Here are 5 common reasons why parents choose a Catholic school education for their children. 

1. Parents believe that their child’s teachers should serve as moral role models. The CARA Institute at Georgetown University confirmed that “strong moral values” is the top reason parents choose to send their child to a Catholic school. Many of the parents who choose a Catholic school education want their child’s education at school to be an extension of what they are being taught at home. They are looking for influences on their child that mirror their religious beliefs and moral choices.

2. Daily exposure to the Catholic faith is important to developing a strong religious foundation.  Daily lessons in the Catholic faith create a strong foundation for children. Graduates of Catholic high schools are statistically more likely to continue church involvement as an adult. According to Our Greatest and Best Inheritance: Catholic Schools and Parental Choice (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) “Catholic school students are more likely to pray daily, attend church more often, retain a Catholic identify as an adult and donate more to the Church.”

3. A church parish and school create a community for the family. Families who have children in a parish school have an easier time of developing a sense of community with their fellow parishioners. Opportunities for fellowship, friendship, and service are available for families and create a warm and welcoming community. For those who don’t have other family in the area, this can be especially important and their church and school become an important hub.

4. A Catholic education is a relatively affordable private school education. Private school tuition can be expensive, but many Catholic schools and dioceses offer generous tuition-assistance programs for parish families who need help. 

5. Catholic schools offer a high-quality education. According to The National Catholic Educational Association ninety-nine percent (99%) of Catholic secondary school students graduate and eighty-eight percent (88%) go on to college.  In general, on national and standardized tests, Catholic schools consistently outperform public and other private schools by as much as 20 percentage points.