Top 50 Catholic High Schools Announced for 2007

Grand Rapids, Mich., Oct 18, 2007 / 05:13 am

The Catholic High School Honor Roll announced its fourth annual selection of the top 50 Catholic secondary schools in the United States.  The Honor Roll recognizes and encourages excellence in Catholic secondary education and is a critical resource for parents and educators.  It honors those schools that excel in three specific categories:  academic excellence, Catholic identity, and civic education.

This year’s list includes 11 new honorees as well as 11 schools that have earned recognition each of the past four years. Honorees range from newcomer schools such as the Heights School in Potomac, Maryland, to repeat honorees such as All Hallows High School in the Bronx and Brother Rice High School in Chicago.  The state of Texas again led with 6 schools selected, followed by California, Florida, and Michigan with 4 schools each. 9 different religious orders sponsor honorees, including the Christian Brothers, Marists, Dominicans, Legionaries of Christ, Jesuits, and Norbertines.

The Honor Roll is produced in consultation with a national advisory board comprised of Catholic college presidents and noted Catholic scholars.  Advisory board member Rev. John Schlegel, President of Creighton University, said the Honor Roll is significant for Catholic education.  “Catholic High schools that excel at forming students in the faith and at teaching them to think critically and act virtuously are a great asset to the Church,” he said. “Not only do these schools deserve to be recognized, but they should also be imitated by all Catholic schools.”

All of America’s nearly 1,300 Catholic high schools were invited to apply to the Honor Roll by completing three detailed surveys, indicating that inclusion in the Honor Roll requires exceptional merit in each of the areas measured. This balanced approach assesses a school’s adherence to the Church’s educational calling, where the best schools offer more than the strong academic preparation.  The best schools also have vibrant Catholic identities and offer sound civic training that help prepare students to live their faith in the world.

About The Catholic High School Honor Roll

The Honor Roll is an annual list of the top 50 Catholic high schools in the United States, where schools are examined on the criteria of academic excellence, Catholic identity, and civic education.  The Honor Roll is a powerful resource for parents and a great opportunity for schools to receive much deserved recognition. 

The primary goal of the Honor Roll is to encourage schools to educate students as effectively as possible, in a way that integrates Catholic faith and prepares students for active engagement with the world. As a constructive competition, the Honor Roll provides insight into the character of Catholic secondary education and calls everyone to improve the academic and spiritual formation given to America’s youth. In promoting rigorous education, the Honor Roll desires to better prepare students for fruitful vocations in politics, business, and the Church.

The Catholic High School Honor Roll is an independent project of the Acton Institute, an international research and educational organization. The Honor Roll was produced in consultation with a national advisory board comprised of Catholic college presidents and noted Catholic scholars. For more on Acton, please go to www.acton.org.