Catholic Schools Progress Report by Archdiocese of Chicago

ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

WHO WE ARE

For more than 175 years, Catholic schools have been a critical and dynamic ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Generations of families have relied on our Catholic schools for academic and spiritual development, resulting in an alumni community that numbers in the millions. Today, our committed teachers continue to deliver on the promise of Catholic education by preparing all students to live faithful and successful lives.

WHAT WE DO

The Office of Catholic Schools provides our schools with support in the areas of academics, student support, Catholic identity, leadership development, marketing and communications, scholarships, school operations and compliance. We work closely with partners in Catholic education, vendors and every ministry within the archdiocese to ensure the comprehensive development of every school.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

The work of the Office of Catholic Schools is guided by five root beliefs:

• Great leaders make great schools

• We are stronger together

• Supportive environments encourage growth

• Challenges are opportunities

• We are the joyful hands of Christ

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Greg Richmond, Superintendent of Catholic Schools

Therese Craig, Deputy Superintendent for Academics

Katie O’Dea, Senior Director of Communications and Marketing

Karen Rebhan-Csuk, Deputy Superintendent for School Support

Matthew Walter, Chief Operating Officer

LEADERSHIP MESSAGES

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, I continue to be grateful for the thousands of families that choose a Catholic school education for their children and to our many generous donors who make a Catholic education available to families in need. Your desire to strengthen the faith of future generations through education provides hope for our local, national and global Catholic community. Your support ensures our schools are vibrant environments where learning is fueled by faith and our students go on to live lives of purpose and excellence. I am so proud of our community of Catholic schools in our archdiocese and grateful for the blessings they have brought for generations.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Archbishop of Chicago

Dear Friends of Catholic Schools, Catholic schools have been a blessing to the Archdiocese of Chicago since its inception. As we reflect on another successful year, I am filled with gratitude for the incredible community that has connected us for generations and still binds us together. It is because of our dedicated and generous community of families, faculty, staff and donors that our schools can deliver on our mission rooted in the teachings of Christ: to educate the whole child — mind, body and spirit. In this report, we celebrate our accomplishments, acknowledge our challenges, and recognize our supporters for their ongoing commitment to Catholic education. Thank you for your continued faith in the mission of Catholic schools which remains as compelling as ever. Together, we are inspiring the next generation of compassionate leaders and dedicated servants of God.

Peace,

Greg Richmond Superintendent of Schools

OUR REACH

Together, Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools make up a community where students of all backgrounds and interests are united by faith. Our dedicated teachers provide students with a rigorous academic experience in nurturing environments that empower them to reach their full potential. This is the Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools:

44,460

3,600

306

151

110

Number of elementary students receiving a Catholic education throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago

Number of elementary school teachers educating and forming the next generation of Catholics

Number of zip codes represented by our students

Number of archdiocesan elementary schools

Number of Blue Ribbon Awards granted by the U.S. Department of Educaton to current schools since the program’s inception

Percentage of our students who identify as students of color

Average student to teacher ratio in our schools is 13:1

2 Our schools serve both Cook and Lake counties

1 One goal, to achieve student success fueled by faith

YOUR SUPPORT

We believe that a Catholic education is an investment in the future and are extremely grateful for the support of our donors who partner with us to make the experience of a Catholic education possible for thousands of families.

Donors supporting our cause: nearly 1,000

Scholarships granted: more than 7,500

Average scholarship award: nearly $3,950

Average family income: under $40,000

Students with significant need applying for aid: more than 10,000

Students remaining on scholarship waitlist: nearly 1,500

The financial assistance we are able to grant due to the generosity of our donors makes a tremendous impact. Increased donor support would not only give more deserving children access to a Catholic education, it would also improve the financial strength of our schools most reliant on scholarships.

Annual funding gap: $8.5 million

Average tuition covers: 69% of the true cost to educate a child

ACADEMIC GROWTH

We are dedicated to ensuring that all students are meeting their academic potential, no matter where they begin. We measure our progress in this area by conducting i-Ready Diagnostic Assessments three times throughout the school year. Teachers utilize the assessments to determine how to best personalize each student’s learning and monitor progress.

Comparison to statewide measures

Although our students significantly outperform statewide reading and math proficiency levels, our goals are set much higher to ensure all students are growing academically.

74% of our students are on/above grade level for reading and 67% for math. Although Illinois students have made progress since the declines attributable to COVID-19 (source: Illinois Assessment of Readiness), they are still far below the achievement of our Catholic schools in meeting proficiency standards for both reading and math.

Increasing student proficiency over time

2023/24 Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools students per i-Ready

2022/23 State of Illinois students per IAR (2023/24 data not yet published)

For the fourth year in a row, we have shown progress. In reading, we continued our trend of reducing the percentage of students falling seriously behind. In math, we again increased the percentage of students reaching proficiency.

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CATHOLIC IDENTITY

We believe our faith-based approach to education not only contributes to greater academic outcomes but also provides the next generation with the skillset and moral compass to achieve a fulfilling, successful tomorrow. We measure our progress in Catholic identity initiatives through a supplemental survey to the annual 5Essentials Survey. One of the questions asks students if they believe God is present in their lives, which serves as our systemwide goal for measuring success in Catholic identity for our schools.

During the 2023/24 school year we achieved a six point increase in the percentage of elementary students who strongly believe that God is present in their lives.

God is present in my life...

74% students strongly agree 22% students agree

I feel safe having my kids walk through that door every day. I know that not only will their minds be fed with knowledge, but their hearts will be filled as well.”

Current parent

SCHOOL CULTURE

We believe that supportive environments encourage growth. We measure our progress in this area by conducting the 5Essentials Survey annually. This survey includes teachers, students and parents and was developed by the University of Chicago. Their research has shown that schools strong on at least three of the five essentials are 10 times more likely to improve student learning than schools weak on three or more.

During the 2023/24 school year, our schools continued to make progress toward reaching our systemwide school culture goal. Most notably, we achieved a 10 point increase in the percentage of schools measuring strong in the Collaborative Teachers category of the 5Essentials. The Involved Families category also showed great strength with 83% of schools measuring strong, a five point increase over last year.

What our parents are saying…

What our parents are saying...

94% are likely to recommend their school

96% agree that their children are safe at school

What our students are saying…

What our students are saying...

92% agree that “the teacher wants us to become better thinkers, not just memorize things”

93% agree that teachers have their children’s best interest in mind

93% agree that teachers do their best to help children learn

96% agree that “the teacher expects everyone to work hard”

94% agree that “I feel safe with my teachers at this school”

94% agree that “the teacher expects me to do my best all the time”

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS HAVE FAITH TO SUCCEED

Our students, teachers, schools and donors celebrated some amazing achievements during the 2023/24 school year.

FAITH, HOPE & CHARITY SCHOOL WINS BLUE RIBBON

Faith, Hope & Charity School was one of 20 Illinois schools recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School for 2023. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes elementary, middle and high schools based on their overall academic excellence or the closure of achievement gaps amongst diverse groups of students demonstrating their ability for all students to achieve high levels of learning. This prestigious award affirms the hard work of school leaders, teachers, families, and communities in creating excellent conditions for learning so their students can excel. Well done, FHC!

SCHOOL PASTORS GATHER FOR THINK TANK DISCUSSIONS

In May, Bishop Casey and the Office of Catholic Schools partnered to gather school pastors for “think tank” sessions to discuss topics related to school leadership. The sessions take place during Leadership Days which are opportunities for principals to come together for professional development. School pastors and associate pastors are invited to concelebrate Mass and have lunch with principals, and then engage in a discussion with their peers, led by Bishop Casey. Pastors from schools across the archdiocese have embraced these opportunities to share input, ideas, resources, and questions to support each other in their school leadership.

DRIEHAUS LEGACY FUND AWARDS $50,000 TO CHICAGO SCHOOLS

In December 2023, five outstanding Catholic elementary schools were honored with the prestigious Driehaus Legacy Fund Achievement Awards. These $10,000 grants, generously offered by the Stenning Foundation, celebrate schools in Chicago that have shown remarkable improvements in the percentage of students achieving significant growth in reading and math year after year. Recipient schools included: Academy of St. Benedict the African, Our Lady of Grace, St. Ann (Pilsen), St. Francis Borgia and St. Stanislaus Kostka. This recognition highlights their commitment to academic excellence and empowers them to continue their transformative work. Congratulations to all!

ST. CLETUS SCHOOL LAUNCHES FIRST DUAL-LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM

In January, St. Cletus School of La Grange opened enrollment in the first-ever Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program. The initiative was introduced with the support and collaboration of the University of Notre Dame and the Archdiocese of Chicago Office of Catholic Schools and is the first of its type in the archdiocese. The Dual Language Immersion Program is designed to enrich the knowledge base for students by offering academic content in both Spanish and English. The program will begin at the PK-4 level and expand by one class per year. Over the next decade, the school plans to have two classrooms per grade level — one for traditional English language instruction and the other for dual language Spanish immersion.

PRINCIPAL WINS NATIONAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE

In February, Dr. Erika Mickelburgh, principal of St. Paul of the Cross School was selected for a Lead. Learn. Proclaim. Award from the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA). This award recognizes outstanding efforts, contributions and achievements in support of Catholic school education. Dr. Mickelburgh has been the principal of St. Paul of the Cross School since 2018 and has led successful improvement initiatives in enrollment, curriculum and student wellness. Under her leadership, the school was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education in 2020. Congratulations to Dr. Mickelburgh and St. Paul of the Cross School for this well-deserved national recognition of faith-driven leadership.

THE GIFT THAT LASTS A LIFETIME

In the 2023/24 school year our scholarship programs provided thousands of children and their families the financial assistance needed to enroll and stay in our Catholic schools. Your continued support of these programs enables us to fulfill our mission of providing an excellent faith-based academic experience to any family who wishes to pursue a Catholic education in the archdiocese while continuing efforts to revitalize our Church.

The archdiocese partnered with the Empower Illinois and Big Shoulders Fund scholarship-granting organizations to award scholarships to children whose families demonstrate financial need each year. This critical financial assistance enabled many families to keep their children in Catholic schools.

In addition, our Catholic schools directly provided $13.2 million in financial aid to students in need.

The 2023/24 school year marked the final year of the Invest in Kids Act which means that thousands of students will be left without the financial assistance necessary to stay in an Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic school.

Your continued support is critical now more than ever so that all children with financial need can receive high-quality, faith-based learning at an archdiocesan school.

“Thank you is just not enough! Donors such as yourself have made it possible to provide my two daughters the opportunity to obtain a Catholic education & have a faith based education. This has helped me raise them to be great humans. Please accept our greatest appreciation.”

Caritas recipient family

“Muchisimas gracias por la beca para que nuestra hija Sofia pueda continuar con su educacion, sin su ayuda no seria posible. Muchas gracias de todo corazon”.

St. Germaine parent

Over $29 million in scholarships distributed in the 2023/24 school year.

83% of scholarship funds are issued to students of color.

The average tax credit scholarship in 2023/24 was $5,075, covering 93% of the average Catholic school tuition of $5,500

ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO SCHOLARSHIPS

Phoenix Scholarship Program

The Catholic Education Scholarship Trust (CEST) was created in 2013 through the To Teach Who Christ Is archdiocesan capital campaign. Phoenix scholarships are provided by the Archdiocese of Chicago on behalf of CEST. These renewable, need-based scholarships are awarded to qualified K–8 students attending eligible schools. Since the first scholarships were distributed in 2016, more than $12 million dollars in scholarships have been awarded.

Caritas Scholarship Program

Created in 2013 in conjunction with the To Teach Who Christ Is archdiocesan capital campaign, the Caritas Scholarship Program provides for immediate scholarship needs that could not be fulfilled through the CEST endowment. The renewable Caritas Scholarship provides need-based tuition assistance to families enrolling their eligible K–8 child in an archdiocesan school. Since 2013, more than $23 million dollars in scholarship support had been distributed.

Emergency Tuition Assistance Fund

The archdiocese established the Emergency Tuition Assistance Fund to assist families with tuition when unforeseen situations arise during the school year, such as a death in the family, a job loss, extraordinary medical expenses, bankruptcy or home foreclosure. All students in good standing are eligible.

The median income of a Caritas/Phoenix recipient family in 2023/24 was $39,791.

SCHOLARSHIPS OFFERED THROUGH OUR PARTNERS

Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship Program

Launched in 2018, the Tax Credit Scholarship Program is part of the Illinois Invest in Kids Act that promotes educational choices for the economically disadvantaged. To ensure as many students as possible have access to these scholarships, the Archdiocese of Chicago partnered with two state-approved scholarshipgranting organizations – Empower Illinois and Big Shoulders Fund.* The 2023/24 school year was the final year of the 6 year pilot program. Overwhelming support from donors in the final year brought in a record breaking $25 million dollars to support low income students.

Two additional Empower Illinois scholarships

Empower Illinois also offers two other scholarships to our students that are separate from the Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship Program.

RISE

This scholarship provides an option for qualified students currently attending public school to attend Catholic schools.

United in Love

The United in Love scholarship provides aid to students not receiving a tax credit scholarship.

*Amounts reported include scholarships awarded to students attending schools operated by the Archdiocese of Chicago. Both organizations provide additional Tax Credit Scholarships to other schools.

FORE THE KIDS

Archdiocese of Chicago

Catholic Schools Golf Outing

On June 24, the Archdiocese of Chicago Stewardship and Development team and the Office of Catholic Schools hosted the annual Fore the Kids golf outing at Chicago Highlands Club. Thank you to our generous sponsors and thank you to the golfers who came out to help raise money for our emergency tuition assistance fund.