K-12 Catholic Education

Catholic schools have been a beacon of light to this nation, from their earliest days that preceded the nation’s founding by more than 150 years.

• Understand that education is a formative process, centered on Jesus Christ the Teacher, and ordered to the cultivation of wisdom and virtue, which leads to human flourishing.
• Proclaim that truth, goodness, and beauty form the soul, are worthy in their own right, and are meant for everyone.
• Embrace the Church’s understanding of the inherent dignity of the human person, recognizing that all are made in God’s image and all share a common destiny with Him.
• Recognize that parents are the primary educators of their children, and seek to form a partnership that best serves the needs of children and families.
• Foster communion and community, echoing the Gospel call to gather all nations in Christ, and thus are animated by a sense of compassionate service to all.
• Provide a ladder to the poor, the immigrant, and the marginalized, in accord with a centuries-old tradition of lifting many from poverty to a more prosperous life. The poorer and more at-risk a student is, the greater the relative achievement gains in Catholic schools. A black or Latino child is 42% more likely to graduate from high school and two-and-a-half times more likely to graduate from college if he or she attends a Catholic school.
• Recognize that academic excellence is the birthright of children and seek to provide a rich and challenging education to all students.

Catholic School Data Reference Materials

Church Documents on Christian Education

• The Identity of the Catholic School for a Culture of Dialogue - Congregation for Catholic Education, 2022
• Gravissimum Educationis - Pope Paul VI, 1965
• Divini Illius Magistri - Pope Pius XI, 1929
• The Catholic School - The Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, 1977
• "In Support of Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools" - USCC, 1990
• "Renewing Our Commitment to Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools in the Third Millennium" - USCCB, 2005
• The Holy See’s Teaching on Catholic Schools -The Catholic University of America, 2005
• Congregation on Catholic Education Website
• Global Compact on Education Website

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About USCCB

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB’s) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy.