Education Commons^™

Providing Specialized Preparation For Counselors In Catholic Schools, Timothy J. Cook, Jan Powers, Jiwon Kim

Journal of Catholic Education Pre-Prints

School counselors are needed now more than ever. Providing Catholic school counselors the specialized formation they need to be effective in the Catholic school context is essential. This study addressed two research questions in this regard: (1) What competencies (e.g., understanding, incorporating) and topics do Catholic school principals and school counselors believe are important for school counselors to fully contribute to the educational and faith-based mission of Catholic schools; and (2) How might the research findings inform pre-service education and/or continuing education and formation of school counselors for the Catholic school context? Online surveys were developed using the “Defining Characteristics …

Data At The Diocesan Level: Common Data Practices And Challenges Among U.S. Catholic School Superintendents, Julie W. Dallavis

Journal of Catholic Education

Accountability pressures in education have risen steadily over the last two decades and public schools and districts now track school- and student-level data in response to state and federal mandates. Catholic schools and dioceses have not faced the same level of regulation over this period, and less is known about data access and use in the Catholic sector. This descriptive and exploratory research draws on survey and interview data from a national sample of Catholic school superintendents to examine data practices in diocesan central offices as well as barriers faced in the use of data. Findings suggest that although considerable …

Becoming A Stem-Focused Catholic School: Insights Into Adopting A Curricular Specialization, Julie W. Dallavis

Journal of Catholic Education

School choice policies seek to increase access to educational opportunities and stimulate innovations in schooling. This study examines the early stages of one such innovation—school-wide curricular specialization—in three Catholic elementary schools adopting a STEM focus and uses interviews to consider how and why different levels of support exist for the shift and under what conditions private and religious schools are prepared to make significant changes in instructional practice. Findings suggest that school resources—material, human, and social along with professional development—play an important role in shaping engagement in the adoption of a school-wide curricular focus.

The School To Family Pipeline: What Do Religious, Private, And Public Schooling Have To Do With Family Formation?, Patrick J. Wolf, Albert Cheng, Wendy Wang, W. Bradford Wilcox

Journal of Catholic Education

Private religious schools are widely seen as value-laden communities that mold the character of their students. Thus, we expect adults who attended religious schools as children to demonstrate more favorable family outcomes related to stable marriages and childbearing. We further expect Protestant schooling to have a more powerful effect on marital outcomes than Catholic schooling, given the heavier focus of Protestantism on marriage. Finally, we expect stronger positive associations between religious schooling and marital outcomes for adults who grew up in difficult circumstances compared to adults who grew up in advantaged circumstances. We test these hypotheses using survey data from …

Heterogeneity In Parental Priorities For What Children Should Learn In Schools And Potential Implications For The Future Of Catholic Schools, Quentin Wodon

Journal of Catholic Education

Do parental priorities for what children should learn in school differ depending on the type of school chosen by parents? Does this, in turn, have potential implications for the future of Catholic schools in the United States? This article considers these questions in the context of the long-term decline in enrollment in U.S. Catholic schools. Specifically, the article considers three questions: 1) What are the priorities of parents for what their children should learn in school in the overall population? 2) Do these priorities differ between different groups of parents, including parents with children in Catholic schools and parents willing …

Cultivating Talent: Insights From The 2022 National Study Examining Pathways To Increase The Presence Of Hispanic Teachers And Leaders In Catholic Schools, Hosffman Ospino, Melodie Wyttenbach

Journal of Catholic Education

This article draws extensively on data from Cultivating Talent: A National Study Examining Pathways to Increase the Presence of Hispanic Teachers and Leaders in Catholic Schools, conducted by Boston College researchers and released in January 2022. The report looks to understand and appreciate the various ways in which Hispanics educators are transforming the American Catholic school experience. Our findings clearly show that Catholic schools in the United States are and will be further enriched by the presence and contributions of Hispanic teachers and leaders. The report encourages stakeholders of Catholic education and pastoral leaders at all levels, across the nation, …

Strengthening And Sustaining Dual Language Education In Catholic Schools, Laura Hamman-Ortiz, Katy Lichon, Clare Roach, Patricia Salazar Harty

Journal of Catholic Education

The purpose of this article is two-fold. First, we seek to make a case for the promise of dual language programs to enhance Catholic schooling and enrich educational opportunities for Latinx students. Second, we offer insights into the current landscape of Catholic schools with dual language programs, drawing upon data from a national survey conducted by University of Notre Dame researchers in 2020. Through our presentation of the findings, we consider characteristics of current program models and identify areas of success, challenges, and opportunities for future growth. We conclude with a discussion of the possibilities for strengthening and sustaining dual …

Catholic Theological And Equity Framework To Champion Hispanic Representation In Catholic Schools, Jorge Pena, John Reyes, Michael T. O'Connor

Journal of Catholic Education

How do Catholic schools create inclusive, equitable environments that embrace the identities of their students, including their race, ethnicity, and culture? What does Catholic theological spirituality say about diversity, equity, and inclusion to address racism? What is the connection between Catholic theological spirituality and equitable school practices to bring about equity in Catholic schools? In response to increased diversity of students, educators, communities, and societal challenges, there is a need for a framework for Catholic schools with a culturally diverse student body, or with a student body and staff with different cultures. We synthesize Catholic theological spirituality and research about …

Immigrant Catholic School Educators: Working Across Cultures, Opportunities And Perspectives, Melodie Wyttenbach, Anne Marie Funk, Marissa Browne

Journal of Catholic Education

While the majority of our Catholic schools in the United States today are far from their roots as schools run by immigrants for immigrants, the stories of immigrant teachers in our Catholic schools remain. With the majority of immigrants coming to the United States today from Mexico and Latin America, the Hispanic educators in our Catholic schools are highly diverse. A striking finding from the “Cultivating Talent” report is that nearly 40% of Hispanic teachers and 27% of Hispanic leaders in Catholic schools are immigrants, proceeding from nearly every Spanish- speaking nation, mirroring the backgrounds of students and families in …

Achievement Growth In K-8 Catholic Schools Using Nwea Data, Julie W. Dallavis, Megan Kuhfeld, Beth Tarasawa, Stephen Ponisciak

Journal of Catholic Education

Using a national sample of kindergarten to eighth grade students from Catholic and public schools who took MAP Growth assessments, we examine achievement growth over time between sectors. Our findings suggest that while Catholic school students score higher in math and reading than public school students on average, they also enter each school year at a higher level. Public school students close this gap to some degree during the school year. Additionally, these patterns varied by age and subject. Catholic school students in the earlier grades show less growth in both reading and math during the academic year compared to …

Preparing Priests To Lead Parish Schools: Concerns And Recommendations, Thomas A. Simonds S.J., Timothy Cook, Max Engel, Ronald D. Fussell, Jean Hearn, Jerry Meyer

Journal of Catholic Education

Canon law recognizes the pastor as the chief educational officer (CEO) of the parish school. However, recent studies demonstrate that seminaries do not prepare seminarians for work in or leadership of Catholic schools, and recent scholarship also demonstrates that an increasing number of seminarians lack the desire to lead a parish school. Our research study examined the post-seminary preparation of priests for leadership of parish schools. We also explored alternative governance models for Catholic schools. We conducted structured interviews with 10 national leaders to explore these two areas of interest. Our findings demonstrate that preparation of newly ordained …

A Framework For All: Building Capacity For Service Delivery In Catholic Schools, Michael Faggella-Luby, Christie Bonfiglio

Journal of Catholic Education

The challenge to include students with disabilities in Catholic schools requires a comprehensive system of service delivery to meet student need and avoid pathologizing individuals as problems. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), a framework for organizing resources, delivering services, and measuring success that directly addresses the mission of Catholic Schools to truly serve all students. MTSS is a research-based and systematic service delivery model that provides tiered supports based on individual learner need. MTSS is defined and contextualized to address both academic and behavioral supports for all students. A …

Why Inclusion Isn’T Coming, It Is Already Here: Catholic Schools And Inclusive Special Education, Michael N. Faggella-Luby, Max Engel

Journal of Catholic Education

Catholic school personnel are increasingly recognizing that many of their students, including students with disabilities, need and benefit from inclusive educational practices. These oftentimes ad hoc practices are motivated by the Catholic identity and mission of the school, as well as the diverse educational needs of students. This article responds to these recognized realities, arguing that Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and the practical reality of academically diverse students requires understanding disability as being unique to each student, though within categories recognized in the Individuals With Disabilities Act (IDEA) that serve as starting points for interventions. CST and the recognition of …

Inclusion In Catholic Schools: From Inception To Implementation, Christine Bonfiglio, Karen Kroh

Journal of Catholic Education

Inclusion of students with diverse learning needs, including those with disabilities, in Catholic schools is becoming more prevalent. Despite a long history of the call to serve all learners, Catholic schools have been slow to welcome students who are academically and behaviorally diverse. Meeting the needs of all learners requires understanding the concept of inclusion, removing barriers, and implementing inclusive educational practices. This article defines inclusion and its prevalence in Catholic schools in comparison to national trends in the public domain. Identified barriers to successful inclusive education are identified and described. Additionally, effective practices are outlined and illustrated using a …

To Act With Justice And Love Tenderly: Exploring The Church’S Call For Inclusion, Michael J. Boyle

Journal of Catholic Education

This paper explores some of the documents that provide a foundation for the Church and its ministries to deliver justice and mercy to all, including students with disabilities. First, Catholic Social Teaching (CST) traditions will be presented as the foundation to some of the documents of the American Church. A chronology of the documents of United States bishops will trace the flow of CST as the impetus for designing and delivering programs for students with disabilities in Catholic schools. Implications for Catholic schools are outlined for next steps for implementation.

Phenomenal Women: Experiences Of Women In Executive Catholic Educational Leadership In The United States, Fatima Ann Samson Nicdao

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Though women are overrepresented in education as classroom teachers, they continue to be underrepresented in decision-making leadership positions in education administration (Bynum, 2016; Coleman, 2003; Fuller, 2013; Grogan & Shakeshaft, 2011; Moorosi, 2018; Robinson et al., 2017; Torrance et al., 2017). The cause of the low representation of women in decision making has been attributed to a wide range of reasons spanning from ingrained patriarchal mindsets, societal biases, lack of professional networks, misconceptions of women in leadership, and the lack of leadership opportunities.

Other causes of gender inequality in educational leadership are linked to a lack of a systematic mentorship …

More Schools, Larger Schools, Or Both? Patterns Of Enrollment Growth In K12 Catholic Schools Globally, Quentin Wodon

Journal of Catholic Education

After the governments of China and India, the Catholic Church is probably the third largest provider of K12 education in the world. How has growth in enrollment in K12 Catholic schools varied across countries over the last two decades? Which countries have accounted for most of the growth at the regional and global level? What has been the role of the number of schools and the size of schools in enrollment growth, or in the decline observed in some countries? Given trends towards higher enrollment in the developing world due to population growth and higher educational attainment, has enrollment growth …

Book Review: Mentoring With Meaning: How Educators Can Be More Professional And Effective, Tracey Lamont

Journal of Catholic Education

No abstract

Homophobia In Catholic Schools: An Exploration Of Teachers’ Rights And Experiences In Canada And Australia, Tonya D. Callaghan, Lisa Van Leent

Journal of Catholic Education

Little is known about the experiences of non-heterosexual educators in Catholic schools. This international comparative analysis reveals previously unreported data from Australian and Canadian qualitative studies that examine the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) teachers, and LGBTI Allies from Australia and Canada who are currently teaching or have taught in Catholic schools. Bringing their work together for the first time, the two lead researchers compare their investigations and reveal disheartening similarities with religiously inspired homophobia despite differing legal and policy contexts of the two countries. These two studies reveal that LGBTI teachers, and LGBTI Allies, rely …

School Choice Vouchers And Special Education In Indiana Catholic Diocesan Schools, William H. Blackwell, June M. Robinson

Journal of Catholic Education

Catholic schools are now located at a crossroads of school choice voucher programs and special education services. With enrollment in Catholic schools declining over the past several decades, voucher programs that allow parents to use public funds for tuition at private schools – including tuition for students with disabilities – could possibly help to steady or even reverse this decline. This study examined the impact of Indiana’s statewide voucher program on Catholic schools, student enrollment, and special education services in three large diocesan school systems. The findings address issues related to enrollment growth, changing student population characteristics, special education services, …

Preparing Priests To Work With Catholic Schools: A Content Analysis Of Seminary Curricula, Michael J. Boyle, Anthony Dosen, Cm

Journal of Catholic Education

This documentary study of academic programs at Catholic Seminaries and Theology Schools through the United States sought to answer the question: “What types of preparation does the seminary curriculum provide to new pastors about their role in the parish’s Catholic School?” Results of program syllabi review show a dearth of preparation given to this aspect of this parochial ministry. Recommendations for further investigation are offered.

El presente estudio documental de programas académicos en seminarios católicos y facultades de teología en Estados Unidos busca contestar la pregunta: “¿Qué tipo de preparación ofrece a los nuevos sacerdotes el currículo del seminario en …

What Are Catholic Schools Teaching To Make A Difference? A Literature Review Of Curriculum Studies In Catholic Schools In The U.S. And The U.K. Since 1993, Juan Cristobal Garcia-Huidobro

Journal of Catholic Education

This literature review sketches a landscape of scholarly debates about the curriculum in Catholic primary and secondary schools in the United States and the United Kingdom since 1993. This landscape has three main characteristics. First, scholarly debates about the curriculum in Catholic schools have been few, particularly empirically based discussions. Second, these debates have been led by U.S. scholars with theoretical approaches to the curriculum that tend to ignore the effect of current cultural and economic forces on Catholic schooling through competitiveness and effectiveness criteria. Third, there has been a disconnect between conversations about excellence and innovation, proposed mainly by …

An Investigation Of The Attitudes Of Catholic School Principals Towards The Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities, Michael J. Boyle, Claudia M. Hernandez

Journal of Catholic Education

Catholic school principals typically serve as the prime decision-makers in admission and enrollment issues. A key factor in this decision-making can be the principals’ perceptions and attitudes about servicing students with disabilities within a Catholic school context. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of Catholic school principals toward inclusion of students with disabilities in Catholic schools. Overall, a majority of surveyed principals reported a positive attitude toward including students with disabilities. Some significant relationships were found between principal’s pervious experiences with students with disabilities and the principals’ willingness to enroll students with disabilities. …

Addressing The Needs Of Young Children And Families:Early Childhood Education And Services In Catholic Schools And Catholic Charities, Sandra Barrueco, Shavaun M. Wall, Lynn M. Mayer, Marcela Blinka

Journal of Catholic Education

Nationally, focus is increasing on the developmental experiences of young children (birth to age 8). Twenty four (arch)dioceses in large metropolitan areas participated in a survey identifying the extent and nature of services provided by Catholic schools and Catholic Charities programs to young children and their families. Six hundred and seventy Catholic schools and 100 Catholic Charities programs completed surveys. Key findings suggest that Catholic schools and Catholic Charities programs are engaged in a plethora of early childhood services and educational activities with young children and families. Both entities provide direct education and services to young children, are engaged in …

A Standards-Based Approach To Catholic Principal Preparation: A Case Study, Sandria D. Morten Ed.D., Geralyn A. Lawler

Journal of Catholic Education

Illinois’ recent redesign of the principal certification program requires the integration of the Interstate School Leaders Licensure (ISLLC) standards as well as the Southern Regional Education Board Critical Success Factors standards into the coursework and internship, establishing a focus on preparation for instructional leadership. The alignment to secular standards poses a challenge for Catholic institutes of higher education who seek to prepare aspiring Catholic school principals to be instructional, managerial, and faith leaders (Ciriello, 1994). During their own redesign, Loyola University Chicago utilized the National Standards and Benchmarks of Effective Catholic Schools to create Catholic School Principal Competencies, a list …

The Leadership Challenge: Preparing And Developing Catholic School Principals, Michael J. Boyle, Alicia Haller, Erika Hunt

Journal of Catholic Education

The increasing emphasis on the myriad of leadership preparation standards have caused university principal preparation programs to necessarily focus on the more secular aspect of leading schools. For the Catholic school principal, this has left little focus on the development of critical strategies to lead for Catholic Identity and faith formation. This article suggests using the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools as a framework for Catholic principal preparation programs to address this issues. Additional suggests for program development are also offered.

Keywords

Catholic schools, principal preparation

Les difficultés posées par le leadership : préparation et développement personnel …

Measuring The Contribution Of Roman Catholic Secondary Schools To Students' Religious, Personal And Social Values, Andrew Village, Leslie J. Francis

Journal of Catholic Education

Roman Catholic schools have been part of the state-funded system of education in England and Wales since the 1850s. Currently, Roman Catholic schools provide places for around 10% of students attending state-maintained primary and secondary schools. The present study employed data collected during the 1990s to compare a range of religious, social and personal values among 1,948 year-nine and year-ten students from 10 Catholic schools (between 13 and 15 years of age) with those of 20,348 students from 93 schools without a religious foundation. It builds on earlier analyses of the same database by comparing the effect of school foundation …

Catholic Schools Serving Hispanic Families: Insights From The 2014 National Survey, Hosffman Ospino, Patricia Weitzel-O’Neill

Journal of Catholic Education

This article draws extensively on data from the National Survey of Catholic Schools Serving Hispanic Families, conducted by Boston College researchers in 2014. The report was released on October 2015 under the title Catholic Schools in an Increasingly Hispanic Church. The report seeks to encourage serious conversation and investment on the part of both Catholic education and pastoral leaders at all levels, across the nation, with respect to serving the needs of Hispanic families.

Escuelas católicas sirviendo a familias hispanas: reflexiones de la encuesta nacional de 2014

Este artículo se basa extensamente en datos de la Encuesta nacional de escuelas …

“Does Jesus Want Us To Be Poor?” Student Perspectives Of The Religious Program At A Cristo Rey Network School, Ursula S. Aldana

Journal of Catholic Education

The structure of Catholic schools improves achievement by providing multiple opportunities for face-to-face interaction, the development of meaningful relationships between students, teachers, and other members of the school community, and a shared set of beliefs among all school members (Bryk, Lee, & Holland, 1993). Despite a substantiating body of research for this assertion, few empirical studies exist on how the religious program might impact the intrapersonal and interpersonal development of students. The Cristo Rey Network (CRN) of schools was developed in response to the material realities of students and families living in Chicago (Kearney, 2006). The leaders of the network, …

Difficult Knowledge And The English Classroom: A Catholic Framework Using Cormac Mccarthy's The Road, Scott Jarvie, Kevin Burke

Journal of Catholic Education

In this article, the authors explore the generative possibilities of risk-taking in the Catholic school English classroom. They associate pedagogical risk with what Deborah Britzman (1998) has called “difficult knowledge”—content that causes students to consider social trauma. Incorporating difficult knowledge meaningfully requires English teachers to take significant pedagogical risks, especially in the Catholic school classroom. Drawing on critical theology and Cormac McCarthy’s novel The Road (2006) as a difficult text, the authors employ a case study looking at how the traumatic difficulty of the novel could be fruitfully taught at a Catholic school. How might students reckon with The Road …