A Catholic school in El Cerrito has less than a month to raise enough money and enroll enough students to stay open next year. That’s after the Catholic Diocese of San Diego said it can no longer cover the school’s budget deficit.
“When we received a letter on Oct. 18 from the diocese that the school was closing, it was kind of a gut punch to the community,” said Steve Carter, a parent of two students at St. Katharine Drexel Academy. “We knew we had some challenges with fundraising and with enrollment, but we didn't know it was that dire.”
St. Katharine Drexel Academy opened in 2018 with 154 students, according to the diocese. It replaced two parish schools, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and Blessed Sacrament, both of which struggled with declining enrollment before they closed.
The goal was to reach 200 students. Current enrollment is about half that.
The diocese said the school is facing a $300,000 deficit for this school year and likely a bigger one next year. Pandemic relief funds and diocesan support have helped cover previous years’ deficits.
“With the diocese filing for bankruptcy, the margins, our ability to subsidize a school, are just a lot less,” said Kevin Eckery, a diocese spokesperson. “And frankly, there just isn't enough enrollment to justify the investment.”
On Oct. 31, the diocese said if the school could raise $500,000 and enroll 30 additional students for the next school year by Feb. 1, it could stay open. Otherwise, it will close at the end of the school year.
Eckery said each St. Katharine Drexel Academy student in good standing would receive a $1,000 tuition discount at another Catholic school for next year.
“Ultimately, I hope the school remains open,” Eckery said. “I hope the families are successful in raising the money that's needed to keep it open. But we'll just have to see how it pans out.”
Unlike St. Katharine Drexel Academy, most Catholic schools in San Diego are connected to a parish led by a priest. Those parishes often make financial contributions to their schools.
Without an increase in enrollment or fundraising, St. Katharine Drexel would have to increase tuition to break even. Tuition was $6,850 this school year for one student. The median household income in the area is just over $75,000, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
In nearby Normal Heights, St. Didacus Parish School charges nearly the same for tuition. The median household income there is more than $95,000.
Donors have given more than $12,000 to a GoFundMe page for the school. As Feb. 1 quickly approaches, parents like Carter are holding out hope.
“I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t believe in the school,” he said. “The community that we’ve built, that’s going to last much longer than my kids being in K through eighth.”
