Charter schools contribute directly to the collapse of Catholic schools in the inner city, according to new research by Abraham Lackman, a scholar in residence at the Albany Law School in New York. With the help of a friend, I got an URL: https://sites.google.com/site/neifpe/home/pdffiles/120307Lackman.pdf. And here is a report of his findings in the New York Daily News: http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-02-22/news/31088718_1_charter-schools-catholic-schools-new-charter
Lackman was chief of staff for the New York State Senate Finance Committee between 1995 and 2002, which included the year (1998) when the legislature authorized 200 charter schools. In a paper called “The Collapse of Catholic School Enrollment: Dissecting the Causes,” Lackman demonstrates that Catholic schools close as charters open.
Catholic school enrollments dropped precipitously in the nation and in New York state over the past decade. In New York state, K-8 enrollments in Catholic schools fell by a staggering 43%, from 202,000 to 115,000 from 2000 to 2010. Charter schools were not the only cause of the decline—demographics and the cost of keeping the schools open played a role too–but the advent of charters, he says, was a “significant and growing factor.” Between 2006 and 2010, 89 Catholic schools closed in New York state as 95 charter schools opened. About 30% of the students who leave Catholic schools go to charters.
He estimates that every new charter draws 100 students from Catholic schools. As another 280 new charters open in New York—thanks to Race to the Top—Catholic schools will lose another 28,000 students to charters. In the competition with chartesr, he says, the outlook for Catholic education is bleak.
It is not hard to see why charters would drive Catholic schools out of business. When a charter opens in a working-class neighborhood, it blankets the area with flyers and posters and postcards promising to provide a rigorous, college preparatory education for free. “For free” matters. The poor and working-class families that typically rely on Catholic schools in urban districts have trouble paying even a modest fee of $3,000-5,000 per child.
There is a difference, however. The Catholic schools have a proven record. They are safe, well-disciplined, and get consistently good results. Many of the new charters are not good schools and will not provide a quality education. They are almost certain to have a high turnover of both teachers and principals, offering not a community but instability.
A large part of the Catholic schools’ success derives from the fact that they are faith-based and that they sustain a sense of genuine community, as well as stability. To me, and I am not Catholic, the success of Catholic schools depends on maintaining their religious identity, that is, keeping the crucifixes in the classrooms as well as the freedom to speak freely about one’s values. If Catholic schools turn themselves into charters hoping to survive, they make a huge mistake. They will have to abandon their religious identity, give up the faith-based nature of their school. That is no way to save Catholic schools.
As a supporter of both public education and Catholic education, I have a solution to the dilemma. Public money for public schools, and private money for Catholic schools. Just think of the billions that have been poured into charter schools for a tiny percentage of the nation’s students (is it 4% now?). Imagine if the same money—or even half of it—had been devoted to building a foundation for the future of Catholic education. We would then have a far better public school system, free of the internecine battles over resources between public school parents and charter parents. And Catholic education, which serves its students so faithfully and so well, would be preserved for future generations.
Note to philanthropists and hedge fund managers: Can’t you see the great return on investment that would come from saving Catholic schools in urban districts?
Diane
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I have spent years working in both Catholic and charter schools–I am Catholic, and a huge proponent and supporter of Catholic education. And I am deeply saddened by the loss of urban Catholic schools. And I certainly welcome a national conversation about how we can save them and have always appreciated your support for these critical schools.
But, to suggest that there is a direct, causal relationship between the proliferation of charters and the closing of urban Catholic schools seems to me to ignore the impact of several things that have been draining urban Catholic schools long before the first charters even opened.
For starters, it’s a well-known fact that the decline in the number of religious (nuns, priests, etc.) who are available to teach in Catholic schools is a major problem. Catholic schools long relied on the cheap labor that was supplied by nuns in particular, and now that schools have to increasingly rely on lay faculty, parishes that serve our most disadvantaged students have had a very difficult time making ends meet. This problem is obviously particular acute in urban areas where the number of Catholic families supporting the parishes has declined and where the financial need of the students served by the schools has grown considerably.
To make matters worse, though, the support for urban Catholic schools among diocesan leaders is often far too weak. In fact, there are far too many who believe that urban Catholic schools *should* close. There are pastors who’ve been assigned to parishes with schools who have no experience–or interest–in running a school and who see financially strapped schools as a drain on their already scarce resources. And there are too many Diocesan leaders who do not believe that keeping urban Catholic schools–which often serve far more non-Catholics than Catholics–open is a top priority.
Of course, there are several visionary leaders around the country who believe keeping urban schools open is critical–including the late James Cardinal Hickey who famously (and inspiringly) noted that “we don’t education [urban] students because THEY are Catholic, but because WE are.” But there has been far too little movement among Catholic leadership writ large to make saving urban Catholic schools the priority it should be. (The work being done in the Archdiocese of NY to rethink school funding is, I think, very promising and may do more to help slow, or even reverse, the closing of urban schools than isolated philanthropy could do.)
To be sure, the emergence of urban charter schools has given poor parents more choices–and, frankly, more affordable choices, since many simply could not afford to continue to pay the even very low tuition that Catholic schools required. But closing charter schools–or preventing the opening of more–will simply not turn the tide in favor of urban Catholic schools. The best, or perhaps the only, way to save Catholic schools is for Catholic leaders–lay and religious alike–to make the commitment we need to keeping these schools alive. And in the meantime, closing or limiting charter options will only further limit the options available to urban parents who desperately crave better choices for their children.
Diana, I live in Philadelphia, where Catholic Schools have reigned supreme for decades. I can’t help but notice that the decline in Catholic education has seemingly coincided with the priest-abuse scandal. The scandal has to have had an impact on the decline of Catholic education as well. What do you think?
As I said in the post, there are many reasons for the enrollment declines. The priest-abuse scandal may have been one of them. So is the loss of clergy to teach in Catholic schools. So are the demographic changes. I don’t think the specific causes are clear, but it is seems reasonable to expect that competition from a school promising the same education without cost would be one of them.
I spent nineteen years in a Catholic school as a teacher and administrator. In 1993, I changed careers in a way by becoming a public school administrator. Both of my careers have been in urban settings in Massachusetts, where I am now a superintendent. There is much in common between the Catholic and charter school worlds, especially as to the students they attract. In the Catholic urban school setting where I spent half my career, we enjoyed a luxury that the public schools do not – the vast majority of our students came from a home where at least one parent or guardian was selflessly invested in the success of their child. Most of the students we accept were of average ability, but were made stronger during their high school years because of the combination of good parenting and good schooling. That teamwork is what made my Catholic school special, far more than the crucifixes attached to the walls. The sense of family was palpable. In my second career as an urban public school superintendent, there are far fewer parents doing their share and this makes the job of my teachers more difficult. If my public school district had half the invested parents that I had in my Catholic school, or in the charter schools that we have now, we would be soaring higher than we are. I have seen firsthand how committed parents and guardians, invested in their children’s success, can make a difference in an urban setting, and I’ve seen it from two perspectives. Don’t be fooled that charter schools advance students because of better teaching: both the charters and the Catholic schools advance students who already have the advantage of good parents.
There are a myraid of reasons that Catholic schools have closed. While I believe that charter schools help empty the desks in many Catholic classrooms, public schools help out as well! Where I live one can live in the suburbs and reach downtown in 20 – 30 minutes. Thus, when families move out into a bigger home, and abandon their cottage in their historic neighborhood, Catholic families opt to leave their Catholic schools. Why? I believe that public suburban schools have more athletics, technology, clubs and opportunities, and simply more kids to get know. I went to a public school from K-12th grade, while I was raised Catholic. Several Catholic families sent their kids to the Catholic elementary and the public high school. A large majority of those students went on to teach in public schools, and none of their children attend a Catholic school.
Secondly, Catholic schools tend to pay less than their public school peers. Therefore, many moms and dads jump ship from Catholic schools to public schools to teach. When that happens, parents often find out the kids will be safe, well-cared for and have a similar education. So, they up-root their children, and place them into the public school system.
Homeschooling has also hurt Catholic schools, as large families, unlikely to afford tuition, go this route. The homeschooling parents seem to be very conservative, as well, and seek out very traditional curriculum sets, such as Seton Society books. There are approximately 100,000 homeschoolers who are Catholic.
Marketing is poor in urban, suburban and rural communities. And, too many times they seem to offer the same education for money. Case in point: There is a Catholic school down the road from where I live. In the fall of 2011, the public schools were given an A rating (funny thing 80% of all public schools got an A in the state), and all schools in the district placed a “We Got an A” banner, outside their building. The Catholic school did the same. The better slogan for the Catholic school should have been “We help shape boys and girls into Godly young men and ladies who are polite, hard-working and ethical.” The other factor is that many Catholic churches don’t reach out to their neighbors, and let the surrounding families know what really happens with the school walls.
Funding can be a challenge, however, the problem is that many Catholic priest and leaders lack the knowledge that funding can help is available to their schools. Family foundations and corporations have a strong interest in Catholic schools. Catholic school graduates tend to own businesses, run for political office, serve on boards and just be good neighbors, who keep out of trouble. Showing businesses, especially corporations, that a Catholic school is safe and produces responsible leaders is great financial investment in terms of a donation. On the tuition side, too many Catholic schools rely upon a great deal of parents and not on alumni, businesses and foundations, and even the parish.
Finally, I believe that the Catholic church is coming back alive. In my city, there have been 5 or so young men who have made vows to priesthood in the past two years. And, there are many more high school students interested in the priesthood. The local sisters are growing in numbers, even after they are cloistered. Such, young nuns and priests will postively effect Catholic schools in the future.
As other readers have pointed out, competition from charter schools amounts to only a tiny sliver of the reason for Catholic schools’ decline. Parents simply see better options (choices) in other eductional venues – parents with the resources to exercise such choices. If we want to see flourishing Catholic schools, charter schools, Montessori schools, and high-quality traditional public schools, then we need a universal voucher program that genuinely gives every family meaningful options.
I agree with your comments Diane 100%. As a former catholic school student, parent of students and President of Catholic School board I see this first hand. Our scores consistently exceed standard test scores. More importantly, we produce good character children who believe its there responsibility to give back and help others. Private money is difficult to obtain with religious affiliations which puts more pressure on parents who already are cash strapped. I would love for you to come to our school and see what we do with so little. Also see how much money we save our public schools without any compensation. Arch of Chicago stats show 97% of catholic school students graduate high school, 92% finish college. As close to a guarantee you can get in my opinion.
Rudy Perez
I was a principal of a Catholic school for one year, and I previously taught in public education for 9 years. I think the reason Catholic schools are failing is because (at least in the school I was at) they promote elitism and in the basic documents claim education starts with the family. What happens when the family is dysfunctional? What happens when people believe because they pay, they “own” the school? I saw both at work in the school and it was extremely disparaging. I had hoped that my deep commitment to the school would help me win support to do things that would help the school become financially efficient and not in debt. What I found was a deeply ingrained culture that was against change and was very exclusive. There was something about being belittled and harassed by parents over and over again that left a lot of bitterness and hatred. I have since been in a small rural public school that has great parents and has very high test scores/great academics. My son attends a charter school and the education and expectations are much higher (they don’t care who the parent is and status doesn’t make a difference!). So just in my experience, Catholic education is failing because it is based upon elitism and the false concept that “normal” families will send their children there. The church needs to take the money for Catholic education and put it into good youth and children’s catechesis programs that help all students regardless of income or status.
I credit Catholic Schools with a great education and a great moral compass for my life. It once provided for immigrants of mainly Europe ..Italian, Irish, Polish, Ukrainians ..these were my classmates. Now, I see the new immigrants being served in the same way.. It is true that the nuns were the driving force (and cheap labor), but I still see dedicated, intelligent lay teachers in these institutions. Many of us have benefited from our Catholic school education and I wish that those of us who have become financially successful would see the need to give back…. Catholic schools still have an important role in our educational system.
Dr. Neary,
I totally agree with you. Catholic schools should be supported by those who have become successful, in large part because of the opportunities their Catholic education provided them. It is not the role of the government to support religious education. But Catholic schools would survive far into the future if their graduates–and foundations such as Gates, Walton, and Broad–supported them. Instead, Catholic schools are dying because of the lack of outside support, the shrinking number of religious who work for next to nothing, the need of teachers in Catholic schools to earn a living wage, and the competition from charter schools, which are free. Catholic schools at the elementary level long ago were also free, thanks to the service of the nuns. Now, they have tuition that is out of reach of many poor and working-class families.
Diane