Partnership Schools Annual Report 2024

ANNUAL REPORT FEBRUARY 2024

Glasshouse Images / Alamy Stock Photo

Always, we

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begin again.

— S T. B E N E D I C T

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Our network began with a singular conviction: that timeless values and evolving best practices, strategically combined, can unlock life-changing opportunities for children. This founding conviction has continued to propel our work forward, particularly in the aftermath of what is now understood to be the worst education disruption in our nation’s history. While schools and districts across the country have scrambled to find new tactics and programs to help close COVID-related learning gaps, we have focused on our bread and butter: stability, focus, and excellence. And that intentionality has produced game-changing results for students.

Yet the current moment gives us no time to rest.

We enter our second decade at a turbulent moment for our cities and students.

Our schools face new challenges, such as COVID learning gaps that still plague American children and a social context that is only increasing its demands on the skills and character of young people. Yet we are also embracing new opportunities—like the strongest ever year for both enrollment and philanthropy in our New York schools and expanded public funding in Ohio.

To rise to the moment, Partnership Schools must balance the timeless and the transformational anew. We are holding fast to the ambition for children and schools that drove visionary leaders to found the Partnership. We are doubling down on core elements of the approach we’ve developed, including rigorous curricula and firm, warm Catholic school cultures. And we are adapting nimbly to provide the supports our teachers, leaders, and students need now.

The continued progress that our children deserve is only possible because long-term supporters remain dedicated to our mission, and new partners share our zeal. We hope you all see in this report encouraging growth and an approach that can sustain even more in the years to come.

Gratefully,

Kristen Gengaro, Executive Director 4

Sacred Heart School

Kathleen Porter-Magee, Superintendent

M em

Managing change, mbodying stability.

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P R E-PA R T N E R S H I P ENROLLMENT

186

2023 ENROLLMENT

400

100 116%

INCREASE SINCE JOINING THE

PA R T N E R S H I P IN 2019

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“The stability we gained by becoming a Partnership school has made it possible for us to grow. We didn’t become something entirely different; we are becoming the best version of St. Charles Borromeo School.” ­— N A T A L I A R O D R I G O

E X E C U T I V E P R I N C I PA L A N D

2 2 -Y E A R M E M B E R O F T H E C O M M U N I T Y

Stability makes growth possible.

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56%

In Cleveland, where of students are chronically absent from school, Partnership educators are building a culture that underscores two truths: school is essential, and every day matters.

PA R T N E R S H I P-C L E V E L A N D AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE

100100

92%

FALL 2023

86% 8

2022-23

“Our children need a strong, reliable community to learn and grow. The dads who work and volunteer here at St. Thomas Aquinas know that—and we are building that community.”

­— A L E X A F Z A L

S T. T H O M A S A Q U I N A S F A T H E R , TEACHER, AND COMMUNITY MEMBER

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100+O 3,572 STUDENTS

+ two schools

100

460 2020

1,969

CLEVELAND

N E W YO R K

Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Archives, Catholic Universe Bulletin collection.

2023

10

2023

100

1,051

2,521 28%

INCREASE

2020

MCS

St. Thomas Aquinas, 1976

“When students come every day and stay with us for years, we see the growth we know they can achieve.

So if we want excellence at St. Thomas, we need to go after stability first.”

—RACHAEL DENGLER P R I N C I P A L , S T. T H O M A S A Q U I N A S , A N D 1 0 -Y E A R M E M B E R O F T H E C O M M U N I T Y

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55+1+412K56+44+K 80 + 10+201+61271K17+83+K

41%

2%

M U LT I RAC I A L , A S I A N , OT H E R

BLACK

55%

NYC

H I S PA N I C O F ANY RACE

Students

56%

© The Estate of Austin Hansen, Photographs and Prints Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library.

1%

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C AT H O L I C

WHITE

1%

ASIAN

Our schools serve demographically and religiously diverse students. We cherish every student—and we are committed to living that out daily, in everything from how we greet students, to the value we place on their attendance, to the high bar for instruction to which we hold ourselves.

71%

10%

BLACK

TWO OR MORE RACES

1%

ASIAN

20%

6%

CLE

12%

UNSPECIFIED

H I S PA N I C

Students

WHITE

17%

C AT H O L I C

St. Charles Borromeo, late 1940s

“During COVID, many families broke the daily habit of attending school, and with chronic absenteeism around 40% in New York schools, clearly many struggle to get it back.

Consistent learning requires consistent attendance.

At St. Athanasius and all the Partnership Schools, we work intentionally to build a culture where every parent and child believes it is a very good thing when all of our students are here.”

— J E S S I C A AY B A R E X E C U T I V E P R I N C I PA L, S T. A T H A N A S I U S S C H O O L , A N D 1 1 -Y E A R M E M B E R O F T H E C O M M U N I T Y

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N E W YO R K

34+15+51K

34%

51%

4 2+471928K

19%

11+ YEARS

1-5 YEARS

WHITE

Years

Teaching

NYC

Faculty

47%

28% BLACK

2%

H I S PA N I C OF ANY RACE

4%

15%

6 -1 0 Y E A R S

TWO OR MORE RACES

AS I A N O R PAC I F I C I S L A N D E R

CLEVELAND

10+62+1810K 32+20+48K 10%

UNKNOWN

18% BLACK

10%

TWO OR MORE RACES

32% 11+ YEARS

CLE

Faculty

62% WHITE

Years

48% 1-5 YEARS

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Teaching

20%

6 -1 0 Y E A R S

“Our school is fantastic; that’s why I have been here for 30 years. The culture of care for each other we’ve always had, plus this really strong new curriculum, mean that I’m excited to see how our students continue to grow.” ­— K A Y D E V E R

1 S T G RA D E T E AC H E R, M E T R O C AT H O L I C , A N D 3 2 -Y E A R M E M B E R O F T H E C O M M U N I T Y

Mission-driven educators are the heart of our communities.

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NYC New York State Test English-Language Arts Proficiency 8th grade S P R I N G 2 0 2 3

62%

60%

N YC

PA R T N E R S H I P SCHOOLS

In English Language Arts, Partnership students beat citywide averages, which includes data from the city’s most affluent students and schools. While less than half of the city’s eighth graders took the high school Algebra 1 Regents exam, 86% of Partnership eighth graders chose to in 2023—and nearly half demonstrated their readiness to dive into advanced math in ninth grade.

High School Algebra 1 Regents Exam P N YC R E S U LT S

43% PAS S E D

2022

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48% PAS S E D

2023

Immaculate Conception, 1959

Our goal is lasting learning— not quick test gains.

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Cleveland

MCS

Reading Proficiency SPRING 2023

35% 29% 15.4%

4 NEAREST CMSD SCHOOLS

N E W PA R T N E R S H I P STUDENTS ’22/’23

RETURNING PA R T N E R S H I P ST U D E N T S

In their first years in the Partnership, our four Cleveland Schools are already significantly outperforming nearby public schools while laying the foundation for accelerated growth in the years to come.

Math Proficiency SPRING 2023

16%

21%

8%

4 NEAREST CMSD SCHOOLS

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N E W PA R T N E R S H I P STUDENTS ’22/’23

St. Francis School, prior to the 1970 fire

RETURNING PA R T N E R S H I P ST U D E N T S

Year after year, in both NYC and CLE, we see the same trend emerge: the longer students are with us, the better they do.

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N YC

80+20+K 94+6+K 80%

OF STUDENTS QUALIFY FOR FREE & REDUCED LUNCH

CLEVELAND 94%

OF STUDENTS QUALIFY FOR FREE & REDUCED LUNCH 20

Our mission has remained stable: to serve the students who need us the most.

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N E W YO R K H I G H S C H O O L SCHOLARSHIPS Fully 88% of students in our New York schools earned acceptances to top-tier high schools, and the Class of 2023 received $6.4 million in four-year scholarship support to attend some of the most sought-after, elite high schools in the country. These results show that investing in a Partnership education pays dividends for years to come.

100+K 2022

$3.3

OF 2

02

3

C

100K L

S S A

$6.4

MILLION

MILLION

S E L E C T E D H I G H S C H O O L A C C E P TA N C E S

CLEVELAND CENTR CATHOLIC

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Immaculate Conception, late 1950s

“I thought Gilmour was going to be really hard; this is a high school that really focuses on preparing you for college. But Archbishop Lyke definitely prepared me, and I love all the opportunities I have here as a result.”

­

RAL

­— L U N D E N J O H N S O N

A R C H B I S H O P LY K E ’ 2 3 ,

G I L M O U R A C A D E M Y, C L E V E L A N D ’ 2 7

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NYC

Cleveland

$37,620

$25,130

$11,840

$10,240

Cost to Educate

P U B L I C S C H O O L N YC

PA R T N E R S H I P N YC

Cost to Educate

PUBLIC SCHOOL CLE

PA R T N E R S H I P C L E

MCS

Partnership Schools provide a consistent, high-quality education for a fraction of what surrounding districts spend.

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We do more with less.

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NYC OT H E R

$10

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

$700

PA R E N TA L CONTRIBUTION

$1,990

PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT

$9,140

$11,840

Our operating expenses for New York City schools totaled $27.4 million.

We funded these costs with student tuition and fees, government support, and philanthropy. Philanthropic support is critical for our mission of providing students with a faith-based education to help them flourish beyond their time at Partnership Schools.

C O S T TO E D U C AT E

% O P E RAT I N G B U D G E T TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS

90%

77+17+6K 64+10+251K Income: $27.4M

INCOME

$21.2M P H I L A N T H R O P I C S U P P O R T $4.6M T U I T I O N & F E E S $1.6M G O V E R N M E N T S U P P O R T & O T H E R I N C O M E

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Immaculate Conception, circa 1939

Expenses: $27.4M

EXPENSES

$17.5M I N S T R U C T I O N & S C H O O L A C T I V I T I E S $2.7M A D M I N I S T R A T I O N & D E V E L O P M E N T $6.9M O P E R A T I O N S & F A C I L I T I E S $0.3M C A P I T A L

Cleveland

MC S

OT H E R I N C O M E PA R E N TA L C O N T R I B U T I O N

$10 $130

OT H E R G OV E R N M E N T SUPPORT

$1,380

PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT

ENDOWMENT

S TAT E SCHOLARSHIPS

$3,075

$490

$5,140

Total operating costs in Ohio were $11.5 million and have a similar distribution to our New York schools.

However, the Ohio schools’ income composition differs dramatically because of the Ohio state-funded student scholarship support.

% O P E RAT I N G B U D G E T TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS

$10, 240

C O S T TO E D U C AT E

82%

30+50+1514K 50+18+311K Income: $11.5M

Expenses: $11.5M

INCOME

EXPENSES

$3.5M P H I L A N T H R O P I C S U P P O R T $5.8M S T A T E S C H O L A R S H I P S $1.7M O T H E R G O V E R N M E N T S U P P O R T $.5M E N D O W M E N T A N N U A L S U P P O R T $.02M O T H E R I N C O M E

$5.7M I N S T R U C T I O N & S C H O O L A C T I V I T I E S $2.1M A D M I N I S T R A T I O N & D E V E L O P M E N T $3.6M O P E R A T I O N S & F A C I L I T I E S $0.1M C A P I T A L

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LE

G

NY

$4.2 $13.5

C

C

T

76+ 24 100+K O

L GIVIN A T

$17.7 MILLION

T OTA L DONORS:

1,050

74%

INCREASE IN GIVING OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS

Our first-ever concerted Giving Tuesday effort attracted an influx of new supporters—including parents and students who gave what they could, from $5 to $500. Their gifts, together with the unflagging generosity of long-time supporters of our schools and network, meant that an astounding 89% of gifts to the Partnership were either new or increased in 2023.

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Our Lady Queen of Angels, 2010s

“This year, donors gave more to the Partnership than any year in our history, and we received the largest gift in the organization’s history: $8 million from an anonymous foundation. There can be no better expression of donors’ faith in the future of Partnership Schools.”

­— J I L L K A F K A FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PA R T N E R S H I P S C H O O L S

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“We’ve been involved with the Partnership for over 25 years and have seen the transformative outcomes first-hand. Partnership Schools changes lives for the better!” ­— J A N I N E A N D T O M H I L L LO N G T I M E PA R T N E R S H I P S U P P O R T E R S

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The need is growing— and so is the support TRUSTEES

Russell L. Carson Board Chairman Amy M. Stevens Board President Donald J. Herdrich Board Treasurer Jane B. O’Connell Board Secretary John P. Cahill Patricia W. Chadwick Michael J. Deegan Most Reverend Timothy Cardinal Dolan Charles P. Durkin Jr. William E. Flaherty * Amandine Freidheim Brendan Gallagher William Goodloe Peter T. Grauer Cecilia Greene Karen Hamilton Alicia B. Hammarskjold Janine Hill Bonnie B. Himmelman Fr. Joseph LaMorte Helen T. Lowe Jane Martínez-Dowling Peter Maulik Frank W. O’Linn Fr. Don Oleksiak Frank Porcelli Thomas C. Quick Brian T. Regan Clémence von Mueffling Nancy R. Wall Sr. Mary Grace Walsh, ASCJ Chris Wilson

SUPPORTERS

$1,000,000 +

Anonymous (2) The Carson Family Charitable Trust

$250,000 -$999,999 Anonymous (2) Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation Bloomberg Philanthropies The Buckley Foundation Charles P. Durkin Jr. Edward & Joan Steiniger Charitable Foundation

Heckscher Foundation for Children Donald and Frances Herdrich Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Family Foundation Lozick Family Foundation Laura Overdeck Riversville Foundation John van Rens and Sarah Lutz William and Clémence von Mueffling The Wilson Sheehan Foundation

$1 00,000 -$249,999

The Achelis and Bodman Foundation Charina Endowment Fund, Inc. The Charles Hayden Foundation The Clark Foundation Denis P. Coleman III The Drexel Fund and Nicholas Howley The Finneran Family The Francesco & Mary Giambelli Foundation, Inc. Amandine and Stephen Freidheim Brendan and Kate Gallagher Mark Gallogly and Lise Strickler Peter and Laurie Grauer Alicia and Philip Hammarskjold Gregory and Sarita Hanley The Haslam3 Foundation Janine and J. Tomlinson Hill Meredith and Joseph Manning Thomas and Paula McInerney Fr. Don Oleksiak Thomas Quick Brian and Lindsay Regan Robin Hood Foundation James Rowen Paul Shiverick Tom and Nancy Wall

$25,000 -$99,999 The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Altman Foundation Mark and Melanie Biche Amb. Daniele Bodini Geoff Boisi George Bruening The Bruening Foundation James and Nancy Buckman Joseph Cassin

Michael Castillo Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Elizabeth Cogan Fascitelli and Michael Fascitelli Anthony de Nicola Mary Deatherage Daniel and Kathleen Denihan Edward & Betty Sloat Foundation William Flaherty* and Carol Kimbark Robert and Linda Foran Fred A. Lennon Charitable Trust J. Patrick Gallagher Jr. and Anne M. Gallagher J. Kevin and Mary Ellen Gilgan Amy and Sidney Goodfriend John and Kiendl Gordon Patrick Grace Gray Foundation Cecelia Greene and Paul Verbinnen Carla Harris Roger and Susan Hertog The Hummer Family Foundation The Hyde and Watson Foundation Bruce and Debbie Jarosz Scott Jeckering John P. and Anne McNulty Foundation Mrs. Susan B. Karches Paul and Danielle Klyap Joe and Sue Manning Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg John Meditz Raymond and Katie Murphy New York Catholic Foundation, Inc. Frank Nickell and Carol Hertling The Nock Family Norma Pace Foundation Andrew and Susan Passen Past Presidents Foundation Joseph Reich/Pumpkin Trust Robert Mize and Isa White Trimble Family Foundation Chuck and Deborah Royce William and Suzanne Sales The Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation Michael Shaughnessy The Shubert Organization Sisters of Reparation Charitable Trust Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Smith Peter Smith and Linda Mahoney 31

Immaculate Conception, 1971

Frank Sullivan Pat and Nancy Sullivan Uncle Larry’s Fund

$1 0,000 -$24,999

Anonymous (3) The Abington Foundation Patricia W. Chadwick Church of the Resurrection Kee Colen and Laura Picard Hélène and Stuyvesant Comfort Daniel and Eorann Conway Melanie Coronetz and Bruce Miller Fedeli Family Charitable Foundation Brigid Flanagan Albert and Linda Garceau Helen Gebura* Daniel and Dede Geib George M. and Pamela S. Humphrey Fund Giant Eagle Foundation Harris Matthews Charitable Foundation Thomas Healey Bonnie Himmelman Laurie and David Hodgson Michael and Jane Horvitz J Harrington & Marie E. Glidden Foundation Jack and Lillian Poses Foundation The George and Mary Kremer Foundation Timothy and Carol King Maureen Sherry Klinsky Bill and Pat Kurzenberger Ray and Patty Laubenthal John Lindenthal and Mary Orechovsky Helen T. Lowe 32

Alice Mahoney Timothy McCarthy John P. McCormick Alan and Robin Mintz Susan Murphy Murphy Family Foundation Jack and Marsha Myslenski Margo and James L. Nederlander Jack and Charlotte Newman Nancy Zink O’Connor O’Neill Brothers Foundation Mike and Trina Overlock Josephine Pellegrino Peter B. and Adeline W. Ruffin Foundation PNC Charitable Trust Philip and Anne Purcell Mary Quick Michael Quilty Bill Reilly and Dianne Brock The Sam J. Frankino Foundation Jeffrey Sanson Cynthia and Thomas Sculco Frank and Mary Stanley Susan Campbell Scholarship Fund Third Federal Foundation The Thomas and Agnes Carvel Foundation Lisa Torell and Mark Finerman

$2,000 -$9,999

Anonymous (2) Akron Community Foundation William F. Anderson * Frances Archer Edward Armond Scott Baranowski

Darren & Krissy Barr Constance Birkelund Therese Bogucki and James O’Brien Kelly Bookmyer Mary Brown Joseph and Hilary Califano Pedro Cardi Charles M. & Helen M. Brown Memorial Foundation John and Patricia Cleary Congregation of St. Joseph Construction Employers Association Edward Crawford Ronald and Audrene Dachtler Albert Degulis Thomas DeJovine David and Patricia Deschler Barbara Domski William and Tara Dougherty John D. Draghi Richard Ellison GoldenTree Asset Management William Goodloe Richard and Lori Grasso Edward Haag Judy Hart Angelo The Helen & Louis Stolier Family Foundation John & Stella Hetzer Fr. Joseph Hilinski Greg Hopper Stephen and Kate Howe John Hudec Tochukwu Igwe Dan Kiernan Knights of Columbus Steve Kusik

Daniel and Bonnie Leonard Gerry Loftus Mark Maus and Stacey Picard

Mary Barrett Moran 1954 Graduate, St. Athanasius Peter Murphy and Rose Haggerty Jane O’Connell

Ohio Boys Town Kim Parker Petri Family Foundation Thomas and Ann Piper Betsy and Rob Pitts Kathleen Porter-Magee St. Barbara Catholic Church St. Columbkille Catholic Church Peter Scaturro Spencer and Sue Ann Seaman Sears-Swetland Family Foundation Margaret Sedensky and Philip Morgan Arthur Sidley Sisters of Christian Charity Foundation of Cleveland Smiley Family Charitable Foundation Speedeon Amy Stevens Stolier Family Foundation Marnell and Richard Stover NYAC Athlete’s Fund Third Federal Foundation Thomas J. Coltman Foundation Donald Toumey Steve and Nancy Vincent Michael and Audrey Vitulli Jonathan and Candace Wainwright Charles S. Whelan, Jr

$1,000-$1,999

Anonymous Arthur B. McBride, Sr. Family Foundation Dan and Deborah Bandi Robert and Mary Cogan Betty Contino Pasquale Cuomo Barbara and Mike Dallavis Raymond and Margaret Daull Ann Davis David and Hildegarde Mahoney Foundation John and Patricia Dokler Most Reverend Timothy Cardinal Dolan Raymond Domanico James and Susan Dunne Jackie Dyer and Keith Hammonds Fr. Daniel Fikes Jerome Fritz Anthony Galang Galang Family Foundation John Gildea Kevin Gordon Robert and Jane Grebenc Dennis & Cindy Green Kathleen Grimmer Patricia Halek Joseph and Helen Hehir Maryanne Dokler Helffrich Elizabeth Hoffman Bruce and Debbie Jarosz Jason and Maria Jurgens The Kathleen and Laurence Whittemore Family Fund Elaine King

Raymond Kiraly Marianne Kraft Steven and Margaret Mabe Anthony and Colleen Manning John Marino Lucille McGrath William McNamara Charlie Michaud Michael and Kathleen Mueller Kathleen Murdoch Whitney and Clarke Murphy Ethan and Barbara O’Connor Ouermi Family Robert and Elizabeth Quinn Bill and Mary Quirk Kathleen Quirk Anthony and Mary Rego Thomas Richards and Ashley Magargee Thomas Richlovsky Joseph Sambuco Selena Sanchez Morris and Margaret Saxon Wendy and Ben Sciortino Karen Scullin Peter and Janet Simon Patricia and Mark Skvoretz Marion Sudkamp James and Rita Sullivan Sullivan Family Foundation Joseph and KK Sullivan, Jr. Alicia Taylor Monica Thomas Bob Vilsack Cynthia Whitehead Victoria Winterer

* denotes a supporter who is deceased

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“Over the last 11 years, Partnership Schools has combined unwavering traditions of faith and excellence with a nimble approach, and the results speak for themselves. That dynamic combination now fuels a bright future for our network and, most importantly, for the students we serve. We are grateful to every supporter whose generosity fuels our students’ progress.”

­— R U S S C A R S O N CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES

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N E W YO R K

CLEVELAND

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As an independent 501(c)3 and private school management organization, Partnership Schools puts once-struggling urban Catholic schools on the path to long-term sustainability. We work to ensure that our schools have what they need to form students in knowledge and virtue so that they can live out our core values of integrity, humility, hard work, and service.

Partnership Schools is a national network, serving students in Harlem, the South Bronx, and Cleveland, while also playing a leading role in education reform conversations nationwide.