Posted on 12/14/2008 6:28:01 AM PST by GonzoII
.- The National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) claims that Catholic schools save $19.8 billion to the U.S. annually in savings by serving children who would otherwise be educated at taxpayer expense.
The NCEA reports that the nation’s almost 7,400 Catholic schools enroll more than 2.2 million students, who would have been educated in public schools at an average cost of $8,701 per student.
"Catholic schools are a gift to the church - and to the nation," said Dr. Karen Ristau, President of NCEA, in a December 11 press release. "The enormity of this gift is more striking during these challenging economic times."
"Our graduates have a strong commitment to community service because that is a foundation of our schools," continued Ristau. "Just this past year Catholic school students performed 2.2 million hours of public service in honor of Pope Benedict's visit. That kind of involvement is a gift to the country that cannot be measured in dollars alone."
The NCEA reports that Catholic school students excel academically on standardized tests. About 99.1 percent of Catholic school students graduate, and 94 percent attend college. Additionally, the Catholic educators’ group says that “studies show that graduates of Catholic schools are reliable workers, good citizens and more likely to attend church.”
According to the NCEA, Catholic schools aim to join academic achievement with an understanding of the Catholic faith, a commitment to religious practice, and “a strong set of values.”
“Catholic schools provide faith formation and values. Teachers view the formation of Christian character as a non-negotiable, which is Gospel centered, environmental, cross-curricular and essential in a society where values are often ignored,” the NCEA remarked.
Ping.
Imagine how much more they could save if they just issued vouchers good for 5000 $ a student. Won't happen of course, Big Brother likes to keep a close watch.
I know it would be very difficult to construct a good study but has anyone ever done an evaluation of the life experiences of the products of religious vs non religious schools? I am a devout cahtolic but think all christians pray to the same God and he hears us equally so in my mind all christian schools would be included. I would like to know: murder rates, income, divorce, general level of income, and so much more. A multiivariate regression looking at all these results is cake to do. It would take someone a lot brighter than I to make certain the demographics are really comparable. To wit, kids in an inner city catholic school cannot be compared to Sidwell Friends. I beg you not to send me nasty E mails over my assumption here. I would really like to know your opinions. I have never thought of it before.
Wait unti the NYT gets this story, the headline will be:
“Catholics Deprive Poor Children of $20 BILLION in Education!”
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I was thinking how much easier it would be for people to help less fortunate kids out financially, as regards vouchers, if they new the kids would be going to a good private school.
I can say (on a personal experience basis) that the private Christian school my last child graduated from has done studies of their grads and find the following:
They graduate from hs at a higher rate than the local public school district.
They graduate with higher GPAs than the local public school district average.
More of their students take the SAT/ACT than do those in the public school system.
They score higher on aforementioned tests than public school kids.
More apply to college than their public school counterparts.
A higher % of those who apply to college are accepted than in public school pool of those who apply.
A higher % of those who go on to college actually finish their degree program than their public school counterparts.
Their study does not extend to life beyond obtaining a college degree.
They should have vouchers.
It’s a crime that people should pay taxes for schools and send their kids to OTHER schools at the parents expense.
They don’t say, but should, that Catholic Schools also produce educated graduates. Something that public schools are failing at miserably.
And the really sad thing is that local governments look for ways to make those very Catholic schools pay property taxes.
“And how much does their pushing illegals and their medical treatments cost???”
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You tell me.
But please, just the Catholic end of things.
Put in there somewhere the love of “cheap priced” goods that drives them here in the first place.
And the Marxists at the teachers unions don’t give a damn how much is “saved.” Given the chance they’d shut down ALL Christian and private schools so they could brainwash as many children as possible.
I think one of the big projects for the Church in the 21st Century should be building new Catholic schools...especially high schools. In this country, we really need more schools which are not hostile to the Faith.
Non, answers are great?? Newbie!!
Both my kids went to Catholic schools, I think it was money well spent.
Now one of them also went to a Catholic college, not sure that was a good thing, was infested with social liberalism.
“social liberalism.”
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Sad to say, but you have to beware with some “Catholic” colleges.
“Non, answers are great?? Newbie!!”
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“You” brought up the subject....
I’ve never done a study, and I agree, AZ, that it would be very difficult to get the demographics right, but I’d be willing to guess that students attending religious schools are much more likely to live in stable, two-parent families than are their counterparts in public schools.
The Fordham Foundation (The Education Gadfly) did a study of Catholic schools you may be interested in. I don’t know if it gets into the specifics you want, but the bottom line of the report was if Catholic schools were to go away, we would be in severe trouble.
http://edexcellence.net/detail/news.cfm?news_id=383&id=130
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