Assistance makes Catholic schools affordable for families

For families who are not able to afford the tuition and fees on their own, there are resources to help.
In fact, approximately 1,700, almost one-third of Catholic school students, receive assistance, with the average amount being nearly $3,700. Whitworth noted this number is an average — some families receive more help, while others might need less to get them over a temporary financial rough patch.
“There is no stigma attached to receiving tuition assistance. The schools want to serve students from all and diverse backgrounds,” Whitworth said.
For Trisha and Brian Galvan, parents of seven, this aid allows five of their children to attend St. Louis Catholic School in Austin. Because their faith is the most important thing in their lives and children spend much of their waking hours in school, Trisha and Brian wanted them to be educated by those who share their beliefs and values.
After working in the private sector for 10 years, Brian felt called to serve others in a more direct way. As a result, he became a police officer in Chicago. Through prayer, the couple then discerned that God was leading them to a different community, where Brian’s career would be supported and their large family would thrive. The reputation of the Austin Police Department influenced Brian’s decision to apply and accept a job offer.
“In order to establish roots in a new city, we wanted to find a good parish and school for the kids and ourselves,” Trisha said.
When visiting Austin during the job transition, Brian discovered that St. Louis sponsored Eucharistic Adoration, which for him was a good sign. Stopping by in the evening to pray, he received a friendly greeting, noticed the parish teemed with activity, and it had a school. The Galvans believe the Holy Spirit led him there, and Brian got the sense that St. Louis would be a great parish home for the family.
Yet sending five children to the parish school would be impossible without help, they said. Although he is an experienced police officer, Brian had to start over in his career, with a much smaller paycheck. Trisha explained many large Catholic families homeschool their children to ensure their faith and values are passed on. If possible, the Galvans wanted their children to have the experience of attending school, being part of a Catholic school community, and regularly participating in Mass.
Rosalie Dowling, the registrar at St. Louis Catholic School, recognized the Galvan family would be a blessed addition to the school community.
“Catholic education is important to the future of the Catholic Church. We are committed to Catholic family values,” Dowling said. The generosity of the school’s benefactors and a sibling discount made it possible for the children to attend. The Galvans are grateful, and hope to one day “give back” by financially helping others attend Catholic school.
Whitworth explained the first step to explore the possibility of tuition assistance is to contact the school they would like their child to attend. Through a third-party company, the family will complete an application to access financial need, a process that is similar to applying for college financial aid.
Depending on the resources the school has available and the family circumstances, the school and family may be able to work together to create a plan that allows the child to attend the school.
For the 2019-2020 school year, nearly $6.8 million in aid was offered in the 20 Catholic schools in the diocese. This represents a 16% increase over the previous school year. The funding for this aid comes from different sources: the schools themselves through their fundraising efforts and gifts from donors; parishes; the diocese; and the Catholic Foundation.
Whitworth said, parishes that have children who attend Catholic schools also contribute money to the school the child attends.
“Our parishes are our greatest partners in the mission to educate our children in the faith. We are blessed to have the financial support of the parishes in the diocese, even if those parishes don’t have a school,” Whitworth said.
The need for tuition assistance is expected to increase in the future, as schools strive to provide just wages for employees. The Encountering Christ campaign includes a $5 million endowment for tuition assistance. Each year interest from this fund will be disbursed to the schools.
In addition, the diocese sponsors the annual Saints & Scholars Celebrating Catholic Schools Dinner and Awards Presentation. This year’s event, held Jan. 11, honored the “unsung” heroes of the 20 Catholic schools. Over the years, the event has raised more than $1 million for tuition support programs.
For information about Catholic schools, visit www.csdatx.org.