One student at a time, one classroom at a time, one Catholic school at a time, our schools and our partners seek to build a future worthy of the children
I
will
go to college. My dad didn’t, and he has no question: I am going. But I want that for me too.
— RobynAllen, Partnershipmom
“ my son to know that he can push himself. I want
“ “ “ Already
I see students thinking more, because we’re giving them more opportunities to do it.
—MaryLou Toler,MetroCatholicTeacher
we see that the relationships and values uniquely at the heart of Catholic schools are driving progress.
—Nick Green,PartnershipManag
As an independent 501(c)3 and private school management organization, our mission is to develop outstanding Catholic elementary schools that provide students from underserved communities with the academic preparation, values, and skills they need to break the cycle of poverty and lead fulfilling, productive lives.
Partnership Schools manages urban Catholic elementary schools on behalf of the dioceses that own them—schools that have served striving communities for generations and now often face the threat of closure.
We see a future for these schools as bright as the past, one in which
• Students gain the knowledge and virtues they need to thrive.
• Educators get the support they need to make the life-changing impact they aspire to achieve.
• Families and communities thrive, thanks to an excellent faith-based school of choice, right in their neighborhood.
Fueled by visionary philanthropy, we are determined to help a new generation of children flourish—along with their communities— and to prove what is possible for Catholic schools across the country.
One of the greatest blessings of working with children—as any parent or teacher could tell you—is that they demand our full attention now. Their futures are already unfolding, and we must leverage every resource available today to give them the best possible tomorrows.
In this annual report, then, we do more than look back. We also share what our students, educators, and network see in the days and years ahead, as we work to translate the potential of our students, schools, and the Catholic school sector into inspiring outcomes.
2023-24 was a momentous year for our organization, to be sure. We gained critical insights into how to adapt our approach to the needs of our Cleveland communities. The Archdiocese of New York let us know that they chose to resume direct management of the seven schools we have been honored to turn around during the last 11 years. Ultimately, we see our past work as a critical foundation for the future, and we are energized by what’s to come. The under-resourced neighborhoods we are called to serve face significant challenges. Yet as I look ahead at what is possible for Partnership students and schools, I am profoundly encouraged. Partnership educators continue to evolve the strategies needed to unlock the power of Catholic education for a new generation. And thanks in large part to expanding school choice funding, Catholic schools have a new opportunity to impact those who need us.
Our last year reinforces one key truth: helping children flourish is truly a partnership. Our students need all of us—parents, schools, the network, dioceses, and you, the supporters who share our vision of flourishing students in thriving communities.
From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of all of us, thank you for partnering with us on behalf of children who should give us all hope that the future can be bright.
Gratefully,
Kristen Gengaro , Executive Director
“
Cleveland’s Partnership Schools are uniquely wellequipped to help build a brighter future for both children and communities, and I am inspired by the possibilities.
Moira Clark, Honorary Chair, Partnership Cleveland Advisory Council
“
The Partnership is moving from proving what is possible for urban Catholic schools to spreading that impact—at an exciting moment for both our organization and the broader landscape of school choice.
Brian Regan, Trustee and Executive Committee Member
The Partnership began in New York as a bold experiment among visionary partners committed to one goal: helping children flourish fully, even in low-income communities, by amplifying the impact of Catholic schools that had been serving striving neighborhoods for generations.
Over the last eleven years, the results speak for themselves: students provided ambitious academics, character formation, and nurturing community
Accelerated academic growth that redefined success for thousands of families 9,715
New York City student enrollment, fall 2020 to fall 2023
New York City student enrollment since 2020
Partnership Schools +28% Charter Schools +8% Public Schools -7%
Doing more with less— even amid post-pandemic inflation:
Cost to educate increases, 2020-23* Partnership NYC $328 NYC Public Schools $5,198
*NYC public school figures come from the NYC public schools website. FY23 is the last year for which actual public school spending figures were available at the time of printing.
In June, 2024, at the conclusion of our 11-year contract, the Archdiocese of New York informed us that they would resume direct management of the seven schools we operated on their behalf. In a letter to supporters, Cardinal Dolan expressed the aim for all schools in the Archdiocese to become self-sustaining in coming years.
We were surprised and extremely disappointed to lose the opportunity to serve communities we have come to love and in which we have invested so much.
We are thankful for every student and every family whose ambitions we have been able to share. And we are eager to deepen and broaden our impact in the service of children in Cleveland and beyond.
Make no mistake: transforming academic achievement in one of the country’s lowest performing school districts is hard. But the challenges we face affirm that we are going right where our mission calls us to be: in neighborhoods where excellent Catholic schools can bring a new day to students and to entire communities as well.
Average income at age 35 for Black child born below the poverty line*
Dark red: <$12,000
Dark blue: >$44,000
The promise of Cleveland’s workingclass neighborhoods has always been that of our country itself: that with hard work and steady values, children can access a better life than their parents’. But social mobility has stagnated across the city; for example, in 2005, Cleveland ranked tenth among 50 major U.S. cities for social mobility; just 15 years later, it dropped to 39th. The challenge is even more acute in the neighborhoods our schools serve, where the progress we are seeing makes us more determined to accelerate and expand it.
“Each turn of the flywheel builds upon work done earlier, compounding your investment of effort.
”
Jim Collins, Good to Great
“Pacesetter” Partnership teachers are making encouraging progress:
*Scoring in the 40th percentile or higher on the nationally-normed MAP test is a proxy for proficiency on Ohio state tests.
For comparison, the number of students scoring proficient in our first five years on the New York State Test grew by an average of 5 percentage points per year in reading, and 7 in math.
When we began work in Cleveland in 2020, we believed that ambitious progress is possible, even in schools that serve some of the city’s most challenged neighborhoods. Now, we know it to be true. Skillful, mission-driven educators equipped with the right curriculum and supports can make encouraging gains.
We are also clear: progress must happen in more classrooms.
Even as our returning students significantly outperform their peers at neighboring schools, we know they can—and must—achieve at a higher level. We are already evolving our model in multiple ways to deepen learning and increase achievement.
The “fierce urgency of now”—as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. described the call for justice—demands that we move forward on multiple fronts to help students realize their God-given potential. Currently, we are:
The Partnership network team is leaning in to strengthen our teachers’ vision for high-quality outcomes, so they know how to hold high expectations in practice. The team is supporting more analysis of student work and testing. We are collaborating with principals and teachers in using that data to target efforts to accelerate growth. We’re also training all teachers to do what the most effective in our network already do: start from a clear picture of excellence on each assignment, and use data from assessments to adapt lessons in real time.
Teachers drive real learning when they are equipped with the most effective moves and mindsets—chief among them, that every child is made by God for greatness and thus can achieve at the highest levels.
“
Christian Dallavis, Superintendent
We know that to make a transformative impact on student outcomes requires a multiyear investment in them—which means having them learning with us every day, year after year. Thus we are focused this year on strong attendance, re-enrollment, and teacher retention as key indicators of thriving school cultures.
“We don’t have strong classroom routines just to make students behave. We believe we are better together, and that every child is made by God for greatness—and strong routines are one way we act on those beliefs, one way we get closer to being the St. Thomas community we are meant to be.
Rachael Dengler, Executive Principal, St. Thomas Aquinas
Average Daily Attendance
2024 CLE Public & Charter Schools 83%
2024 Partnership Schools 87%
Partnership Cleveland Re-enrollment
Coaching and developing instructional talent comes from the network team, principals, deans, and now peer leaders. With this multitiered approach, we are equipping hardworking, missiondriven educators with the skills they need to fulfill their calling.
“There is an actual support system for me as a new teacher—not just ‘rah-rah’ encouragement, but intentional information and problem-solving from the network, my principal, and colleagues.
”Brittany Watts-Hendrixs Kindergarten teacher, St. Francis
When families don’t just send their kids to a school but feel that both they and their children belong there, they stay; students have a better shot at steady growth; and both children and neighborhoods thrive. That’s why we are thrilled for community partners who are helping us implement more activities for both students and parents.
“We believe St. Thomas and St. Francis are a significant partner in our efforts to rebuild St. Clair Superior, and we look forward to working with them in the future.
”
The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation
We are ramping up support for families of students as young as fifth grade to help them discover, get ready for, and earn both admission and scholarships to attend Cleveland’s strongest high schools—where students can build on the foundation they receive in Partnership Schools.
The Partnership has always sought to run exceptional Catholic schools in the neighborhoods we serve and to advance a vision for the future of parochial schools nationwide, particularly in the working-class communities they have anchored for generations.
A greater need than ever
Across the U.S., stagnant achievement, a youth mental health crisis, and declining trust in civic institutions all call on us to leverage the power of existing neighborhood schools on behalf of a new generation.
Capacity where it is needed the most
In many working-class communities, parochial schools persist—and are under-utilized.
An urgent role for innovative philanthropy
Even in school choice states, modest vouchers and tax credits alone cannot drive excellence, and Catholic schools— particularly those serving low-income communities—remain vulnerable to underperforming and closure.
New models for funding and governance
The spread of publicly-funded school choice—and the potential impact of Catholic schools—is greater than it has been since the 1960’s.
“Our success demands that we build something that will outlast us.
Kathleen Porter-Magee, Founding Superintendent of Partnership Schools, now Special Advisor to the Partnership and Managing Partner of the Leadership Roundtable
”
That’s why our Diocese is so committed to Catholic schools in the heart of the city and happy to be collaborating with Partnership Schools in this work. These schools are full of the children of God. So the more that they can be academically excellent; the more they spread loving community among students and parents; the more they cultivate virtues and habits our world sorely needs; and the more they bring together those in need of resources with those in need of serving others—the more they draw us all closer to God.
We see a future already in the making, where strengthening these schools strengthens the neighborhood around it. We know that is possible—because that is precisely what happened over a hundred years ago, when parishes in then-new communities built schools that became centers of neighborhood life. We have every reason to believe that is the work we are engaged in now, as we partner together to keep these schools thriving.
—Bishop Edward C. Malesic
Partnership Schools is committed to serving the God-given dignity of every student— and to stewarding resources carefully in the process.
Our network team provides the academic and operational support schools need not just to stay open, but to aim for academic excellence. We spend far less than half of public schools in the communities we serve. And we focus resources where they matter the most: in our schools.
NYC public school figures come from the non-partisan Citizens Budget Commission. Analysis includes the 2021, 2022, and 2023 fiscal years, the most recent years for which actual, rather than projected, figures are available.
Cleveland public school figures come from the State of Ohio Department of Education School Report Cards.
We are committed to leveraging economies of scale.
In New York, for instance, our network saw increase in enrollment, 2021-2024 +28% increase in expenses, 2021-2024 +8%
Our partners have transformed lives.
$14.6 million annual giving
$4.7 million endowment support
$3.6 million annual giving
$0.5 million endowment support
41% of donors new in 2023-24
Our support for Partnership Schools comes from our belief that when families have real, high-quality school choices—including faith-based schools—then children thrive, communities grow, and our faith in the American dream gets renewed. In this moment of deep change and challenge in education across the country, we admire the persistence and solution-seeking of the Partnership team, and we are proud to continue to support them.
Emily Cox Executive Director , The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation
“Because of all the help, mentorship, and resources, I was able to take the first steps toward a successful future. I will soon become the first in my family to graduate from college magna cum laude and step confidently into a career that once felt out of reach.
I am a product of the mission to empower students, develop their abilities, and prepare them to become successful. I feel an overwhelming appreciation.
”—Gisselle Reyes
Partnership-New York Class of 2017
Cristo Rey-New York Class of 2021
Fordham University, Class of 2025
“ ” I have high expectations, and this
school supports them. We are so grateful.
Je’Nice Collins Mother of Je’Shauna Robinson, Partnership-Cleveland Class of 2027
Russell L. Carson, Board Chairman
Amy M. Stevens, Board President
Jane B. O’Connell, Board Secretary
Donald J. Herdrich, Board Treasurer
John Cahill
Patricia W. Chadwick
Joseph Ciancaglini
Most Reverend
Cardinal Timothy Dolan
Jane Martínez Dowling
Charles Durkin
Amandine Freidheim
Brendan Gallagher
William Goodloe
Peter T. Grauer
Cecilia “Cee” Greene
Karen Hamilton
Alicia Hammarskjold
Janine Hill
Bonnie B. Himmelman
Fr. Joseph LaMorte
Helen T. Lowe
Pete Maulik
Clémence von Mueffling
Fr. Don Oleksiak
Frank O’Linn
Frank Porcelli
Thomas C. Quick
Brian T. Regan
Nancy R. Wall
Sr. Mary Grace Walsh, ASCJ
Chris Wilson
$1,000,000+
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$250,000-$999,999
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The Buckley Foundation
Children’s Scholarship Fund
Charles P. Durkin Jr.u
Edward & Joan Steiniger Charitable Foundationu
Heckscher Foundation for Children
Donald and Frances Herdrichu
Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel
Family Foundation
Lozick Family Foundation
Laura Overdeck
Riversville Foundation
John van Rens and Sarah Lutzu
Thomas and Sandra Sullivan†
William E. Simon Foundation
The William Randolph Hearst Foundation
The Wilson Sheehan Foundation
$100,000-$249,999
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The Carmel Hill Fund
Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
Charina Endowment Fund Inc
The Charles Hayden Foundation
The Clark Foundation
David F. and Margaret T. Grohne
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Brendan and Kate Gallagher *
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Alicia and Philip Hammarskjold*
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Thomas and Paula McInerneyu
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The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation
Altman Foundation
Anthony and Christie de Nicola Foundationu
Daniel and Kathleen Denihan*
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The Drexel Fund and Nicholas Howley
Elizabeth Cogan Fascitelli and Michael Fascitelli u
Fred A. Lennon Charitable Trust
J Harrington & Marie Glidden Foundation
Cecilia Greene and Paul Verbinnen*
Gregory and Sarita Hanley u Carla Harris*
Sean Hennessy
John and Kiendl Dauphinot Gordon
John M. Conlon Revocable Living Trust
Susan Karches and Thomas Owens
Ray and Patty Laubenthal*
The Estate of Antonette J. Liskay †u
Meredith and Joseph Manning
M.F. Cachat Charitable Foundation Fund
Raymond and Katie Murphy*
New York Catholic Foundation, Inc.
Frank Nickell and Carol Hertling*
Stephen and Stacy Nock*
Norma Pace Foundation
Past Presidents Foundation
Peter B. and Adeline W. Ruffin Foundation
Pumpkin Trust/Joseph Reich†u
Brian and Lindsay Regan*
Dianne Brock and Bill Reilly*
The Richard† and Susan Braddock Family Foundation
Chuck and Deborah Royce*
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The Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation
Michael Shaughnessy
The Shubert Organization
Smiley Family Charitable Foundation*
Linda Mahoney and Peter Smithu
Pat and Nancy Sullivan
Uncle Larry’s Fund
Clémence and William von Mueffling*
Chris Wilson
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1727 Foundation
The Acquavella Family Foundation
The Amaturo Family Foundation
Amb. Daniele Bodini u
James Buckman*
Catholic Charities Corporation
Patricia Chadwick u
Mary Deatherage*
The Edward & Betty Sloat Foundation
Fedeli Family Charitable Foundationu
Rick Swift and Megan Flanigan
Regina Pitaro and Mario Gabelli*
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George and Mary Kremer Foundation
$10,000-$24,999 (cont’d)
George M. and Pamela S. Humphrey Fund
Giant Eagle Foundation
Harris Matthews Charitable Foundation
Roger and Susan Hertog *
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Laurie and David Hodgson*
Michael Horvitz
Timothy and Carol King u
Koch Foundation, Inc.
Murphy Family Foundation
John and Marsha Myslenski
Margo and James Nederlander
New York Community Trust
O’Neill Brothers Foundation
Ohio Boys Town Foundation
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Andrew Passen*^
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Philip and Anne Purcell
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Richman Brothers Foundation
The Sam J. Frankino Foundation
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Frank and Mary Stanley*
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The Thomas and Agnes Carvel Foundation
H. L. Thompson Jr. Family Foundation
Kathleen and Laurence Whittemore
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Akron Community Foundation
Edward Armon
Darren and Krissy Barr*
Charles M. & Helen M. Brown
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Constance Birkelund
Kelly Bookmyer*
Terry Brizz
Edward Burke
John and Patty Cleary
Daniel and Eorann Conway*
Bobby Cremins*
Jake Crocker
John Curran
Ronald and Audrene Dachtleru
Daniels Family Foundation
Albert Degulis
David and Pat Deschleru
William and Tara Dougherty*
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Daniel and Bonnie Leonard*
Margaret and Steven Mabe^
Anthony and Colleen Manning *^
Joseph and Sue Manning
Mark Maus and Stacey Picard*
John Meditz
Melanie Coronetz and Bruce Miller
Mary Moran*
Mary Kay Cabot and Bill Murman
Peter and Rose Murphy
Sharon Bush and Robert Murray
Northern Ohio Honda Dealters Association
NYAC Athlete’s Fund
Terese Bogucki and James O’Brien*
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Mary Ann Passafiume*
Thomas and Ann Piper u
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Priscilla and Richard Schmeelk Foundationu
Karen and Andrew Rebholz^
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Barbara, Henry, and James Sheffler
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St. Barbara Church
St. Columbkille Church
Stolier Family Foundation
Marnell and Richard Stover*
James Sullivan*
The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist
Thomas J. Coltman Foundation
Monica Thomasu
Donald Toumey*
Bob and Holly Vilsack
Carol Wakefield
George and Mary Lu Wasmer
William and Barbara Wood
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Dan and Deborah Bandi
Shawn Beatty^
Kathy Beckles
Terry Bedell^
Mary Bijur
Eugene Black
Gary and Rosalyn Bombei^
Edward and Susan Bonk^
Mary Brown*
Paul and Sheri Carleton
Kathleen Coganu
Anthony and Gail Cresci^
Pasquale Cuomo*
Anthony Dalton*
Meg Degulis
Roger Deike^
John and Patricia Dokler^
Richard Dolejs^
Winifred Doris
Blair Effron*
Karl and Carol Ertleu
Daniel Fickes
Cyrus and Mitzi Freidheim
Galang Family Private Foundation
Geralyn Gleason
Dennis and Cindy Green
Nick Green
Edward Haag*
Richard and Kathleen Hazelton^
Joseph and Helen Hehir
Maryanne Helffrich*
Fr. Joseph Hilinskiu^
Timothy and Cathy Hyland
Dennis Kane
Marianne Kraft
Jim and Amy Kubacki^
John Maidens^
Angela and John Marinou^
Brian McBride*
McDermott & Hicker LLC
William McNamara*
Z.E. and Maria A. Mestrits
Craig Miller^
Pat and Larry Miller*
Michael and Kathleen Mueller*
PK Murphy
Michael and Marcia Neundorfer*
Tyler O’Connor
Kevin and Loretta O’Reilly
Order of the Alhambra-Abba Koval #200
The Parker Hannifin Foundation
Theodore Parran and Laura Bastulli-Parranu ^
Thomas† and Theresa Pretlow^
Anthony and Mary Rego*
Ashley Magargee and Thomas Richards*
Morris and Margaret Saxon
James Schenkelberg
Wendy Sciortino
Karen Scullinu^
Mary Simoncic
Sisters of Christian Charity
Mark and Patricia Skvoretz^
St. Dominic Church
Amy and Quinten Stevens
Joseph and K.K. Sullivan
Unsung NYC Inc.
Cynthia Whitehead
Wolf Company Charitable Foundation
Mike and Mary Woods^
† Deceased *5+ year supporters u10+ year supporters Includes Angel Scholarship Fund tax credit scholarship contribution
“
I think we should all be very proud of what we’ve accomplished in the last eleven years, and for educating nearly 10,000 students in New York. Our work continues to have an impact on the lives of young people and their families. By focusing our efforts going forward in communities that receive public funding in support of our work, Partnership Schools will now use our substantial skills and resources to expand in a more financially sustainable model. We are looking forward to continuing that impact for thousands more students in the years to come.
”
Russ Carson, Chair, Board of Trustees
Thank you on behalf of the thousands of young people who continue to make inspiring progress because of your support.