ERIC Number: EJ1308832
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2164-0246
EISSN: N/A
Declining Enrollment in Catholic Schools in the West and Insights from the United States
Wodon, Quentin
Journal of Catholic Education, v24 n1 Article 18 p285-299 Spr 2021
While enrollment in Catholic schools is rising in the global south, it is declining in many Western countries. Providing a quality and holistic education experience remains essential in both developed and developing countries, especially for disadvantaged groups. But in addition, in developed countries, trade-offs may have to be confronted to stem the decline in enrollment that affects the financial sustainability of schools. Building on a presentation made at the closing plenary of OIEC's World Congress in New York, this paper focuses on the United States where enrollment in Catholic schools has been dropping for more than 50 years. In the absence of state support for Catholic schools and in a context of rising operating costs and therefore tuition, the decline in enrollment is due in part to a lack of affordability of schools given high out-of-pocket costs paid by parents. But other factors related to perceptions about Catholic schools also play a role. To stem the decline in enrollment, market research can help, including to assess how favorably Catholic and other types of schools are perceived in the population. The paper relies on data collected for the National Catholic Education Association to compare favorability ratings by type of schools and assess factors associated with these perceptions.
Descriptors: Declining Enrollment, Catholic Schools, Costs, Enrollment Trends, Educational Quality, Sustainability, Educational Finance, State Aid, Public Opinion, National Organizations, Institutional Characteristics, Comparative Analysis, Educational Attitudes, Correlation, Decision Making, Gender Differences, Age Groups, Family Income, Race, Political Attitudes, Place of Residence, Educational Attainment, Religion, Surveys, Attendance, Religious Factors
Loyola Marymount University. School of Education 1 LMU Drive, University Hall Suite 1760, Los Angles, CA 90045. e-mail: catholicedjournal@lmu.edu; Web site: http://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/ce
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A