Catholic School Students Continue to Do Better in Reading and Math Than Their Counterparts in Public Schools, National Assessment Shows

It’s no secret that Catholic schools outperform public schools in a number of areas, but a recent study shows that the gap is widening. “The 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (which the Diocese of Allentown Catholic Schools participated in,) shows that while average reading and math achievement among fourth- and eighth-graders nationwide has fallen, performance among Catholic school students in those grades and subjects was up. Another assessment, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, shows that Allentown Diocese Catholic school students in grades 2 through 7 — for the second year in a row – did better than the national average. While national results continue to lag, the scores show that Diocese students achieved more than one year of growth during the 2021-22 school year in both reading and math.” The AD Times. Immaculate Conception Academy students participated in both of these assessments.

This is great news for local parents who are looking for a quality education for their children.

“If U.S. Catholic schools were a state, their 1.6 million students would rank first in the nation” in those subjects and grades, wrote Kathleen Porter-Magee, superintendent of Partnership Schools, which runs 11 Catholic schools in New York City and Cleveland, in the Wall Street Journal.

“Catholic schools were a bright spot,” she wrote, “reflecting how these schools are making a difference in students’ lives.”

There are a number of reasons why Catholic schools like Immaculate Conception Academy outperform public schools, but one of the most important one is that they have a clear and focused mission. They instill in their students a love of learning, a strong work ethic and a commitment to service. Because of the focus on service and faith formation, students in Catholic schools learn to be compassionate, caring and informed citizens who are committed to making a difference in the world. They also learn how to lead by example and inspire others to do the same. These are the kind of leaders our world needs, and Catholic schools are doing an excellent job of preparing them.

Read more here –The AD Times