Tuition assistance program makes Catholic education available to everyone

Filling empty desks in classrooms with deserving students is the aim of the Tuition Assistance Program and the Celebration for Catholic Schools.

By Malate269 (Own work) [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons

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It is a saying Mary Sandoval did not invent, but uses often. “My job is to get them to heaven,” Sandoval said. “If they get into Harvard on the way there, it’s an added bonus.”

Sandoval has been the principal of St. Joseph Parochial School in Alice for 11 years. St. Joseph is one of 18 schools in the Diocese of Corpus Christi, which includes 12 other elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools and one early childhood school.

A recent downturn in the oilfield economy means many in Alice have lost jobs or taken major pay cuts, Sandoval said. Currently, more than 60 percent of the school’s 189 students are on tuition assistance. Sandoval said the school and the parish do everything they can to make a Catholic education a viable option to everyone who desires it for their children.

“Our school has been in operation for 75 years and we are committed to our children and their families,” Sandoval said. “We continue to seek revenue to fill in tuition gaps by locating private funding, hosting festivals and fundraisers and working together with parishioners of St. Joseph to help families in most need of tuition assistance.” 

Over at Central Catholic Elementary in uptown Corpus Christi , 61 percent of their 78 students receive tuition assistance. The school serves students three-years-old to eighth grade. 

“We are a very poor school, located in a low income area surrounded by homelessness, drugs and the elderly,” Larry Manschot, principal of Central Catholic, said. “Though we are poor in money, we are rich in spirit.”  

Manschot said his philosophy is that no child should be denied a Catholic education because they can’t afford it. He said many of the children who attend Central Catholic are being raised in single parent households or by grandparents on fixed incomes. 

Josefa Thomas is the primary caregiver for her two grandsons, Matthew and Jonathan, who both attend Central Catholic. 

“Without tuition assistance, the boys would have to go to public school, but I really wanted them to go to Catholic school,” Thomas said. “I love that they are exposed to religious classes and will be able to receive their sacraments with the help of the school. I am grateful for the help, and the boys love their school.”

There are two types of tuition assistance available for families with the most need. The first type—school based awards—are raised by the school through private donations, grants and other fundraising efforts and are dispersed at the discretion of each school. The second type of money —diocesan based awards—are funded by diocesan operation funds and are distributed to the schools based on an online application called FACTS that parents or guardians fill out the spring before the school year starts.

“FACTS, which is new for the 2016-17 school year, is a streamlined and customized way for the diocese to handle financial aid awards,” said Rosemary Henry, superintendent of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. “The application is user friendly and the average time spent applying is 22 minutes.”

While the FACTS system helps with the collection and analyzation of data like family size and income, it is the Diocesan Tuition Assistance Cabinet that makes the ultimate decision in awarding aid to families for diocesan-based awards. This current school year, the diocese contributed $200,000, but this only met 20 percent of the funding need.

“The money the diocese is able to contribute has unfortunately remained static,” Henry said. “Our current economic climate limits tuition assistance and we continue to look for ways to boost funds.”

One way the diocese hopes to raise awareness of their ongoing tuition assistance funding needs—and at the same time celebrate the good work of students, teachers and staff—is by hosting the first ever Celebration of Catholic Schools. The fundraiser will be held Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017, at the Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz International Center. Cecilia Abbott, First Lady of Texas, will deliver the keynote address. Proceeds from the event benefit diocesan tuition assistance and the Catholic School Endowment Fund in the Diocese of Corpus Christi.

At the recent Clergy and Religious Appreciation Dinner, Bishop Michael Mulvey took the opportunity to make an appeal for Catholic education and the tuition assistance program. The bishop pointed out that 70 percent of the funds raised at the January dinner will go to tuition assistance.

“Our Catholic Schools are on the way up,” Bishop Mulvey said. “We are empowering them to be better and helping them fill up desks. I want us all to get behind our schools.”
He asked the Knights of Columbus, sponsors of the appreciation dinner, to be ambassadors for Catholic schools. 

Anyone interested in making a contribution to tuition assistance should contact the school of their choice or make plans to attend the Celebration of Catholic Schools in January. Information on how to participate in this event is available on the Diocese of Corpus Christi website at diocesecc.org/celebration. 

 “Catholic schools stress the value of self-disciple, commitment, service and inspire students to understand that each person is unique and valuable,” Henry said. “We hope that all families who desire a Catholic education for their children will consider it, no matter their financial situation.”   

(Alfredo E. Cardenas contributed to this article.)