EDITORIAL

Help on the horizon for Struggling Catholic Schools

Posted

The end of another academic year can serve as an impetus for us to reflect on the good work that Catholic schools do each and every day. It’s no secret, however, that many Catholic schools are struggling. As birth rates have declined over the years, so has enrollment in Catholic schools. And as enrollment has declined, Catholic schools have found themselves more and more financially strapped. Sadly, many Catholic schools across the country have closed in recent years.

The question we need to ask, however, is whether or not Catholic schools are worth saving. We believe unequivocally that they are. Catholic schools provide not only a high quality education, they also educate students in the Gospel. This educational experience stands in stark contrast to some public schools that have capitulated to cultural movements contradictory to the Christian moral life. While Catholic schools work to create innovative ways to market themselves and while they try to earn additional grants and more investments from the business community, there are also efforts underway on a state level to help private schools. State Rep. Robert Lanzia (R – Cranston) has proposed a bill to raise the cap on the corporate tax credit program from $1.5 to $5 million. In short, if corporations receive the tax credit, this would apply money that would have been paid in tax to the state to a not-for-profit scholarship granting organization, with the Diocese of Providence being one of these organizations. This bill would help the diocese to give more aid to students in need and would enable more parents to send their children to Catholic schools. For more information on this important bill, visit www.faceofri.org