IV. Archdiocesan Structure
IV. A. Archdiocesan School Council
Findings and Background
1. The Catholic school ministry is distinctly different and complex, and requires effective management.
- School budgets are large.
- Schools employ a large number of professional and non-professional staff.
- Parish school facilities are large, costly, and used extensively by the school, the parish and the community.
- Catholic school programs and activities are subject to specific state, county and federal regulations.
- Catholic schools must provide religious instruction, moral development and parent education in addition to a quality academic education.
- Catholic school activities are subject to potential lawsuits and legal action.
- Catholic school funding primarily comes from sources other than parish offertory: namely tuition, development, fundraising, archdiocesan and outside support.
- Many Catholic schools are in low income areas and are dependent on outside funding.
2. The Catholic school ministry is sufficiently large and complex that it can be best administered by a Department of Catholic Schools which has appropriate influence.
3. Bishops across the country have empowered their Department of Catholic Schools and diocesan school boards to develop effective policy systems.
4. The current structure: PACE, Archdiocesan Catholic School Board, and Commission on Catholic Schools, is redundant and relatively ineffective. Members of all three agree that their respective group should be eliminated and replaced by a single, effective, consultative Archdiocesan School Council.
5. Site-based management will continue to be the norm, with central policies established when necessary for the health and vitality of the system of Catholic schools.
Objectives and Strategies
1. Establish a new Archdiocesan School Council that is policy-making, responsible for developing policy, visioning and strategic planning.
Strategies:1.1 Discontinue the three present advisory groups.
1.2 Membership on the Council will be based on qualifications and experience with representation of pastors, principals, Bishops, lay persons and others.
1.3 The scope of the Council's work will include archdiocesan-wide policy development, visioning, critical issues and long-range planning. The Council will set direction and overall policy. The Department of Catholic Schools will be responsible for implementation and administration. Local policy for the school will continue to be set by the pastor and principal in consultation with the local school council.
1.4 Policy development will occur through a collaborative process that is coordinated by the Department of Catholic Schools. Appropriate groups will be consulted before a policy is presented to the Council for discussion and approval.
1.5 The Council is accountable through the President and Moderator of the Curia, to the Archbishop.
1.6 Policies of the Council will become policy that all archdiocesan and parish schools are to follow. Noncompliance issues would be resolved with help from the Regional Bishop.
1.7 The scope of responsibility and structure of the Council will be governed by a constitution and bylaws.
2. Carefully identify and in-service Council members to ensure that the Council can effectively function as a high level archdiocesan policy-making body.
Strategies:2.1 Identify Council members who have stature in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles community, are committed to the ministry of Catholic schools and who have appropriate experience and skills. Some Council members should have connections to potential financial resources.
2.2 Require new Council appointees to participate in pre-service training. Annually provide appropriate in-service training for all Council members.
Note: See the document Archdiocesan Governance Structure for Catholic Schools - June, 2003 for additional details, constitution and bylaws.
