V. I. High Schools
The strategic plan is directed at archdiocesan and parochial schools and does not formally include private Catholic high schools. However, private Catholic high schools play a very significant role in the Catholic K to 12 educational system. Collaboration with these schools is important and a great deal can be learned from them.
Findings and Background
1. Enrollment trends for the archdiocesan/parochial high schools show a decrease in enrollment as seen in the table below. However, the number of archdiocesan/parochial high schools declined from 37 in 1980 to 28 today. Private Catholic school enrollment has increased during the same time period with a loss of only 2 schools.
| 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2002-03 | |
| Archdiocesan/Parochial | 23,527 (37) | 20,330 (34) | 16,728 (29) | 16,286 (28) |
| Private | 11,626 (24) | 11,100 (22) | 13,445 (22) | 13,774 (22) |
2. Thirteen (13) archdiocesan/parochial high schools are at 80% of their maximum enrollment capacity for the current school year. Seven (7) of the schools are at 50% or less of their maximum enrollment capacity.
3. A number of key high school issues emerged as a result of the strategic planning process:
· There is a need to develop more effective and appropriate criteria to determine subsidy recipients and the amounts they are to receive.
· There is a need for more consistent and regular contact with legal counsel and leadership in the Department of Catholic Schools.
· There is a need to address the presence and quality of advancement/development programs in all archdiocesan and parochial high schools. Related advancement/development issues include:
(a) a coordinated effort in soliciting local foundations versus the overwhelming demand from individual schools, and
(b) new and creative approaches to establishing and staffing high school development offices with qualified and trained personnel.
- There is a need to evaluate and restructure the decision-making processes on how high school capital improvement projects are prioritized, selected for implementation and funding determined.
- There is a need to have an effective consultative board at each
school site to enhance the involvement of parents and the wider school
communities. For
new and existing consultative boards the following need to be considered:
- a clear understanding of the role and service they can provide for the school,
- appropriate criteria for consultative board eligibility/membership,
- effective recruitment, pre-service and continuing in-service of consultative board members as to their role, responsibilities, areas of authority, parameters, etc., and
- the specific areas of consultative board responsibility.
4. The viability of several high schools is in question for a variety of reasons - low enrollment (8 of the 22 archdiocesan schools and 4 of the 6 parish schools have enrollment of less than 400 students), finances (3 schools have significant debt), location, facilities and others.
5. Most of the small urban high schools are "under-funded". The schools lack the financial resources to ensure that they can provide an excellent educational program.
Objectives and strategies
1. The Department of Catholic Schools will establish specific criteria for high school viability which takes into account the unique circumstances of each high school.
- A high school will have sufficient enrollment to provide quality educational programs to fulfill its mission. Long-term financial viability is very difficult to achieve at enrollment of less than 400, unless parents can support the cost of higher tuition or there is substantial development income.
- A high school will exhibit proven student success and academic excellence.
- A high school will provide a full range of academic programs.
- School finances will be adequate to meet salary obligations and support a full/wide range of quality educational programs. A comprehensive financial projection will determine individual school benchmarks for viability.
- Facilities will be adequate for current and future programs.
- The high school will have effective leadership.
1.1 Using the viability criteria listed in Objective 1, develop school specific criteria for each of the 12 archdiocesan and parochial high schools whose enrollment is 400 or less.
1.2 With each school develop a written plan outlining how the school will meet the viability criteria within an agreed upon time period.
1.3 If high schools are unable to meet the criteria, develop alternatives for the future of the school.
2. Conduct a comprehensive study of the needs for Catholic secondary education in Deaneries 3 and 4 and develop a long-range plan.
Strategies2.1 Evaluate population growth (past, present and future) to determine where Catholic high schools are needed and how large they should be.
2.2 Recommend if a new high school is needed or if Santa Clara High School should be moved to best serve Catholics in the Camarillo, Simi and Conejo areas.
2.3 Develop a concrete plan by 2004-05 and include existing Catholic high schools, elementary schools and parishes in the planning process.
3. Expand Paraclete High School facilities to accommodate projected enrollments for the next two decades.
Strategies3.1 Undertake the expansion program in the near future, adding all needed facilities to meet future demand.
3.2 Investigate the use of conventional and alternative funding models (including debt) to finance the expansion program.
4. Explore construction of a Catholic high school in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Strategies4.1 Implement the recommendations of the 1998 study for the Santa Clarita Valley.
4.2 Consider options of a 9 to 12 school or a K to 12 Catholic school.
5. Develop alternative scenarios for the Archdiocesan high schools, dependent on possible changes in availability of finances.
Strategies5.1 Develop a contingency plan for how the system would be organized if the urban high school subsidy were substantially reduced or eliminated.
