School closings: What does all of this mean?

The Archdiocese of Miami explains the school closings with a series of questions answers.

Posted: 01.29.09

Q: Is the Archdiocese of Miami closing schools?

Of the 59 Catholic elementary schools and 13 high schools, six elementary schools are closing at the end of the 2008–2009 school year. This affects 889 students of the 23,184 students currently enrolled in Catholic schools.

Q: Why are these Catholic schools closing?

For more than 15 years the Archdiocese of Miami has subsidized schools with financial difficulties and in the last 10 years, those subsidies have doubled. In the past five years the archdiocese has paid $10 million in subsidies to Catholic schools; this year alone the archdiocese has paid more than $3 million to schools with increasing financial needs and, in some cases, a steady decline in enrollment. Even with the archdiocese’s annual appeal, the Archbishop’s Charities and Development Drive (ABCD), the monies collected are not sufficient to sustain subsidized schools and therefore, money has been borrowed to cover their costs.

Archdiocesan schools receive no government funding, therefore relying solely on tuition, scholarships and donations. A subsidy, not a common expense in a diocese, is monetary assistance provided by the Archdiocese of Miami to assist its schools with financial support.

Q: When were school officials notified about the closing of their schools?

After a two–year review involving several strategic planning meetings between archdiocesan officials and pastors concerning the financial future of these subsidized schools, Archbishop John C. Favalora met with all the priests in November 2008 informing them that due to the global continuing economic crisis along with the decline of the stock market, the Archdiocese of Miami could no longer provide any subsidies to schools.

In addition, as the national and global crisis escalated, the Archdiocese of Miami held meetings with its financial committees and conducted financial reviews, which have resulted in serious budget reductions and layoffs throughout the archdiocese.

The archbishop asked the pastors to meet with their parish and finance councils and decide if their parishes would be able to totally support their schools without receiving archdiocesan subsidies.

Pastors submitted their decisions in writing to the archdiocese for approval.

Q. Is there a possibility that some of these schools will become charter schools?

Yes, the option is being explored. However, charter schools are public schools and would have no relationship to the Catholic school system.

Q. Who made the decision to close schools?

The decision to close each school was determined by the local pastor upon the advice of his finance and parish councils.

Q. When were parents, students and teachers notified?

The pastor was asked to communicate his decision to close the school to parents, students and teachers by Wednesday, Jan. 21.

Q. Will teachers and students be transferred to other archdiocesan schools?

It is the intention and hope of the archdiocese that most students will be accommodated at a neighboring Catholic school. Teachers will be encouraged to apply for openings at other Catholic schools.

Q. Will students transferring to another archdiocesan school be automatically accepted?

Pastors at neighboring schools have been encouraged to assist transferring students from closing schools.

Q. It was reported by the Miami Herald that the Cathedral of St. Mary elementary school would become a regional school. Is this true?

No. The Cathedral of St. Mary Elementary School will continue to serve the neighboring community as it has for more than 50 years.

Q. Are there other archdiocesan schools that face possible closure in 2009?

At this moment no other archdiocesan school has plans to close in 2009.

Q. Is the closing of these schools a result of money the archdiocese has had to pay to settle sex claims against accused priests?

Absolutely not; the financial stability of archdiocesan schools is maintained by four key elements — tuition, subsidies, donations and scholarship funding — and has never been affected by any elements outside of education.

Q. What does the archdiocese intend to do with the property/ land where these schools are currently located?

The pastor will discuss with archdiocesan officials and then meet with the parishioners and members of the community to explore options and identify the best uses of the land and building for the parish, archdiocese and community.

Q. Have the public school systems in both Miami–Dade and Broward been notified of the school closings?

Both school systems will be notified.

Return to the Archdiocese of Miami Front Page