AUGUST 2021 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 57
BACK TO SCHOOL
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS A DIVINE ALTERNATIVE
BY CANDI SPARKS
At a time when the public school system
is under so much criticism, working
families have found an alternative in
Catholic schools, which often reach out
to and support communities in need.
The Catholic education model, combining
faith-based development and
future-focused education, has historically
offered many a way out of
poverty. During the early-to-mid-20th
century, neighborhood public schools
were largely overcrowded and not
necessarily providing top-notch
education. In the early days of the
immigration wave, it was primarily
Irish and Italian immigrants who sent
their children to Catholic schools. To
ensure that their children would be
taught their values, they opted for a
parochial school education.
Today, there is religious diversity
in the Catholic school system. In
fact, non-Catholics comprise about
one-quarter of the student body.
Many Catholic school students are
the first ones in their families to
graduate from college. In low-income
neighborhoods, this means that the
school is providing the lion’s share of
educational support for children who
do not have access to private tutoring
or help at home.
There is a 99 percent graduation rate
for Catholic high schools in the United
States, compared to about a 73 percent
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public high school graduation rate,
according to a report by the National
Catholic Education Association. The
report also found that 85 percent of
Catholic high school graduates attend
four-year colleges, compared to 44 percent
of public school graduates in the
U.S. Overall, Catholic school seems to
outperform public school and is a viable,
less-expensive system of education
in the private sector.
The neighborhood Catholic school
offers a wide variety of services, from
financial aid to academics and sports as
well as spiritual development.
But keeping these schools open has
become a challenge. The Catholic
school sector is no different than
any other, and closings have been
publicized. In response, Catholic
schools are researching and developing
new educational business
models.
To learn more about the options available,
visit licatholicelementaryschools.org
Many Catholic school students are the first ones in their families to graduate
from college. (Getty Image)
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