Of the 5,905 Catholic schools in the U.S., enrollment in the southeast region of the U.S. has experienced the highest enrollment growth since the 2019-2020 school year, at a 3.6% increase, while the Great Lakes, West, and Far West regions account for almost half of the Catholic school population.
Catholic school closures — averaging about 130 closures a year since the early 2000s according to NCEA data shared with CNA in an email — have been lower in the past two school years. Only 55 schools closed or consolidated in the 2023-2024 school year, while 44 closed in 2022-2023. Meanwhile, 20 new Catholic schools have opened, and 38% of Catholic schools have a waiting list.
Following record expansion of state “school choice” programs in 2023, the NCEA found that 13.7% of Catholic school students use school choice programs to help them attend Catholic school.
In four states — Ohio, Florida, Indiana, and Arizona — more than half of Catholic school students are using a school choice program.
Those programs “offer families the ability to choose Catholic schools” by helping parents finance tuition and other educational expenses through programs including state educational savings accounts, tax credit scholarships, and private school vouchers.
“Catholic schools should advocate for the expansion of these programs, enhance awareness among families, and tailor their educational offerings to attract and retain students benefiting from school choice, ensuring access to Catholic education for a broader demographic,” the report noted.