An American diocese has transferred ownership of 14 parish schools to an independent non-profit school network that will operate them as Catholic schools.
Officials in Philadelphia archdiocese said the cash-strapped parishes that previously operated the schools could not keep up with rising costs.
Last year the archdiocese struck a similar deal for 17 high schools and four special education schools, transferring them into a management partnership with a different non-profit foundation.
In the latest move, the 14 parish schools will be owned and run by Independence Mission Schools, an organisation formed by local business leaders after financial shortfalls threatened school closures.
“It’s keeping Catholic education available in the neediest areas,” said Jacqueline Coccia, superintendent of elementary education for the archdiocese.
The IMS chairman, Brian McElwee, said that the initiative was intended “to preserve the unique value of Catholic schools — an academically excellent, cost-effective, values-based education”.
McElwee said IMS would seek to increase enrolment and drive more scholarship money into the schools, both through philanthropy and state education tax credits.
The schools currently have a total enrolment of 4200 students, about 63 per cent of them non-Catholic.
The IMS president, Al Cavalli, said: “This model is one that we believe will set the standard for urban Catholic education nationwide and we are proud that Philadelphia is where it begins.”
Cavalli, who has 35 years experience as an administrator and executive for education and mental health organisations, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the Catholic schools are “sanctuaries” in their neighbourhoods.
“We will have affiliation agreements with the archdiocese that all of the schools will be run as Catholic schools, and we will use the Office of Catholic Education curriculum for Catholic education and other services. Again, this is a collegial partnership, it is friendly and we are all in this together,” he said.
“It is absolutely important that the pastors remain actively involved in the schools and remain spiritual leaders of the schools. We are absolutely going to remain Catholic elementary schools in every sense of the word.”
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Image: CatholicPhilly.com