Partnership Schools Annual Report 2024

Always, we

Glasshouse Images / Alamy Stock Photo

begin again.

—ST. BENEDICT

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,

Kathleen Porter-Magee, Executive Director Superintendent

Managing change, embodying stability.

“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.”

— NATALIA RODRIGO EXECUTIVE

22-YEAR MEMBER

Stability makes growth possible.

In Cleveland, where

56% of students are chronically absent from school, Partnership educators are building a culture that underscores two truths: school is essential, and every day matters.

PARTNERSHIP-CLEVELAND AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE

100 100

86% 2022-23

92% FALL 2023

“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.”

— ALEX AFZAL

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS FATHER, TEACHER, AND COMMUNITY MEMBER

3,572 STUDENTS

100

1,051

100

460

2,521

100

1,969

“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 PRINCIPAL, ST. THOMAS AQUINAS, AND 10-YEAR MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY

41% BLACK

2% MULTIRACIAL, ASIAN, OTHER

55 NYC Students

1% WHITE

1% ASIAN

55% HISPANIC OF ANY RACE

56% CATHOLIC

56

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.

20+80

10

20% HISPANIC CLE Students 12% WHITE

17

17% CATHOLIC

“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.”

— JESSICA AYBAR

EXECUTIVE PRINCIPAL, ST. ATHANASIUS SCHOOL, AND 11-YEAR MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY

“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.”

Mission-driven educators are the heart of our communities.

NYC

High School Algebra 1 Regents Exam

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. 2022

43% PASSED

48% PASSED

Our goal is lasting learning— not quick test gains.

Cleveland

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.

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

NYC

80 80% OF STUDENTS QUALIFY FOR FREE & REDUCED LUNCH

CLEVELAND

94 94% OF STUDENTS QUALIFY FOR FREE & REDUCED LUNCH

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

NEW YORK HIGH SCHOOL 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.

CLAS S O F 2023

100100

$6.4 MILLION

$3.3 MILLION

SELECTED HIGH SCHOOL ACCEPTANCES

CLEVELAND CENTRAL CATHOLIC

“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.”

LUNDEN JOHNSON

ARCHBISHOP LYKE ’23, GILMOUR ACADEMY, CLEVELAND ’27

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

We do more with less.

$9,140

Income: $27.4M

77

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.

% OPERATING BUDGET TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS

90%

Expenses: $27.4M

64 EXPENSES

$17.5M INSTRUCTION & SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

$2.7M ADMINISTRATION & DEVELOPMENT

$6.9M OPERATIONS & FACILITIES

$0.3M CAPITAL

Income: $11.5M

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.

% OPERATING BUDGET TO

SCHOOLS 82%

Expenses: $11.5M

$5.7M

76 TOTA

L G I VING

$4.2 $13.5 CLE NYC

$17.7 MILLION

100

TOTAL 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.

“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.”

JILL KAFKA

FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PARTNERSHIP SCHOOLS

“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!”

— JANINE AND TOM HILL LONGTIME PARTNERSHIP SUPPORTERS

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

$100,000-$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

Frank Sullivan

Pat and Nancy Sullivan

Uncle Larry’s Fund

$10,000-$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

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

“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.”

RUSS CARSON CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES

CLEVELAND

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.