New independent foundation to control secondary schools of Philadelphia archdiocese
August 22, 2012
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is handing off control of 17 archdiocesan high schools to an independent foundation, embarking on a new approach to the administration and financing of Catholic schools.
The Faith in the Future Foundation will seek to raise $100 million over the next 5 years to support the high schools, as well as 4 special-education institutions. The foundation will be chaired by H. Edward Hanway, the former chief executive of the CIGNA corporation. Hanway was a member of a blue-ribbon committee that studied archdiocesan operations and recommended the creation of the educational foundation.
The primary schools in the Philadelphia archdiocese will remain under the control of parishes, supervised by the archdiocesan office of education.
The new foundation will assume control of the secondary schools on September 1. Archbishop Charles Chaput said that the new arrangement marked “a historic day for Catholic education in the United States.”
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Further information:
- Archdiocese hands over school management to independent (Philadelphia Inquirer)
- Archdiocese of Philadelphia Unveils New Model for Education (National Catholic Register)
- Philly archdiocese asks foundation to manage 17 Catholic high schools through unique agreement (AP)
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Posted by: unum -
Aug. 23, 2012 7:06 AM ET USA
I am a Chaput fan and admire his willingness to make hard decisions to clean up the mess he inherited in Philadelphia. But, I wonder what the Catholic education in Philadelphia tells us about the health of Catholic education in the U.S. I have obeserved Catholic high schools being converted to exclusive private schools. I see tuition costs that are out of the reach of average Catholic kids because Catholics don't support education, and families who won't grovel to get "tuition assistance".
