Catholic Schools On a Roll in Raleigh NC Diocese

Carolina Journal Catholic Schools On a Roll in Triangle: "Like all private and parochial schools in North Carolina, the schools of the Raleigh Diocese are required by state law to administer "nationally standardized" tests to students in third, sixth and ninth grade. The diocese has chosen the Iowa Test of Basic Skills as the benchmark test through eighth grade, and administers the test for each grade. Students' percentile rankings among other students nationwide taking the test are in the eighties. The schools' percentile rankings among other schools nationwide taking the test are in the nineties.

Fedewa says the tests are given in the fall, so that teachers can see the results and diagnose the strengths and weaknesses of their students. Instruction does not center around the tests, Fedawa said: There is "no high-stakes testing."

Tuition at the Catholic schools varies from $3,000 to $5,000 per year, Fedewa said. According to Immaculate Conception's Web site, tuition in the K-8 program (and in a pre-kindergarten program) varies according to various factors: from $5,294 for families unaffiliated with a Roman Catholic parish, to $4,015 for families affiliated specifically with Immaculate Conception parish (families who enrolled multiple children before 1999 get tuition discounts, but large families whose children enroll later than 1999 no longer get discounts). Financial aid is sometimes offered for poor families."
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A nice example of school success. So why don't we have a voucher program and allow the market to improve public schools?