By Paula Day

The Charlotte diocese met the challenge of financing Catholic school education in a way that has been called innovative and unique.

"Nothing like it in the rest of the country," the superintendent of schools for the diocese said of the structure initiated during the tenure of Bishop John F. Donoghue.

Atlanta's new archbishop is a stalwart supporter of Catholic education, according to Dr. Michael Skube. The superintendent keeps a statement by the bishop close at hand, which reads in part:

"I believe that Catholic schools have been and will continue to be the back-bone of the Church as far as educating our children about their faith. Students attending Catholic schools have an opportunity to grow and mature in a Christian environment where emphasis is placed on strong values and Catholic tradition."

While acknowledging "the fine work our religious education teachers are doing," Archbishop Donoghue goes on to say, "there is something special about a complete Catholic education."

The reorganization of Catholic schools was one of seven issues emerging from the 1986-87 Synod held in the Charlotte diocese. Then-Bishop Donoghue convoked the Synod shortly after becoming ordinary and it proved the most helpful event for him as bishop.

"It gave me a sense of what I had to do and where I had to go" as chief shepherd of the diocese and at the same time the synod structure "let everybody contribute" what was important to them before all the input was crystallized and focused.

Father Tom Gaunt, SJ, had written a master's dissertation on the synod process, so the bishop invited him to apply his knowledge in a practical setting. Miriam Williams, a retired lawyer from Burlington Industries, was chosen to facilitate the process of bringing forth a consensus on the significant issues facing the diocese. The whole process began with weekly meetings in every parish during Lent and ended three years later with an implementation committee chosen to carry forward the directives of the Synod on its seven major issues.

Following the Synod, two years of planning resulted in the adoption of a school regionalization proposal. The structure groups schools in a particular geographic area under the authority and responsibility of a regional board. This board regulates finances, establishes policies, provides new programs and reviews all programs. It may also consolidate schools and propose new schools. With the exception of one priest, lay people make up the board and each member has an equal vote on decisions.

It was evident when Skube took over as superintendent four years ago there was no equity among the schools. Not only were conditions of existing facilities unequal but salary scales and curriculum offerings differed greatly. One result of regionalization was to bring the schools up to parity. The regional school office in the diocese, directed by Joseph Armstrong, now manages finances and enrollment. A bank handles tuition billing and payments. This arrangement frees principals to devote their energies to educational matters. The six schools in the Charlotte area comprising Mecklenburg County now function as regional schools.

The plan "is not cast in stone," commented Monsignor John McSweeney. Reviewed annually, the vicar general said it is working, but it is an ongoing process.

Approximately 61 percent of funds needed to finance the schools in the region come from tuition, Monsignor McSweeney said. Eighteen to 20 percent comes from the parishes, nine percent from development projects and 12 percent from other efforts.

To insure an equitable allocation of available monies and avoid the blanket subsidizing of families regardless of need, the Mecklenburg region has adopted full cost tuition billing. Each family is responsible for providing the money needed to educate its children, approximately $2,000 per child. Families unable to shoulder the full amount may apply for assistance through a tuition grant program, much like applying for a college grant. A St. Paul, Minnesota-based grant management company handles the applications. To guarantee confidentiality and anonymity, identification numbers are assigned applicants by the firm.

The regional board has set variables, including the number of children in a family, to come up with a formula for receiving a grant. "It's a logical and objective analysis of a family's financial status," Armstrong said.

To assure fairness as far as possible, an appeals process lets an applicant explain in more detail a family's need and allows for unusual or changing circumstances in its financial situation.

Last year about 55 percent of the families in the regional schools applied for grants to subsidize their tuition payments. Between 40 and 42 percent received a subsidy. This year 81 percent will receive help. Adjustments were made, Armstrong said, so more families would receive assistance. Over $900,000 will be awarded for thie coming year for tuition assistance which is funded by the local parishes.

Charlotte has opened a new elementary school, completely rebuilt two existing schools and added to another facility since regionalization was begun. The diocese will next turn its attention to areas outside the Charlotte region, according to Skube.

The diocese has 14 elementary schools and two secondary schools. Last academic year, enrollment reached over 5100.