A first-of-its-kind document sets national standards and benchmarks for Catholic elementary and secondary schools in the United States. The document, which was released in March, provides a shared vision for the more than 7,000 Catholic schools.
The National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools is a collaborative effort between the Center for Catholic School Effectiveness (CCSE), housed within Loyola University Chicago’s School of Education, the Roche Center for Catholic Education, housed within the Lynch School of Education at Boston College, and the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA).
The initiative provides national defining characteristics, performance standards, and benchmarks that will enable all sponsors of Catholic elementary and secondary schools to assess, strengthen, and sustain their operations. The document will ultimately help determine how well a school is fulfilling its obligation to those who benefit from its services, as well as to donors and contributors, the Catholic Church, and the local community.
Work on this document began in fall 2009 and ultimately included feedback from experts, leaders in Catholic education and other stakeholders. Brother William Carriere, FSC, Ph.D. of the San Francisco District and Executive Director of the Western Catholic Educational Association was a member of the nine-person project task force.
To view the standards and benchmarks in their entirety, please visit www.catholicschoolstandards.org.