How important do you believe each of the following is in preventing parents from enrolling children in local Catholic schools?
Very important
Somewhat important
Only a little important
Not at all important
Tuition costs
Quality of religious instruction in the school
Lack of transportation/busing
Preference for parish religious education classes
Convenient location
Quality of academic program and instruction
Quality of extracurricular program
School leadership
Child has special needs that the school cannot fulfill
Other. Specify in the box below.
What is it that makes a school Catholic? In your opinion, how important is each of the following to the Catholic identity of a Catholic school?
Very important
Somewhat important
Only a little important
Not at all important
As many aspects of the school as possible visibly reflect the Catholic faith.
The school is closely related to the parish, the Archdiocese and its community of schools.
Prayer and sacraments are an integral part of the life of the school.
Religious instruction has a high priority in the life of the school.
Other. Specify in the box below.
In your opinion, how often should a Catholic school offer students the opportunity to worship at Mass? Choose only one.
In your experience, how often do families withdraw their child(ren) from a Parochial Catholic school and leave for another school for the reasons listed below?
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
Tuition costs
Quality of academic instruction
Quality of religious instruction in the school
Relocation/change of employment
Discipline issues
School leadership
Child has special needs that the school cannot fulfill
Parents prefer a charter school
Parents prefer a public school
Parents prefer a private non-Catholic school
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
Parents prefer a private Catholic school
Parents prefer to home school
Other. Specify in the box below.
How much do you agree with the following statements? (Part One)
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral/No opinion/Not applicable
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Catholic schools are essential to the vitality of the Church in America.
Connection to a Catholic school enhances parish life.
Catholic education is a good value.
Catholic schools should only be for Catholic children.
Catholic school tuition is affordable for most families in the Archdiocese.
All families with more than one child attending the same school should get tuition discounts.
School tuition should reflect the actual cost to the school of providing education to a student.
Tuition discounts should only be based on financial need.
Only Catholic families who are active in parish life should be given tuition discounts.
Tuition discounts should be provided to enable Catholic school teachers and principals to send their children to a Catholic school.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral/No opinion/Not applicable
Disagree
Strongly disagree
The Archdiocese should coordinate fundraising for Catholic schools.
Each individual Catholic school should handle its own fundraising.
I favor the use of public tax dollars to support Catholic schools.
Non-Catholics should be eligible for tuition assistance.
Non-Catholic enrollments represent an opportunity to fulfill the evangelization mission of the Church.
Catholic schools that do not have majority Catholic enrollment should be closed.
How much do you agree with the following statements? (Part Two)
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral/No opinion/Not applicable
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Most parishes do not need to have a parish Catholic school.
Given the overall mission of my parish, the cost of a Catholic school is (or would be) too high relative to other parish programs that could be funded.
A parish without a school has a financial obligation to help support the Catholic school(s) that children from that parish attend.
All parishes in the Archdiocese have a collective obligation to financially support all Catholic schools in the Archdiocese.
Pastors and parish leadership have an important obligation to promote Catholic schools to Catholic parents.
Catholic schools should offer more transportation options.
Catholic school teachers should be certified to teach the subjects they are instructing.
Religion teachers in Catholic schools should be certified by the Archdiocese to teach the faith.
New pastors of parishes with schools should receive some sort of formal preparation or training.
The Archdiocese should publish schools’ standardized test scores.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral/No opinion/Not applicable
Disagree
Strongly disagree
It is important that Catholic schools teach children the Church’s teachings on human sexuality.
In parishes with schools, management roles for pastors and principals should be clearly defined by the Archdiocese.
I generally support the recent focus of Archdiocesan leadership on securing the future of Catholic education.
In your opinion, what programs are the most important to support when parish funds are limited? Rank your preferences 1 to 7 below, with 1 being your “most preferred”. Indicate each number only once.
Social concerns
Parish school
Religious education
Parish life and worship
Rectory and parish clergy
Administration
Physical plant
The Archdiocese can give out tuition assistance funds in one of two ways. Which of the two options below would you prefer? Choose only one.
In awarding tuition assistance would you prefer the Archdiocese give priority to. . . (Choose only one)
Assume a school’s cost to educate one child is $8,000 per year, but the tuition charged by this school is $7,000 per year. A family that has a documented ability to pay $9,000 per year should be asked to pay how much in tuition? Choose only one.
Should the Archdiocesan leadership mandate an upper limit (i.e., a percentage of parish income) to a parish’s support of a school? Choose only one.
If you responded yes to the previous question, what should the limit be? Indicate the item that comes closest to your opinion. Choose only one.
When a Catholic elementary school offers tuition assistance, which of the following priorities should be considered most? Rank your preferences 1 to 7, with 1 being your “most preferred”. Indicate each number only once.
To fill grades with too few students
To increase racial and ethnic diversity
To reward students for academic success
To assist parents with more than one child enrolled
To assist Catholic parents who are active in parish life
To provide assistance to those unable to pay in full, but who seek Catholic school education for their family.
Other. Specify in the box below.
If you were dividing up all available tuition assistance to the groups you ranked above, what percentage, out of 100%, would you give to each priority? Enter the percentage for each item you ranked. Your entries should total 100%.
To fill grades with too few students
To increase racial and ethnic diversity
To reward students for academic success
To assist parents with more than one child enrolled
To assist Catholic parents who are volunteer or serve in parish life
To provide assistance to those unable to pay in full, but who seek Catholic school education for their family.
Other.
If a Catholic elementary school’s tuition revenue is less than the costs to educate the children enrolled, which of the following sources should make up the shortfall in revenue? Rank your preferences 1 to 5, with 1 being “most preferred”. Indicate each number only once.
Sponsoring parish(es) or religious community(ies)
The Archdiocese
School and private funding through fundraising and grants
Public funding for families (tax credits, vouchers, etc.)
Parents who are able pay the full cost of educating their child(ren)
Which of these best describes your primary current position? (Indicate all that apply):
Approximately how many families are in your parish?
Your parish’s community is primarily...(Choose only one)
The parish I serve (indicate all that apply):
Note: If you are not a pastor or parochial vicar, or if your parish is not affiliated with a school, please skip this page.
Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements about your school:
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral/No opinion/Not applicable
Disagree
Strongly disagree
This school is always able to employ qualified teachers and support staff.
Local pastors emphasize the importance of Catholic elementary school education.
The school has effective tuition assistance programs.
Teachers and staff understand the mission of the school.
The student body reflects the racial and ethnic diversity of the local community.
Teachers have the resources they need to integrate Catholic identity and Church teachings into all the subjects they teach.
The teachers who leave the school are seeking higher pay.
Most teachers have their children enrolled in Catholic schools.
The designated pastor should have final authority for management of the school.
It is important to me that students do well in religion class.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral/No opinion/Not applicable
Disagree
Strongly disagree
I personally enjoy ministering to children.
I personally like serving a parish with a school.
I am satisfied with the quality of the school.
My training to pastor a parish with a school has been adequate.
Overall, how do you perceive change in any of the following at your school over the last five years? If any of these are not applicable to the context of your school, indicate “Not Applicable”. (If the parish you serve is not affiliated with a school, please skip this question.)
Decreased
Remained the same
Increased
Not applicable
The school’s economic health
Number of students traveling more than 10 miles or more, one-way, to get to the school from their home
Total value of monetary donations to the school
Average student scores on standardized tests
The school’s ability to retain teachers
The school’s ability to offer teacher salaries that are competitive with local public school salaries
The total value of diocesan subsidies provided to the school
In your experience, how well does your school fulfill its mission in each of the following areas? (If the parish you serve is not affiliated with a school, please skip this question.)
Very
Somewhat
Only a little
Not at all
To have strong Catholic identity in the school
To effectively teach the Catholic Faith
To be academically excellent
To have standardized test scores exceeding local school averages.
To be economically affordable
What priority do each of the following activities or functions have for you in your involvement in your school? Rank your preferences 1 to 5, with 1 being your “most preferred”. Indicate each number only once.
Teaching religion
School Masses, confessions and other liturgies
Administration and oversight
Visiting and observing
Other. Specify in the box below.
Race/ethnicity.
Current age (indicate the range).
Years ordained priest (indicate the range).
A Catholic elementary or middle school
A Catholic high school
A Catholic college
What do you appreciate most about Catholic schools in this archdiocese?
In your opinion, what could Catholic schools generally do better?
Please share any other thoughts or suggestions you would like us to know.
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