Click here to read short bites about the Maryland Education Credit and learn how to support an affordable quality education for our kids.
In the Image & Likeness of God is a directory of special needs programs available in Maryland's Catholic schools. This directory, prepared for parents and administrators, gives a broad overview of the impressive range of educational opportunities provided for children with special needs in Maryland Catholic schools despite not having access to the fully funded services available to students in public schools.
Catholic Schools
On Friday, March 23, a Senate committee passed a $22.5 million tax credit bill for the Hollywood film industry. Yet, supporting low-income students at high quality nonpublic schools takes a back seat to glitz and glamour. The Partnership for Student Education and Community Investment Tax Credit (SB 844/HB 1216) continues to languish in the House Ways and Means Committee because leadership refuses to move it.
Maryland's Catholic schools have served the state for two centuries. They educate over 52,000 students annually and save the state of Maryland and taxpayers $713.5 million every year. And if you include other nonpublic schools, the savings to the state and taxpayers exceeds $1.5 billion every year in per-pupil public school costs! About 29% of Maryland Catholic school students are minorities and 22% are not Catholic. They do, however, face difficulties. Enrollment in Catholic schools statewide declined by 12% between the 2004-2005 and 2009-2010 school years.
The table below highlights the savings provided by Maryland's Catholic schools in the 2011-2012 school year alone. The savings are calculated by multiplying enrollment by the state's average per-pupil expenditure in public schools. The most recent figure of per-pupil expenditure in public schools was $13,969.13 from the 2009-2010 school year, meaning that the actual savings are almost certainly greater than the estimate below.
Archdiocese |
2011-12 Enrollment |
Savings to state taxpayers |
Archdiocese of Baltimore |
27,962 |
$390,604,813 |
Archdiocese of Washington |
21,616 |
$301,956,714 |
Diocese of Wilmington |
1,790 |
$25,004,743 |
TOTAL |
51,368 |
$717,566,270 |
Indianapolis, IN — Public schools throughout the country are not harmed by school choice programs as most of their costs are flexible and can change with student enrollment, according to a new report issued by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice.
The report entitled “The Fiscal Effects of School Choice Programs on Public School Districts,” found that 36 percent of public school expenses are “fixed” costs while 64 percent are “variable” costs over a one year period.
“This means when public schools lose students to a school that better meets their needs, there is no fiscal harm,” said Ben Scafidi, a senior fellow with the Friedman Foundation and author of the report. “They actually have more money when students leave because there are fewer to educate, and they get to keep some of the allotted funds to educate them.”
Watch this touching video about a family whose life is dramatically impacted by a Catholic school education in Baltimore.
A Day in My Life from Storyfarm New Media on Vimeo.