Donations to independent schools made significant gains last school year, according to a soon-to-be released report on private giving to education.
In a survey of 415 independent schools, the New York City-based Council for Aid to Education found that voluntary support rose to an average of $1.61 million per school in the 1994-95 year, from $1.46 million the year before, an increase of 10 percent.
Individuals, businesses, and philanthropic organizations all gave substantially more to private primary and secondary schools last year. Among schools surveyed the last two years, alumni giving rose 20.5 percent, corporate donations rose 28.6 percent, and foundation gifts rose 18.6 percent, according the report.
Although the results are based on a relatively small sampling, experts say the trends reflect overall continued confidence in the economy and more aggressive fund raising by schools.
“The schools are making a larger investment in development now that tuition has really peaked,” said James. T. Kaull, the director of business and development services at the Washington-based National Association of Independent Schools.
The council’s full report, “Voluntary Support of Education 1995,” will be available for $65 by the end of June from the Council for Aid to Education, 342 Madison Ave., Suite 1532, New York, N.Y. 10173.
Playing a round of golf with his new Father’s Day clubs will take more time than the typical dad spends talking with his children each week.
Recognizing this fact of modern life, the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools is promoting a new booklet, “Dads and Their Daughters,” to celebrate Father’s Day all year long. The group represents 79 all-female schools across the country.
In the 16-page booklet, six fathers explain how they have worked “quality” time with their daughters into their busy lives.
“We started looking for fathers who made a priority of it, and who were aware that daughters don’t get as much attention and were involved in trying to even the playing field,” Alicia DeNicola, the booklet’s editor, said.
Ms. DeNicola pointed to studies that estimate the average father spends less than 30 minutes with his children each week, and she said psychologists suspect that daughters often receive less attention from their fathers than sons.
“Dads and Their Daughters” becomes available on Father’s Day, June 16. Copies may be purchased for $4.50 from the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools, 228 Main St., Concord, Mass. 01742.
--Jeff Archer
e-mail: jarcher@epe.org
