| − | A '''parochial school''' is a private elementary school run by the [[Catholic Church]]. Since the 1960s the number of students in parochial schools in the [[United States]] has been declining, and many have closed. | + | A '''parochial school''' is a private elementary or high school run by a churck; Most are operated by the [[Catholic Church]], but Lutherans, Reformed and Jews operate some schools. |
| | The number of students in Catholic schools is only 2.27 million, compared with 5.25 million in the 1960s. Now there are only 7,378 '''parochial school'''s, while in the 1960s there were 12,893.<ref>http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CATHOLIC_SCHOOL_CLOSURES?SITE=NCAGW&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT</ref> | | The number of students in Catholic schools is only 2.27 million, compared with 5.25 million in the 1960s. Now there are only 7,378 '''parochial school'''s, while in the 1960s there were 12,893.<ref>http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CATHOLIC_SCHOOL_CLOSURES?SITE=NCAGW&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT</ref> |
| | [[Catholic]] nuns ("sisters") traditionally filled many of teaching positions at parochial schools, particularly at the elementary school level. In 1965, 104,000 teaching sisters educated students in parochial schools in the [[United States]]. By 2007, that number had declined by 94%, such that there are only 8,200 teaching sisters.<ref>Hilary White, "Vatican Cardinal Criticizes U.S. for not Funding Catholic Schools," The Wanderer, pp. 1 and 7, Vol. 140, No. 49 (Dec. 6, 2007).</ref> | | [[Catholic]] nuns ("sisters") traditionally filled many of teaching positions at parochial schools, particularly at the elementary school level. In 1965, 104,000 teaching sisters educated students in parochial schools in the [[United States]]. By 2007, that number had declined by 94%, such that there are only 8,200 teaching sisters.<ref>Hilary White, "Vatican Cardinal Criticizes U.S. for not Funding Catholic Schools," The Wanderer, pp. 1 and 7, Vol. 140, No. 49 (Dec. 6, 2007).</ref> |