Choosing the right school is often one of the most important decisions a parent will make. It affects a child’s academics, community, relationships, and guiding principles.
Many parents choose to send their children to catholic school for many different reasons. They believe that a catholic education will help students succeed both in academics and in life more broadly.
Academics
Catholic schools offer a curriculum of academics that focus on developing students intellectually, socially, and morally. These values are reflected in a variety of subjects, from math to science to English.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Catholic school students in grades 4 and 8 outperform public school peers on advanced assessment tests. In fact, every year for the past two decades, eighth-graders from Catholic schools outscore their public school counterparts in mathematics by a full 13 points and reading by 20 points.
These scores show that a Catholic education is a successful investment for parents who want their children to succeed. They also show that a Catholic school education is more effective for minority students than public schools.
Religion
If your child is in a catholic school, you can be confident they will receive an education that will benefit them academically and spiritually. They will be provided with a strong moral base that will instill values such as personal responsibility, compassion and teamwork.
Catholic schools teach religion in addition to the core curriculum. This helps students become better citizens of the world.
The religious aspects of Catholic schools are different than those offered by public schools. While public schools do not teach religion, students will learn about morals and the difference between right and wrong.
Parents often choose to send their children to a religiously-based school because they want their children to grow up with a strong moral center. The right school will instill those values, as well as help them build a strong social network.
Community
Choosing where your children will go to school can have a tremendous impact on how they grow as people. It can affect the values they learn and the way they treat others.
Catholic schools offer a strong and wholesome community that can help your child develop into a well-rounded person. They teach students to work together, to take responsibility for their actions and to be compassionate towards others.
In addition, students are able to participate in community service as part of their daily schedules. This helps to build character and prepares them for life outside of school.
Catholic schools also tend to have smaller classes than public school. This allows teachers to get to know their students individually and helps them to quickly figure out who is struggling or needs extra help. This can lead to more effective and caring instruction for students that may not do as well in larger classes.
College Preparation
One of the most important decisions a parent makes is deciding on which school to send their child to. There are many factors that influence this choice, including academics, community, relationships, and guiding principles.
A quality education, both academic and spiritual, will prepare your child for a life of happiness and success. Catholic schools provide a rich curriculum that focuses on preparing students for college and careers.
The class size in private schools tends to be smaller, and teachers get to know their students by name. This allows them to better assist those who have specific learning needs or may be shy.
Educators say that smaller classes help students attain more attention and learn quickly. They also tend to do better on standardized tests.
A recent study found that 62 percent of students who attended Catholic schools graduated from a four-year college within eight years. This is twice as good as the average rate for public high schools.