Catholic schools outperform public school counterparts in almost all categories, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a biennial report of the U.S. Department of Education. Catholic school students performed at or near the top in reading and math compared to public schools coming out of the pandemic.
NAEP, also known as the Nation’s Report Card, is considered the most consistent measure of U.S. student achievement over time and a lens into student success. The report released last month included findings for math and reading for grades four through eight.
Although Catholic school students experienced a statistically significant five-point drop in grade eight math, Catholic school students’ average scores remained 15 points higher than the average scores of their eighth grade public school peers. The data also shows that Catholic schools are near the top in learning outcomes for students receiving free and reduced-price lunch, demonstrating the system’s commitment to underprivileged students.
During the pandemic, more than 90 percent of Catholic schools opened safely five days a week with hybrid options compared to approximately 56 percent of public schools. Catholic schools also have increased in enrollment as reported in the NCEA Data Brief: 2021 – 2022 Catholic School Enrollment.
