Catholic schools set to close may get second lease on life as charter schools, Mayor says

In attempt to keep cash-starved Catholic schools in Brooklyn and Queens from closing, the city may convert them into charter schools, Mayor Bloomberg announced Saturday. "We are in a flood," Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of the Brooklyn Diocese said at a City Hall press conference. "The mayor is like Noah, he is throwing out a life preserver and I'm going to grab it." The diocese has identified four schools in both boroughs for a pilot program, but did not release the names because the staff hasn't been informed and the list is fluid. Under the scheme, the diocese could set up a non-profit to run the charters. But the schools would be public and would not include religious education.

The move, which could be controversial, is not without precedent. Washington D.C. converted seven Catholic schools into charter schools last year. In New York, a change in state law would be required. Gov. Paterson and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver have "expressed interest," according to Bloomberg, who said he spoke to them about the proposal. If the city won approval, Bloomberg suggested the plan would be expanded to other faith-based schools and could be implemented as early as September. The Archdiocese of New York is not considering converting any of their schools on the brink of closure, DiMarzio said.

Last-ditch bids to save 14 Catholic schools

DAYS MAY be numbered for seven Catholic schools in Queens, but parents and administrators are busy trying to persuade church officials to grant their schools deliverance. Officials from the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens have held more than 20 meetings with principals and parent leaders since announcing plans last week to close 14 of its elementary schools, including seven in Queens, said diocesan spokesman the Rev. Kieran Harrington. Hope for a reprieve stems from the fact Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, who heads the diocese, will not make final decisions on closings until next month.

"Nobody has guaranteed me that I am closing yet," said Virginia Daly, principal of St. Aloysius School in Ridgewood, one of the Queens schools targeted for closure at the end of the school year. "These are proposals and these proposals are being debated," Daly added, noting that her school is preparing to challenge the closing. The diocese has closed 32 of its elementary schools since 2005 as it faces steadily declining enrollment and mounting costs. A decade ago, 55,000 children attended its elementary schools. This year, an estimated 37,000 students were enrolled.

Diocesan officials have met with all seven Queens schools slated to be shuttered, Harrington said. Following the meetings, administrators have one week to respond to the diocese's recommendation. Harrington stressed that recommendations are not set in stone and could be "amended" based upon the information schools submit. St. Ann School and St. Michael School, both in Flushing, also are slated to close. The diocese wants to absorb students from these two schools into St. Mary's Nativity, also in Flushing.Principal Robert DiNardo of St. Ann School said the talks are centering on reducing the three Flushing schools down to two, not one. "It is up to us to present our case and to the powers that be to decide which one has the best merit," DiNardo said. The four other schools slated for closure are Blessed Sacrament in Jackson Heights, St. Catherine of Siena in St. Albans, St. Benedict Joseph Labre in Richmond Hill and St. Anthony of Padua in South Ozone Park.

“Shun government funding, Bishop. It comes with strings.”

I agree.

I susspect that the only reason this is even under consideration is because the state wouldn’t even know where to begin to put 37,000 new students.

Amazing how they want to work with homeschoolers and private schools when it suits there needs.

There will probably be more of this in every state as things get tight for private schools.

Just another bubble.

They already have the sworn testimony of many fine Christians that I know, that their children will NEVER see the inside of a public school.

according to the piece I saw on TV, the schools will no longer be able to teach religion and not have any religious symbols in the school; it will be a public school. The only good thing is that the Catholic School Students who are presently in these schools will stay in the charter school while the others in the district will have to apply and be chosen by lottery. The rent paid will help keep the churches solvent and help those Catholic Schools that are presently open.

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