Catholic Schools Note 'Unanticipated' 2-Percent Drop in Student Enrollment

This year, enrollments in Catholic elementary and secondary schools underwent an unanticipated decline of 68,000 students, according to a new report by the National Catholic Educational Association (ncea).

The 2.2-percent decline, lowering total enrollment in Catholic schools to 3,026,000, is the largest since 1979-80, officials said; the loss of 27,000 high-school students is the greatest since 1972-73.

The decline was "not anticipated," according to the ncea, which compiles the...