On a national level, initiatives by the National Catholic Educational Association and the United States Catholic Conference have helped teachers and school leaders to create an environment that promotes the Catholic identity of schools, regardless of their make-up. This identity is fostered by the entire school community and supported by the extended community of the parish, parents and alumni. One reason behind the academic success of Catholic schools is their strong faith communities. High School and Beyond, a study by the U.S. Department of Education, suggests that schools with strong identities tend to be better schools. Teachers are more committed and more satisfied.
Parents are more involved, and the schools draw upon a wide circle of community support.
One research topic for our team of experts is a solid definition of Catholic identity. Certainly, Catholic identity goes beyond uniforms and a cross outside the building. It is born and nurtured of a philosophy that speaks to educating the whole person, both mind and spirit, with Gospel-based values. That's one question we hope to answer in our 30-month project, as we cross the country to gather opinions from Catholic school leaders. The Rev. Carl Pieber, C.M., director of diocesan relations at Catholic University, and I are surveying bishops and priests to determine how they view Catholic identity and how they feel about the future of Catholic schools.