How are parochial high schools so cheap compared to preps and privates?

[Anonymous]

Does the church subsidize them or do they just cut a lot of corners? What corners, specifically?

[Anonymous]

Subsidized by parishes, less spent on facilities generally, larger class sizes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Subsidized by parishes, less spent on facilities generally, larger class sizes.

And less experienced, younger faculty that costs less than more experienced, older faculty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Subsidized by parishes, less spent on facilities generally, larger class sizes.

And less experienced, younger faculty that costs less than more experienced, older faculty.

Is this typical? We toured a few schools and their teachers had been there for a number of years including a number that had been there for over a decade.

[Anonymous]

they pay their teachers next to nothing. 10 years ago I got a job offer from one of them: $26,000 a year. to teach math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Subsidized by parishes, less spent on facilities generally, larger class sizes.

And less experienced, younger faculty that costs less than more experienced, older faculty.

Is this typical? We toured a few schools and their teachers had been there for a number of years including a number that had been there for over a decade.

Younger inexperienced faculty certainly wasn't our experience. Our school and most that we know of have teachers who have been there for decades. (If anything, our school could use some new blood)

As PPs have said, the schools are subsidized by parishes and the archdiocese, they often have older/fewer athletic or arts facilities, and the faculty is typically paid less than in public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Subsidized by parishes, less spent on facilities generally, larger class sizes.

And less experienced, younger faculty that costs less than more experienced, older faculty.

Is this typical? We toured a few schools and their teachers had been there for a number of years including a number that had been there for over a decade.

Smaller schools have more tenured faculty. Larger ones like the Catholic high schools have lots of younger faculty. They are cheaper.

[Anonymous]

The Catholic schools have typically been around for a long time and own the facilities with no mortgage payments, etc.

That is a very large savings.

For example, Gonzaga and SJC and Visi have been operating since before the civil war.

And a school like St. Anselm's Abbey is located on the property of the Abbey and thus has much lower overhead.

Schools that formed more recently probably had to pay much more for the land and facilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Subsidized by parishes, less spent on facilities generally, larger class sizes.

And less experienced, younger faculty that costs less than more experienced, older faculty.

Is this typical? We toured a few schools and their teachers had been there for a number of years including a number that had been there for over a decade.

Smaller schools have more tenured faculty. Larger ones like the Catholic high schools have lots of younger faculty. They are cheaper.

That has not been our experience at a parochial high school. Many faculty have been there for many, many years...pretty high percentage of my kids' teachers are rather gray...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:they pay their teachers next to nothing. 10 years ago I got a job offer from one of them: $26,000 a year. to teach math.

This. But also the parishes subsidize.

When our parish's k-8 closed, many old-timers and young low-income immigrant families were very upset, but it was a blessing for the parish as a whole. Suddenly, we had money for other desperately needed projects like a new boiler.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure what the OP means by a parochial high school. Parochial means that it is attached to a parish, and no Catholic parishes have their own high school. There are parochial K-8 schools and archdiocesan (or diocesan) high schools. All Catholic parishes kick in money to support these schools. Parishes that don't have a school still pay into a general archdiocesan fund to support Catholic schools in poorer neighborhoods and financial aid for kids whose parents cannot pay tuition.

Around here, most Catholic high schools and some K-8 schools are independent. That means that they do not get money directly from the archdiocese or any parish. They are still Catholic, but not archdiocesan or parochial. They may have a sponsoring religious order, but the order is not necessarily giving financial support to the school other than the land and buildings in some cases. Like other private schools, Catholic schools also rely on parent and alumni donations.

Catholic schools definitely pay less than public schools. I also know many Catholic school teachers who prefer the environment and are willing to give up the extra money for it.

[Anonymous]

Don't charter schools pay much less than public schools do? As do privates correct? If this is the case then why do many look down on catholic schools as being so inferior to other schools? Particularly at the k-8th grade level?

[Anonymous]

pp -- many Catholic grade schools simply don't have the resources that elite privates/publics do.

[Anonymous]

I am unaware of any parochial high schools in the DC area. Do you mean Catholic high schools, or specifically diocesan ones?

Many Catholic schools have long histories. Their buildings are paid off. Also, given that their mission is to provide a Catholic education to as many kids as possible, they aren't spending money on bells and whistles. I know that at the school where my kid attends, there are sports teams practicing in the Cafeteria, and running laps on the sidewalk around the building, because of lack of fancy practice facilities. The education is fantastic, but it doesn't have the posh feel of other area privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Many Catholic schools have long histories. Their buildings are paid off. Also, given that their mission is to provide a Catholic education to as many kids as possible, they aren't spending money on bells and whistles. I know that at the school where my kid attends, there are sports teams practicing in the Cafeteria, and running laps on the sidewalk around the building, because of lack of fancy practice facilities. The education is fantastic, but it doesn't have the posh feel of other area privates.

Exactly.