City Limits: Divine Intervention

Philadelphia may lose a handful of Catholic high schools starting next fall, after a report last month warned of a likely financial tailspin by the year 2000. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia abruptly rejected a bailout offer from the city school superintendant Monday, saying the city's "unsolicited" generosity would "in no way save these schools." According to the report, which was compiled by a hired consulting firm, the Archdiocesan secondary school system is at risk due to declining enrollment, a deficient financial situation, a shortage of teachers and the under-utilization of its building facilities. The report said the Archdiocesan school system will be $10.4 million in debt by next June and projected an $86.4 million in red ink by the 1999-2000 school year if no changes are made in the current system. But only seven years ago Philadelphia's Catholic secondary school system enjoyed an $8.1 million cash surplus. "Based on the results of this scenario, and taking into account the existing financial limitations of the Archdiocese, it is clear that a significant number of secondary schools need to be closed or restructured," the report said. The report recommended that six schools be closed and four others be merged. Philadelphia School Superintendant Constance Clayton offered to lease classroom and ancillary space in three of the schools that face closing for a three-year term. And, if at the end of the term the Archdiocese wished to close any or all of the schools, the lease would include an option to purchase. But the Archdiocese has refused the offered assistance. "The opportunity of a small lease payment will in no way save these schools," a statement by the Archdiocese said Monday. The Archdiocese has targeted Little Flower, Northeast Catholic and West Catholic high schools for closing at the end of the 1992-93 academic year. "No discussions about the disposition of these assets have taken place, and there are no discussions planned in the future," the statement continued. Clayton said the proposed lease would provide the Archdiocese with additional funds to keep the schools financially afloat while administrators "develop and implement alternative strategies" to prevent their closing. But "most importantly, it enables . . . the currently enrolled high school students to fulfill their dreams and graduate, as planned, [from the three schools]," Clayton said. Clayton also said the lease would alleviate overcrowding at neighboring elementary and middle schools that belong to the city school district. Paul Hanson, an information specialist for the School District of Philadelphia, would not elaborate on whether the focus of the city's proposal was to bail out the Archdiocese or to alleviate the school district's overcrowding problem or whether both factors weighed evenly in the consideration. Clayton, however, said in Monday's Board of Education meeting that the proposal was made "in the spirit of cooperation and good faith to our educational colleagues in the Archdiocese." "The Archdiocese and the School District of Philadelphia share a strong commitment to the children of this city," Clayton said. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Tuesday that many public schools surrounding the three Catholic schools suffer from overcrowding. A statement from the city school district said the city already rents classroom space from the Archdiocese to accomodate public school students for $341,469 a year. According to the 61-page report commissioned by the Archdiocese, several problems plague the Archdiocesan school system. Enrollment in Philadelphia's Catholic secondary schools has decreased significantly over the last twenty years -- from 58,000 in 1970-71 to 24,000 in 1992-93. But the number of building facilities has decreased by only 17% -- from 29 to 25, according to the report. Additionally, many of the Archdiocesan secondary schools are only partially filled to their student capacity. Of the 25 buildings in use, eight are only half-filled, and another eight are only three-quarters filled. One school is filled to 93 percent capacity. Catholic secondary schools nationwide currently boast a 15 to one pupil-teacher average ratio. But the secondary schools in the Archdiocese lag far behind with a ratio of 24 students for every instructor. Among the key recommendations for the long-term stabilization of the Archdiocese school system were: · Implementing open enrollment at all secondary schools. · Decentralizing the school system, creating a federation of financially independent schools. · Providing access and financial support to low-income or minority populations. · Maintaining single-sex education. · Closing or merging schools which have little likelihood of success in the new decentralized environment. · Making the remaining schools more competitive. · Exploring the feasibility of opening new schools in underserved areas. · Improving classroom technology. Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua will not decide the fates of any of the three schools until early December, The Associated Press said Monday. Several city and Archdiocesan officials were unavailable for comment this week.

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