Many principals of Roman Catholic schools are struggling to keep up with the myriad financial and administrative demands placed on them, according to a report. It recommends that they be given more focused duties—and that they form a nationwide association to press their policy concerns.
Those findings are included in a survey of about 1,700 principals of Catholic primary schools, which was directed by the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program at the University of Notre Dame. The results of the survey will be released soon by Information Age Publishing, program officials say.
While administrators at Catholic schools “are dedicated and faith-filled,” the authors say, “they are often frustrated and overwhelmed in their ministerial positions.”
When asked about the biggest area of need or challenge they faced, the greatest number of principals, 1,030, said enrollment, followed by financial management, 930; development, 463; marketing, 277; capital improvements, 229; maintaining affordability, 194; technology, 186; Catholic identity, 147; academic quality, 124; and long-range planning, 99.
