DOCUMENT RESUME ED 380 871 EA 0'.6 578 Kealey, Robert J. :UTHOR Balance Sheet for Catholic Elementary Schools: 1993 TITLE Income and Expenses. National Catholic Educational Association, INSTITUTION Washington, D.C. ISBN-1-55833-137-9 REPORT NO PUB DATE 94 NOTE 55p. AVAILABLE FROM National Catholic Educational Association, 1077 30th Street, N.W., Suite 100, Washington, DC 20007-6232. Reports Research/Technical (143) PUB TYPE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE *Catholic Schools; *Educational Finance; Elementary DESCRIPTORS Education; Expenditure per Student; Financial Support; *Private Financial Support; School Statistics; *Student Costs; Student Financial Aid; Teacher Salaries; *Tuition ABSTRACT This document provides findings of a National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) survey of Catholic elementary school finances for the school year 1992-93. The survey of 1,028 Catholic elementary schools (out of a total of 7,174) elicited returns from 619 schools, a 60 percent response rate. The sample represents almost 9 percent of all Catholic elementary schools in the United States. The survey gathered information on average administrator and personnel salaries, amount per student spent on instructional materials, the average tuition for various programs, tuition assistance, and average per-pupil cost. Findings indicate that the largest burden of Lducating the students was borne by children's parents through their tuition payments. The parish community provided additional support. The average tuition charged for the first child of a family in the parish was $1,152. Eighty-eight percent of the schools had a tuition scale for families with nsre than one child attending the school. Seventy-five percent of the schools had some form of tuition assistance. Ninety percent of the schools received a parish subsidy, and 37 percent had an endowment program. The average per-pupil cost was $2,044. Twenty-eight exhibits are included. Appendices contain a copy of the survey and followup letter and a list of responding schools. (LMI) **************************x******************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********"*********************************************************** ,,95 -,1107C,1111111.- sokag_isia. Abu. I I I I A I I 11 1 I " 11 U 5 DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Thia document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization triginating II 0 Mt, nr changes have been made to improve reproduction Quality Points of view or opinions stated in this doctr ment do not necessarily represent official OERI wanton or policy "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) . 4 BALANCE SHEET FOR CATHOLIC ELEMENTA SCHOOLS: 1993 Income and Expenses Robert J. Kea ley, Ed. D. Executive Director Department of Elementary Schools National Catholic Educational Association 3 AMNIA ANN Copyright © 1994 by the National Catholic Educational Association, Washington, DC. All rights reserved, includir ,) the right of reproducing in whole or part in any form. Published in the United States of America by the National Catholic Educational Association. ISBN # 1-55833-137-9 TABLE OF CONTEATS Page LIST OF EXHIBITS HIGHLIGHTS vi INTRODUCTION vii CHAPTER 1 - METHODOLOGY 1 CONTEXT 1 QUESTIONNAIRE 1 Development of Questionnaire 1 Distribution of Questionnaire 2 SAMPLE 2 Participating Schools 2 School sponsorship 3 Location of schools 3 Geographic regions of the country 4 Size of school enrollment 4 Chapter I Services 5 Family Income 5 REFERENCES 6 CHAPTER 2 - INCOME 7 TUITION 7 Tuition for Catholic Children in the Parish 7 Average Tuition and Fees Received 9 Tuition Assistance 10 Tuition for Non-parish Students 10 Tuition for Catholic students from other parishes 10 Tuition for non-Catholic studer: 10 PARISH SUBSIDY 12 Schools that Received a Subsidy 12 FUND-RAISIt 13 ENDOWMENT FUNDS 14 SUMMARY OF SCHOOL INCOME 15 REFERENCES 15 CHAPTER 3 - EXPENSES 17 PER-PUPIL COST 17 SALARIES - ADMINISTRATION 18 Principals 18 Members of religious communities 18 Laywomen and laymen 19 Assistant Principals 19 5 Balance Sheet for Catholic Elementary Schools: 1993 Income and Expenses iii 20 SALARIES - INSTRUCTION 20 Teachers 20 Average salary 21 Beginning teachers' salaries 22 Highest teachers' salaries 22 Members of religious communities 22 Part-time teachers 23 Substitute teachers 23 SALARIES - OTHER PERSONNEL 23 Secretaries 23 Development Directors 23 BENEFITS 24 INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS 24 REFERENCES 25 CHAPTER 4 - SPECIAL ISSUES 25 PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS 26 KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS 28 EXTENDED-DAY PROGRAMS 29 DAY-CARE PROGRAMS REFERENCES APPENDICES A SURVEY OF CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FINANCES, 33 1992-1993 SCHOOL YEAR 41 B FOLLOW-UP LETTER TO SCHOOLS NOT RESPONDING TO ORIGINAL REQUEST C SCHOOLS THAT RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY OF CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY 43 SCHOOL FINANCES, 1992-1993 SCHOOL YEAR 6 las. Balance Sheet for Catholic Elemer4lry Schools: 1993 Income and Expenses iv LIST OF EXHIBITS Exhibit No. Page Percentages of Responding Schools and of All Schools by Sponsorship 1 3 Percentages of Responding Schools and of All Schools by Location 2 3 Percentages of Responding Schools and of All Schools by Region 3 4 Percentage of Schools by Enrollment Size 4 4 Percentage of Schools with Students Eligible for Chapter I Assistance and Percentage of 5 Those Schools with Students Who Received Assistance by Location, Sponsorship, and Enrollment Size 5 Percentage of Families in Set Income Brackets 6 5 Average Tuition by Region 7 8 Average Tuition by School Location 8 8 Average Tuition by Enrollment Size 9 8 Average Tuition by Sponsorship 10 9 Average Tuition and Fees School Received by Region, Location, and Enrollment Size 11 9 Percentage of Schools that Offered Tuition Assistance by Region, Location, and 12 Enrollment Size 10 Comparison of Special-tuition Scale Averages for Catholic Non-parishioners and Non- 13 Catholic Students by Region, Location, and Enrollment Size 11 Percentage of Schools that Received a Parish Subsidy by Enrollment Size 14 12 Percentage Schools that Received a Parish Subsidy by Region 15 12 Percentage of Schools that Held Various Types of Fund-raising Activities 16 13 17 Percentage of Schools with Endowment Funds and Average Percentage of Total Revenue Received from Endowment Funds by Location, Sponsorship, and Enrollment Size 14 Average Percentages of School Revenue from Various Sources 18 15 Averages of Per-pupil Cost, Per-pupil Tuition and Fees Received, and Percentage of Per- 19 pupil Cost Covered by Tuition and Fees Received by Region, Location, Sponsorship, and Enrollment Size 18 20 Percentages of Lay Principals in Set Salary Ranges and Average Salary of Lay Principals 19 Percentage of Schools with Assistant Principals and Percentage of Those Schools with 21 Full-time Assistant Principals by Location and Enrollment Size 19 Percentages of Lay Teachers in Set Salary Ranges 22 20 Average Salaries of Teachers by Region, Location, Sponsorship, and Enrollment Size 23 21 24 Percentages of School Spending on Instructional Materials by Set Amounts 24 25 Percentage of Schools with Prekindergarten Programs by Region, Location, Sponsorship, and Enrollment Size 25 Average Tuition in Full-day, Five-day-week Prekindergarten Programs by Region, 26 Location, Sponsorship, and Enrollment Size 26 27 Percentage of Schools with Full-day Kindergarten Programs and Their Average Tuition by Region, Location, Sponsorship, and Enrollment Size 27 28 Percentage of Schools with Extended-day Programs by Region, Location, Sponsorship, and Enrollment Size 28 7 Balance Sheet for Catholic Elementary Schools: 1993 Income and Expenses I IA Catholic elementary The information presented in this study is based upon a random sample of This sample represents 8.63% of all the Catholic elementary schools from across the United States. schools. The data reported are based on the 1992-93 school year. The average tuition charged for the first child of a family in the parish was $1,152. child Eighty-eight percent of the schools had a tuition scale for families with more than one attending the school. Seventy-five percent of the schools had some form of tuition assistance. for non- Seventy-six percent of the schools had a tuition scale for children from another parish and Catholic children. Ninety percent of the schools received a parish subsidy. Thirty-seven percent of the schools had an endowment program. The average per-pupil cost was $2,044. Fifty-four percent of the per-pupil cost was covered by payments received for the tuition and fees charged. The average salary for lay principals was $32,160. The average salary for a beginning teacher with a bachelor's degree was $15,676.' The average salary for all teachers with bachelor's degrees and higher was $19,132. The average amount spent per student on instructional materials was $553. Fort -three percent of the schools had a prekindergarten program. The average tuition for full-day prekindergarten programs was $1,615. Ninety-one percent of the schools had a kindergarten program. The average tuition for full-day kindergarten programs was $1,344. Forty-nine percent of the schools had an extended-day program. 8 Balance Sheet for Catholic Elementary Schools: 1993 Income and Expenses vi INTRODUCTION Since the 1969-70 school year, the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) has pub- lished statistical reports on Catholic elementary and secondary schools in the United States. Extensive data on these schools and other private schools did not exist prior to that time. This information was needed to understand this significant sector of the American educational enterprise, to provide a basis for informed discussion regarding potential forms of federal and state assistance to the students attend- ing these schools, and to encourage improved local management. The more recent practice of NCEA has been to issue financial reports every year; however, in fiscal years ending in an odd number the report focused on elementary schools and in fiscal years ending in an even number the report focused on secondary schools. In 1989, the NCEA Department of Elementary Schools Executive Committee requested more detailed information on the finances of Catholic elementary schools. This report, therefore, includes national data on tuition; parish subsidy; salaries of principals, teachers, and other support personnel; benefits; finances related to preschool programs; and school efforts regarding development. The infor- mation is also published according to the location of the school (inner city, urban, suburban, or rural), the geographic area of the country, the size of student enrollment, and the sponsorship of the school (parish, interparochial, diocesan, or private). The Department of Elementary Schools Executive Committee believes that by making known such extensive information, decision-makers on the diocesan and school levels will be better informed. This information will assisi them to evaluate their own financial situation and to plan for the future. The executive committee also believes that by making public such information, those who seek to assist Catholic elementary schools will have a clearer picture of the financial contribution that Catholic school parents make to the total education of their children and the financial contribution that tens of thousands of Catholic elementary school educators make to the good of American society. The quality of Catholic education has been documented in many research studies. More recent'y, the comparison of Catholic school eighth grade students with eighth grade students in government- controlled schools has demonstrated the superior performance of Catholic school students (Sebring & Camburn, 1992). This superior performance is especially noteworthy when the success of the students from both systems is compared with the per-pupil cost for students in both systems. Someone who is unfamiliar with Catholic education may wonder why hundreds of thousands of parents are willing to pay high tuitions for the education of their children in Catholic elementary schools. Numerous studies show that parents place their children in Catholic schools for three reasons. Parents recognize the superior academic achievement of Catholic school students over students in government-owned schools; this is especially true in the inner cities of the United States. Parents see in Catholic schools secure and disciplined learning environments which nurture children. Finally, parents acknowledge that children must be exposed to a total education, which includes growth in religious awareness and a critical evaluation of the world in light of basic moral principles. Someone who is unfamiliar with Catholic education may also wonder why tens of thousands of Catholic elementary school teachers are willing to teach in these schools for salaries substantially below those generally earned by teachers in government-sponsored schools. While no current attitudinal study of Catholic school teachers can so neatly explain their presence in Catholic schools, a plethora of anecdotal information suggests their reasons parallel parental priorities. Catholic school teachers rec- ognize that they share in the teaching ministry of Jesus. They value providing a total education to students. Teachers model for the students and the students model for the teachers the meaning of Jesus' message in today's world. Teachers treasure being with their students in the joint pursuit of the truth, even when the truth is elusive and ultimately causes them t9 o alter their ideas and behaviors. Although Balance Sheet for Catholic Elementary Schools: 1993 Income and Expenses vii Catholic the salaries of Catholic school teachers are not as competitive compared to other educators, education offers added dividends that these educators prize. of Tara The NCEA Department of Elementary Schools acknowledges with gratitude the work the com- McCallum, who organized the production and distribution of the questionnaire, entered into and oversaw the puter system all the information from the over 600 schools, edited this manuscript, Alfred production of this publication. The Department of Elementary Schools gratefully acknowledges and Linda Brown of Ministry of Systems Development, Washington, DC, who designed the computer readable tables to create this report. program to analyze the data and provided the author with Finally, the Department must acknowledge the contribution made by over 600 responding schools. The principals of these schools and those others who assisted in completing the questionnaire gave generously of their time. Their willingness to share their information enables all to have a clearer picture of the finances of Catholic elementary schools. Without their willing support, this major advance in understanding Catholic elementary schools would not be possible. The information presented here is factual; the author leaves to the reader the interpretation. The author would be remiss in his duty, however, if he did not remind the reader to reflect on the data in light of the social teachings of the Catholic Church, the pastorals of the American bishops, the obligation of the entire Catholic community to assist in passing on the faith to the next generation, and the obligation of all Americans to insure a literate citizenry. The Department of Elementary Schools Executive Committee trusts that those who read this Catholic report, no matter what their association to Catholic education, will be motivated to action. elementary schools provide a public service by educating students to become leaders in America and b: instilling in these students the values of perseverance in their search for the truth, justice in their relationships with others, honesty in all matters, concern for those who are less favored, and the courage this; effective to stand by their convictions. Everyone who reads this report has an obligation to see that system of education expands. Robert J. Kea ley, Ed.D. Executive Director Department of Elementary Schools Feast of St. John the Baptist, 1994 10 Balance Sheet for Catholic Elementary Schools: 1993 Income and Expenses viii