FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, January 27, 2003
Contact:  Larry Keough
Associate for Education
(850) 222-3803
lkeough@flacathconf.org

Tallahassee, FL (Jan. 27, 2003) - A record 95,949 students, including nearly 36,000 of whom are minorities or students on statewide school-choice scholarships, are attending Florida Catholic schools for the 2002-2003 academic year.
   Of the students in Florida Catholic schools, 26,125 are Hispanic, 5,087 are African American, 2329 are Asian and 149 are American Indian. Included in the overall enrollment are 2,128 at-risk students who are participating in one of the three school-choice programs in Florida.
   “The out reach to students on statewide scholarships is an extension of our mission and history that was established more than 130 years ago when Catholic schools opened their doors in St. Augustine for the downtrodden,” said Larry Keough, associate for education of the Florida Catholic Conference.
   In-state Catholic schools have enrolled 1,352 students through the Corporate Tax Scholarship Program in which eligibility is based on qualifying for the National Free or Reduced School Lunch Program. An additional 648 students are enrolled through the McKay Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities. And, 128 students have enrolled in Catholic schools on Opportunity Scholarships, which are available to students who attended the lowest-graded public schools.
   The 2002-2003 figures were released as Catholic schools nationwide celebrate  the Jan. 26-Feb. 1 Catholic Schools Week. The week will be dedicated as a time for Catholic schools throughout the nation to reflect on their commitments, sacrifices and accomplishments to provide successful faith-oriented education. The theme for the week is, “Making a World of Difference.”
   In an era of soaring educational costs, the average diocesan per-pupil expenditure is $3,617 for K-8 schools and $5,863 for secondary schools.
   “These relatively low costs in part stem from administrative efficiency,” Keough said. A combined 20 diocesan school administrators oversee the administrative responsibilities of Florida Catholic schools.
   Approximately 90 percent of the students in Florida Catholic schools are Catholic. Of the 233 Florida Catholic schools, 179 are elementary, 34 are secondary, seven serve special needs students and 13 are early childhood programs that are not affiliated with K-8 schools.
   For information to contact diocesan superintendents, please call Mr. Keough at the above-stated phone number or via e-mail at lkeough@flacathconf.org.

Link to current Catholic School statistics