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Endowments

Education has long been recognized as a critical component for economic opportunity and a deterrent of poverty, crime and homelessness. Numerous studies have documented the earnings disparity between high school graduates and their peers who do not graduate from high school. Incarceration rates and education levels are directly correlated with nearly three quarters of state prison inmates categorized as high school drop outs.

The Philadelphia Catholic schools have done an excellent job of educating children for more than one hundred years, upholding a tradition of superior, values based education. These schools have a record of graduating over 90% of students without using “social promotion.”

The Catholic school system provides an important alternative to the public school system, one that has historically been affordable for middle and lower income families. Schools are safe and cost efficient, educating students for approximately one-third of Philadelphia’s per pupil expenditure

Urban Catholic schools serve students in the poorest, most dangerous neighborhoods with commendable outcomes. These schools maintain an open enrollment policy, educating students reguardless of race, religion or ethnic group. Unfortunately, even reasonably priced tuition is beyond the means of much of the population, putting these resources at serious risk. Over the past ten years, the number of Catholic elementary schools in Philadelphia has contracted more than 30%, and student enrollment has dropped by 41%. There is an urgent need to stop the rapid erosion of these valuable community assets.

BLOCS has developed a plan designed to sustain targeted schools in poorer areas. Under this plan, schools work with BLOCS to adopt successful for profit-practices in the area of marketing and management. BLOCS will help schools meet operational needs using endowment income and continued support from the Archdiocese.