This year’s Catholic Schools Rally is a special one. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the event has not been held in person for the last two years. Thankfully, schools and community members can once again gather together to express their gratitude for the Tax Credits as part of Arizona’s School Choice Legislation. The Rally will be at the Capital, as before in previous years, on February 1st, 2023.

What is Catholic School’s Week?

There are 5,938 Catholic Schools in the US and Catholic Schools Week is an annual celebration of school choice and the tax credits that support it. It is also a celebration of Catholic Education in general, which provides students with a high-quality education and provide them with Christian values they can carry for the rest of their life. Additionally, in Arizona 99.4% of Catholic high school students graduate and 97% of graduates matriculate to higher education, trade school or enter Military service. Based on the average cost per student in a public school of $14,455, Catholic schools provide $22.7 billion in savings to the nation each year. For these reasons and others, Catholic education deserves to be celebrated.

This year, Catholic Schools Week will be observed later this month from January 29th – February 4th. Communities in the United States have been observing this week that celebrates Catholic education since 1974, making this year the 49th Annual Catholic School’s Week. Each year, the celebration begins on the last Sunday in January and runs throughout the week. The Catholic Schools Week theme from 2021-2024 is “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.” This theme is further explained by the National Catholic Education Association, “Catholic schools have a specific purpose to form students to be good citizens of the world, love God and neighbor and enrich society with the leaven of the gospel and by the example of faith.”

How can I Participate?

Contact the Catholic school in your community to learn more about the events and activities they’re holding during the 2023 Catholic Schools Week. Another way to celebrate is by contributing your individual state tax liability to a child’s Catholic school scholarship through Catholic Education Arizona. To learn how you can create future leaders through Catholic Education Arizona, visit www.ceaz.org or call 602 691-5771.