The financing of schools
The Archdiocese of San Francisco supports Catholic schools in many ways, but by and large, the schools are self-financed.
A typical elementary school earns income from three sources: tuition and fees (85 percent), donations (10 percent), and other sources (5 percent). From this income, school expenses are paid. The three major expenses are compensation, current year operating expenses and infrastructure maintenance and replacement.
The major expense in any school - elementary, high school or college - is compensation, typically 80 percent of the total budget. Gone are the days when classrooms were headed by a religious who received only a small stipend. Today's teachers are professionals, and are paid a competitive wage for their expertise and experience.
Tuition and fees represent 85 percent of most schools' income. However, of that amount, it's not only the parents of elementary and high school students who are paying the tuition bills. There are also outside sources that assist families on a need-basis to afford the tuition. At least 15 percent of the tuition and fees are paid with tuition-assistance funds. This year, school officials are reporting an increase in the number of families experiencing difficulty in meeting tuition obligations due to layoffs or reductions in pay or hours worked. This year, more than ever, families need assistance in meeting the cost of the education of their children in Catholic schools.
The Archdiocese was able to award more than $1 million in tuition assistance to families in need during this current school year. That figure has been impacted by the economic downturn, and only a fraction of that assistance is available for the coming year, making additional generosity critical to the neediest families in our school system. Meanwhile, the BASIC Fund distributed nearly $2.7 million in tuition assistance during this same year, and various other donors have provided funding that directly pays students' tuitions. These generous donors include the Alemany Fund, the Guardsman, Making Waves, the Knights of Columbus, the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose, National Catholic Community Foundation, Clint Reilly and many other generous benefactors, some who wish to remain anonymous. Some schools offer "adopt a student" programs, and others have individual scholarship funds. These monies have enabled many families to achieve a Catholic school education for their children, where if they had to rely solely on their own resources, it would have remained an unfulfilled dream.
A major source of funds that keeps local Catholic schools operating is donations to the schools. These donations are not directly associated with tuition assistance, but they do help schools keep tuition and fees down, and enable schools to offer programs to enrich the educational experiences of students. Donations spring from the generosity of parishioners and the pastors. Faithful who live in a parish that does not host a school might consider that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops affirmed that "the entire ecclesial community is called to value ever more deeply the importance of the task and mission to support Catholic elementary and secondary schools," and offer support as they are able.
This support can also come from participation in individual school's fundraisers - from wrapping paper or candy to attending dinners and festivals.
Catholic schools also apply for and receive generous contributions from, to name only a few, the following foundations: Carl and Celia Berta Gellert, William G. Irwin, Crescent Porter Hale, Herbst, Robert S. and Helen P. Odell, Wilsey, Davies, Joseph R. McMicking, Together in the Mission of Education, and Trust Funds Incorporated. These foundations have provided assistance in the form of gifts and grants that support purchases of text books, provide program support, repair boilers and plumbing, and fund building projects. These gifts and grants represent 10 percent of the schools' budgets.
Schools rely on the sustained support of the myriad of people who continue to invest in them, in the future of Catholic education and in the future of students. Profound thanks is due them.
The Department of Catholic Schools and the schools themselves strive to provide quality leadership, to develop programs of educational excellence, and to prepare students for a truly Christian life. With the Catholic community's continuing support, that mission will become a realized dream for students, families, the community and the world.
Persons or organizations wishing to contribute, can contact the Catholic Schools Department's Planning and Finance Office, or a specific school's pastor or principal.
Annette Brown is assistant superintendent of Planning and Finance for the archdiocesan Department of Catholic Schools. She can be contacted at (415) 614-5662 or browna@sfarchdiocese.org.
By Annette Brown

From February 6, 2009 issue of Catholic San Francisco
