The Archdiocesan Board of Education has issued a policy statement which recommends a minimum salary for teachers, smaller classrooms and affiliation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, an accrediting agency, for the 1968-1969 school year.

Father Daniel J. O’Connor, executive secretary of the board and secretary for Catholic education, said the statement is the first policy the board has made to set the course of archdiocesan and parochial schools.

“Essentially the policies are the same as they were when originally sent to pastors and principals in January.”

“However, the policy concerning affiliation with the Southern Association is new and the policy on minimum salaries for lay teachers was completely revised,” Father O’Connor said.

He said the affiliation of Catholic schools with the Southern Association is the first step in the move toward system-wide accreditation by an independent regional accrediting agency.

“Essentially it is a way of systematically upgrading all of our schools to the point where each can individually seek accreditation when it is ready. Some schools desire to be accredited next year and are ready for it; others would prefer to extend their upgrading over the four-year period until the 1972 deadline.”

Father O’Connor said all major supervisors of orders teaching in the archdiocese will be asked to supply only teachers with degrees. “We urged that parish boards also contact their supervisors, and request that new sisters have degrees.”

He said the board has recommended a minimum salary of $4,500 a year for teachers with degrees and $4,000 for teachers without degrees. “Compared to the over $6,000 minimum for beginning teachers in the public schools, these figures are extremely low, and we doubt that very few qualified teachers will accept them, except where Christian service is his or her only consideration.” “Parish boards which find it impossible to reach these recommended minimums should be aware that accreditation standards require a minimum of $4,800 and it will rise to $5,200.”

The school official said the board had planned a minimum of $5,000 for degree teachers, but hearings indicated to the board that it was impossible at this time.

“We have not attempted to draw up a salary schedule, because the size of lay faculties differs in each parish and because local financial consideration also differ. We thought it best to leave this entirely up to each parish board,” Father O’Connor commented.

Following are the board policies for the school year 1968-69:

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AFFILIATION

1. All elementary schools will affiliate the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools by September 1, 1968.

TEACHERS

1. All newly employed teachers shall hold at least a Bachelor’s Degree.

2. It is recommended for the school year 1968-69 that the minimum salary for degreed teachers be $4,500 and for undegreed teachers $4,000.

PRINCIPALS

1. In the schools with 7-11 full-time classroom teachers, the principal shall have at least one-half of each school day free for supervision of instruction, and other leadership responsibilities.

2. In the schools with twelve or more full-time classroom teachers, there must be a full-time supervisory principal.

FINANCES

1. All schools of the archdiocese will use the archdiocesan form for their budget.

2. The budget for the school year will be drawn up by April 30 of preceding year.

3. The tuition rate must be set by April 30 of the preceding year.

CLASSROOM SIZE

1. These standards must be met for the following years:

Class Average Maximum

1968-69 36 42

1969-70 34 39

1970-70 32 37

1971-72 30 35

Maximum 1st Grade

1968-69 35

1969-70 33

1970-71 32

1971-72 30

OFFICE OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

1. The archdiocesan Office of Religious Education shall be responsible for administering and carrying out the policies enacted by the Archdiocesan Board of Education.

2. The archdiocesan Office of Religious Education shall provide catechist training programs in content and methods and shall determine norms for catechist certification.

3. The archdiocesan office shall provide for regular supervisory and evaluation visits to each parochial program. Results of this visit are to be made known by means of an evaluation report given to the pastor, priest-director or administrator of the program, and the parish board of education.

4. Each parish shall have an adequate published budget for the parochial religious education program. A minimum of twelve (12) dollars per student is the recommended norm to be budgeted.

5. It is recommended that each parish in the archdiocese, with a total of three hundred (300) families (or units) engage a full-time religious education coordinator for the parish. This person, professionally trained, may be either a religious priest, sister, brother, or laymen.

6. The director will be assisted in this task by an advisory board composed of educators, clergy, students, and laity.

7. It is recommended that each parish follow such curricula, texts and textbooks as may be provided by the archdiocesan Office of Religious Education. In any event, all religious curricula must be approved by the archdiocesan office.

NEWMAN APOSTOLATE

1. The archdiocesan director of the Newman Apostolate will be responsible for administering and carrying out policies enacted by the board of education.