A study examined the current legitimacy crisis that faces America's educational system and the efforts of one group, Catholic schools, in addressing this crisis. A legitimation model for educational institutions was developed based on the values society calls for in education, and this model was then applied to Catholic schools to see how their current efforts to legitimate themselves match what society deems important. To assess the data collected, various types of public relations materials (annual reports, recruiting materials, newsletters, etc.) from randomly selected Catholic schools (mostly in Illinois, including the Archdiocese of Chicago) were evaluated. Application of the model indicates that Catholic schools effectively address the dimensions of performance, retention, order, and moral standards in their public relations materials. However, the audience that these materials reach, and therefore the audience that the schools seek legitimacy with, is very narrow in scope. If there is an interest by the Catholic Church in a broader audience, a more in-depth and encompassing public relations campaign needs to be undertaken. Findings also support the idea that any organization which attempts to legitimate itself (as the Catholic Church has done in education) must seek relevant information from its publics concerning the values important to persons within that society. These values are the key link to an effective public relations campaign, establishing common ground between the organization and its publics. (Contains 66 references.) (NKA)