Diocese wants to close $900K gap in tuition aid

Families requested $2.8 million in aid, schools could provide only about $1.9 million

Published: December 10, 2015

Catholics across the diocese have been invited once again to support Catholic schools by giving to the Catholic Schools Scholarship Appeal.

The appeal was started in 2013 and has raised $39,400 to date. Letters from Bishop Anthony B. Taylor to past donors were mailed out recently and flyers should be placed in all church bulletins in December or another appropriate time.

“Catholic schools are an integral part of the teaching mission of the Church because they assist parents in the important obligation of educating and forming their children through faith development,” the bishop wrote. “It is more important than ever that we continue to provide an academically rigorous education, rooted in the Gospel, and rich in the cherished traditions and liturgical practices of our faith. In doing so, we ensure that students will have the foundation to live a moral and upright life to face the challenges brought on by cultural and moral changes in the world today.”

Superintendent Vernell Bowen said diocese-wide there is a $900,000 gap between what parents can provide and tuition aid available by the schools. Last spring the diocese was able to distribute its first scholarships to 53 students at eight schools, but scholarships were limited to $300 to $400 for each student.

This month, Bowen said 26 families with a total of 45 students are receiving about $500 to $1,000 each. The money is directed to the schools to apply to the families’ accounts.

Bowen said the statistics on the large gap are good data to provide to those working on state school voucher legislation.

“There are legislators who are looking into voucher legislation,” she said. “I am going to write a report on it and give to it the Arkansas Policy Foundation. They are looking at school choice.”

Bowen said schools with the most need were targeted. The 12 schools assisted this school year were:

• Fort Smith: St. Boniface, Immaculate Conception and Christ the King

• Hot Springs: St. John

• North Little Rock: Immaculate Heart of Mary and North Little Rock Catholic Academy

• Little Rock: Mount St. Mary, Our Lady of the Holy Souls, Catholic High, St. Edward and St. Theresa

• Pocahontas: St. Paul

These schools have the biggest gap between the parents’ needs and the aid available. Need is determined by Facts Tuition and Aid Management Company, a third-party company. Twenty of the diocese’s 27 schools go through Facts for their needs evaluation. According to Facts, 794 students requested $2.8 million in aid, but the schools were only able to give $1.9 million.

Donations to the Catholic Schools Scholarship Appeal can be sent to Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Little Rock, P.O. Box 7565, Little Rock, AR 72217.