Students outperform public schools and perform on par with charters — at a fraction of the cost
NEW YORK – Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of New York once again demonstrated strong academic performance on the recently released New York State Education Department (NYSED) assessments for Grades 3–8. Students in Catholic schools across the archdiocese — which includes the boroughs of Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island, as well as counties to the north — continue to exceed averages in most schools in New York, achieving impressive results that reflect both academic rigor and faith-based formation.
In English Language Arts (ELA), nearly 70% of assessed students in Catholic schools within the Archdiocese of New York demonstrated proficiency — outperforming the 56.3% proficiency rate of New York City public schools and slightly exceeding the 67.5% rate of NYC charter schools. In Mathematics, approximately 67% of Catholic school students achieved proficiency, compared with 56.9% in NYC public schools and 68.6% in charter schools. These achievements are particularly noteworthy given that Catholic schools continue to educate each student at a fraction of the cost of their public and charter counterparts.
“These strong outcomes are a testament to the exceptional work taking place in our classrooms each day” said Sr. Mary Grace Walsh, ASCJ, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York in a letter to Catholic educators “Our students consistently outperform their public-school peers by wide margins, and our results stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those of New York City’s charter schools — a reflection of your professionalism, your deep care for your students, and the enduring strength of Catholic education.”
While celebrating this year’s strong results, Sr. Mary Grace also underscored the Archdiocese’s ongoing commitment to continuous growth and improvement: “The work of Catholic education is never static; it is a living expression of our faith in action — always striving, always growing, always guided by the light of Christ.”
Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of New York serve nearly 50,000 students across over 140 schools in Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, and the counties of Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, Ulster, and Orange. With a legacy of academic excellence and faith formation, these schools continue to educate the whole child — mind, body, and spirit — while maintaining some of the highest achievement levels in New York State.