the needs of diverse learners.
Cluj: A Jesuit Educational Outpost in Transylvania, 1693-1773
Paul Shore
Saint Louis University
(pp. 55-71) Vol. 5 No. 1; Sept 2001
For the 80 years the Society of Jesus operated a complex of institutions in the Transylvanian town of Cluj, including an academy, a school for aristocratic boys, a residence, and an architecturally distinguished church. The Jesuits endeavored to convert the local population, which included Orthodox Romanians, Jews, Roma (Gypsies), Armenians, Lutherans, and Unitarians, to Catholicism and to introduce the program of studies outlines in their curricular guide, the Ratio Studiorum. While their conversion efforts met with only modest success, the Jesuits had a major impact on the culture of the region, training the local elites, introducing the Baroque aesthetic in the visual arts, operating a printing press and pharmacy, and employing outstanding scientists as teachers. The reasons for the failure of the Jesuits to make more progress in their missionary efforts may be found in both local circumstances and in the institutional culture of the Society itself. Political forces beyond the control of the Society sealed its fate, and it was suppressed by order of the pope in 1773. The vestiges of the Jesuit era in Cluj, however, are still visible today.
Incarnational Immersion-Based Learning in Cultural Contexts: A Charity Model
John Trokan
College of Mount St. Joseph
(pp. 134-151) Vol. 9 No. 2; Dec 2005
The Religious Pastoral Studies and Behavioral Sciences Departments of a Midwestern college have collaborated in offering academic courses in theology and anthropology that include service immersion experiences with people of diverse cultures in South Dakota, North Carolina, New Mexico, Kentucky, and Honduras. This paper explores the incarnational dimension of immersion experiences between native peoples and college students. Using a contextual theology model, students and faculty from various social science and religious studies disciplines reflect with native people on the historical and contemporary elements of their culture and spirituality. This paper discusses the historical development of the immersion courses, methodology, curriculum design, student learning objectives and outcomes, incarnational value formation in Sisters of Charity charisms, and future directions.
Border Catholic Schools: Unique Stakeholder Alliances (Part I)
Karen M. Watt
The University of Texas Pan American
(pp. 27-48) Vol. 6 No. 1; Sept 2002
This article, the first of a two-part series, presents an analysis of data extracted from the dissertation The Impact of Catholic Schooling on Low-Income Mexican-American Students (Watt, 1999). The research was prompted by the author’s interest in The Coleman Report of 1966, a controversial document that claimed multiply-disadvantaged minority Catholic school students outperformed their public school counterparts. This study was qualitative in nature, exploring four case studies of 3rd-grade teachers, their schools, and their classrooms in a Hispanic cultural context. Findings will be presented in Part II.
Border Catholic Schools: Unique Stakeholder Alliances (Part II)
Karen M. Watt
The University of Texas Pan American
(pp. 168-188) Vol. 6 No. 2; Dec 2002
The article presents the results of a qualitative study extracted from the dissertation The Impact of Catholic Schooling on Low-Income Mexican-American Students (Watt, 1999). This study explored four case studies of third-grade teachers, their schools, and their classrooms, in a Hispanic cultural context. Findings revealed that the Border Catholic Schools were communities of consensus with regard to the nature and mission of Catholic schooling. All stakeholders “held the same stake,” agreeing on the curriculum, instruction, and operation of the Border Catholic Schools. Part one of this study was published as “Border Catholic Schools: Unique Stakeholder Alliances (Part 1)” (Watt, 2002) in Volume 6, Number 1.