Northeast Ohio Advocates for Catholic Schools

School choice is not the enemy of public schools; rather, it is a component of “public education,” the ideal in the State Board of Education’s  vision   that all Ohioans “graduate from the PK-12 education system with the knowledge, skills and behaviors necessary” for continued education or the workforce. This position,   long held by the Catholic Church , is also the basis for Ohio’s scholarship programs that provide vouchers to students disadvantaged by low income, assignment to underperforming public schools, or diagnosed special needs. Every student who attends on a voucher -- all children of taxpaying Ohioans -- represents a savings to the state due to the efficiency of nonpublic schools. Some opponents have been grasping for reasons to protest, like a recent example in the  Cincinnati Enquirer , reprinted around the state, that employed some crude comparisons to conclude that state voucher programs were not performing better than public schools on state tests an...

Recently, Governor DeWine’s administration has unveiled the executive budget, which is the starting point for the process that will result in Ohio’s next operating budget. It includes a 3.2% increase in education funding for district and charter public schools, including student wellness and success funds. However, it was   otherwise quiet on school funding , leaving the current formula “frozen” as it has been the last two years. In his comments, Governor DeWine deferred to the legislature’s ongoing activity on school funding, including the “Fair School Funding Plan,” developed since 2019 by the new Speaker of the House Bob Cupp (R - Lima) and former representative John Patterson (D - Jefferson).   This is where Catholic schools will call upon your voices to be heard! The  plan  bills itself as “a comprehensive & transparent school funding plan for Ohio developed collaboratively by educators and leaders from every corner of the state,” And it is, for public schoo...

  Last week the Ohio Department of Education provided an update that included some unusual   public school enrollment   statistics, including a 3% decline overall, 8% decline in Kindergarten and 27% decline in Preschool. This week the NCEA released a   data brief  on national declines in Catholic schools, showing national declines and some emerging patterns. An initial look at Diocese of Cleveland Catholic schools provides some interesting insights, including: Strong Primary Grades:  In our Catholic schools, primary grades saw the strongest performance. Grades 1 and 2 both enrolled more students across our system this year than last year, and our system saw only a 1.9% decline in Kindergarten compared to the 8% statewide in public schools. Preschool:  Like the state of Ohio’s public numbers, preschool was most affected, with Catholic schools in the Diocese of Cleveland experiencing a 24% decline. High School Narrow Decrease:  High schools were rel...

Northeast Ohio Catholic School Supporters, It is an exciting time for Catholic schools -- among advocacy, healthy activity, and celebrations, great things are happening. Catholic Schools Week begins January 31 and will be punctuated by  numerous school events  as well as a diocesan-wide celebration of Mass by Bishop Malesic from the Cathedral  (with virtual viewing) at 10 a.m. Tuesday . The Governor’s executive budget will be unveiled as soon as next week, the first formal step in the state's budget process. Advocates for schools and other causes will then be most active through June 30.  From now through then, we will update you regularly on the issues most important to Catholic schools.  If you wish to learn more about the intricacies of the process, see the wonderful resource from the  Center for Community Solutions  called  Follow The Money  (4th Edition), available at the links or download free  online here . As promised, here is a ...

The Diocese of Cleveland’s Office of Catholic Education, together with the Catholic Conference of Ohio, seeks to strengthen and unite the networks of parents, grandparent, supporters and advocates who care deeply about Catholic education in grades preschool through 12. This blog and accompanying email updates will help inform and connect our support .  This year especially, there is a great degree of political activity around school policies, and not just for public schools. All Catholic schools are affected by COVID-19 orders, transportation, administrative services, regulations, and school funding legislation in addition to the state scholarship programs for which every school can opt to be a provider. It is an important time to let our voices be heard. Our aim is to build a network of informed and engaged supporters of Catholic schools by equipping them with information about the schools and related policies and providing assistance in spreading the good news of Catholic educati...