Synopses & Reviews
The authors examine a broad range of Catholic high schools to determine whether or not students are better educated in these schools than they are in public schools. They find that the Catholic schools do have an independent effect on achievement, especially in reducing disparities between disadvantaged and privileged students. The Catholic school of today, they show, is informed by a vision, similar to that of John Dewey, of the school as a community committed to democratic education and the common good of all students.
Review
This comprehensive analysis of the effects of Catholic schools, especially on low-income children, concluded that 'Catholic schools function as a public resource.' Catholic schools are able to accomplish this essential task in all communities because, among many important factors, they introduce a spiritual dimension to the student's education. -- John T. McGreevy - Commonweal
Review
[An] exemplary book...Catholic Schools and the Common Goodprovides intensive analysis of the distinctive character of Catholic schools...After reading the book, one is not only convinced that Catholic schools have advantages for academic achievement--especially for low-income and minority youth--but one understands the mechanisms through which these advantages accrue. -- Mike McCormick - Dayton News
Review
A superb study that enhances our understanding not only of Catholic schools but of schools generally. -- Stephen F. Williams - Michigan Law Review
Review
A richly detailed, and documented study...Besides being the best group portrait of today's U.S. Catholic high schools, this is also a formidable testimonial to the virtues and accomplishments of those schools. -- James E. Rosenbaum - Contemporary Sociology
Review
Like the schools they write about, the authors of this important book combine scholarship with a mission. The scholarship in this book is a rare blend of case study, number crunching and rumination in social and intellectual history. -- John W. Donohue - America
Review
The central argument of this clearly written, superbly researched effort is that [American] public high schools need to mimic their Catholic counterparts. Catholic high schools, according to the authors, 'manage simultaneously to achieve relatively high levels of student learning, distribute this learning more equitably with regard to race and class than in the public sector, and sustain high levels of teachers commitment and student engagement.' -- Joseph P. McDonald - New York Times Book Review
About the Author
Anthony S. Bryk is Professor of Education at the University of Chicago.Valerie E. Lee is Associate Professor of Education at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.Peter B. Holland is Superintendent of the Belmont school system, Belmont, Massachusetts.
Table of Contents
Preface
Prologue
CONTEXT The Tradition of Catholic Schools
Research Past and Present
INSTITUTIONAL ANALYSIS Classroom Life
Curriculum and Academic Organization
Communal Organization
Governance
DIVERSITY AMONG CATHOLIC SCHOOLS The Transition to High School
Variations in Internal Operations
Single-Sex versus Coeducational Schools
EFFECTS The Impact of Academic Organization
The Impact of Communal Organization
IMPLICATIONS Catholic Lessons for America's Schools
Epilogue: The Future of Catholic High Schools
Notes
References
Index