Urban Catholic School enrollment down 27 percent in 20 years

Worse than even the national trend:

Nationwide, the number of students enrolled in urban religious schools declined by 18 percent to about 1.8 million between 1989 and 2006, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, an arm of the Department of Education.

Urban Catholic schools were hardest hit, losing 27 percent of their students since 1989, dropping to an enrollment of just over 1 million overall. The Archdiocese of Washington bowed to that trend last spring with the closure of seven of its schools. (DC Examiner)

The cause?

“Unlike 100 years ago, the [Catholic] Church has not made [schools] a top priority,” he added.

100 years ago, Catholic parents weren't contracepting the way they do now (so they had more kids to put through school), the number of religious sisters teaching in schools was dramatically higher, and parish schools never had to be sold off to pay for clergy abuse settlements .... so excuse me if I don't think this is simply a case of misplaced "priorities."

Whose numbers are up, you may wonder?

Of religious institutions, only Islamic and Jewish urban schools saw an increase in enrollment and total number of schools. More than 115,000 students are enrolled in urban Jewish schools, and more than 13,000 students in Islamic schools.

Trends.