Catholic schools should be open to all, not just those who can afford it.
Many families in Western Oregon want a Catholic school education for their children, but they can’t afford it. Tuition is increasing faster than family income across our state. This affects families in our own parishes and neighborhoods, as well as other families who aren’t Catholic but who want to avail their children of the opportunities and values that a Catholic school education provides.
While some Catholic schools are able to raise enough money to meet the needs of students in their communities, other schools cannot. Catholic Schools Endowment Foundation (CSEF) is different because we provide financial assistance directly to families, not to schools. Any student in Western Oregon can apply for CSEF funds and use them to attend any Catholic school in the region, no matter which city, town or neighborhood they live in or which school they wish to attend.
The need is real.
There is no shortage of families in Western Oregon who want a Catholic school education for their children. There is a shortage of families who can afford it.
1,348
Families who applied and are eligible for elementary school tuition assistance in 2018
1,991
Total number of students in those families
$4.9 million
Total demonstrated need as indicated by FACTS Grant and Aid Assessment
$2,500
Average need per child
School is challenging. Especially paying for it.
Gone are the days when the archdiocese could afford to educate students at little or no cost to families in the parish schools. Today, the sticker price for a Catholic school education ranges widely across the state, depending on the city or town where the school is located.
$5,425
Statewide average annual elementary tuition, for a single student attending their parish school
$11,225
Statewide average annual high school tuition, for a single student
