Catholic Schools in an Increasingly Hispanic Church (2016)

Catholic Schools in an Increasingly Hispanic Church: A Summary Report of Findings from the National Survey of Catholic Schools Serving Hispanic Families, by Hosffman Ospino, Ph.D., and Patricia Weitzel-O’Neill, Ph.D., Boston College, 2016

This report presents findings from the National Survey of Catholic Schools Serving Hispanic Families, conducted by Boston College (2014–2016). It examines how Catholic schools in the U.S. are responding to rapidly shifting demographics in which Hispanic youth now constitute the majority of school‑age Catholics.

1. Context and Demographics

• 54% of all school‑age Catholics (≈8 million) are Hispanic.
• Yet only 4% of Hispanic Catholic children attend Catholic schools.
• Overall Catholic school enrollment has sharply declined due to closures, rising costs, and loss of religious staff.
• Hispanic families often live in regions (South and West) with fewer Catholic schools, even though these regions now hold most Hispanic Catholics.
• Socioeconomic challenges persist: about ⅓ of Hispanic children live in poverty.

2. Key Findings: Leadership and School Culture

• Principals are mostly white, U.S.-born, and English-speaking; only 14% self‑identify as Hispanic.
• Only 17% of principals speak Spanish fluently.
• Schools integrating Hispanic culture are a minority:
  • 21% have bilingual signage
  • 35% share prayers in Spanish
  • 36% include Spanish in liturgies
• Leaders with Spanish fluency or intercultural training are far more likely to create welcoming environments.
• Teaching staff: Only 12% of full-time teachers are Hispanic.

3. Students and Families

• Responding schools have a median Hispanic enrollment of 16%, with strong regional variation:
  • West: 33%
  • Northeast: 16%
  • South & Midwest: 10%
• Hispanic students are often concentrated: 15% of schools enroll more than half of all Hispanic students represented.
• Family Profile:
  • Most Hispanic students (≥80%) are U.S.-born, though many have foreign-born parents.
  • Most Hispanic families value education and faith but face economic barriers and sometimes perceive Catholic schools as “elite.”

4. Stewardship and Financial Realities

• Average tuition: $4,525; average per‑student cost: $6,125 → a $1,600 gap that schools must subsidize.
• About 50% of Hispanic students in responding schools receive need‑based aid;
  1 in 5 receives at least 50% tuition remission.
• Schools in the South/West have smaller funding gaps due to tax‑credit and voucher programs.

School choice:

• 24 states + DC offer tax-credit/voucher programs.
• Hispanic families strongly support these options.

5. Parish and Diocesan Relationships

• 91% of schools report at least one affiliated parish pastor engaged with the school.
• Yet collaboration with parish Hispanic ministry is low:
  • Only 38% of principals worked directly with parish Hispanic ministry directors.
  • Many Catholic schools associated with heavily Hispanic parishes do not have schools (“disquieting gap”).
• At the diocesan level, only half of schools had been contacted about outreach to Hispanic families.

6. Innovative Models: Two-Way Immersion (TWI)

• TWIN‑CS (Boston College’s Two‑Way Immersion Network) shows the strongest outcomes:
  • Bilingual and biliterate graduates
  • Higher Hispanic enrollment
  • More Hispanic/bilingual staff
  • Bilingual signage, liturgies, and family engagement
• TWI schools demonstrate successful cultural integration and stronger community trust.

7. Areas Needing Immediate Attention:

• Extremely low Hispanic enrollment in Catholic schools
• Few targeted enrollment plans
• Very low Hispanic representation among principals and teachers
• Limited Spanish fluency among school leaders
• Insufficient intercultural training
• Aging leadership (52% near retirement)
• Underutilized language‑learning support
• Limited cultural inclusion in school environments
• Boards rarely include Hispanic members
• Weak collaboration between schools and Hispanic ministry
• Persistent siloing among Church offices
• Need for more Catholic schools in the South/West

8. Signs of Hope

• Strong desire among Hispanic families for quality, faith‑centered education
• Schools providing substantial tuition assistance
• Growth of TWI programs
• Increasing foundation and diocesan support for Hispanic initiatives
• Positive impacts of school‑choice legislation
• Many schools intentionally developing culturally welcoming environments

Conclusion

Catholic schools remain a powerful instrument of evangelization and social mobility. But to serve the new majority of young U.S. Catholics, they must:

• Invest in bilingual and intercultural leadership
• Strengthen partnerships with parishes, dioceses, and Hispanic ministry
• Expand financial accessibility and school‑choice advocacy
• Create visibly welcoming, culturally affirming school environments
• Recruit and support Hispanic educators and board members

The report concludes that the future of Catholic schools—and the vitality of the U.S. Church—depends on embracing, educating, and partnering with Hispanic families.

Catholic-Schools-in-an-Increasingly-Hispanic-Church.pdf