[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 18 (Wednesday, January 31, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S312-S313]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 539--SUPPORTING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS 
IN THE UNITED STATES AND CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CATHOLIC 
                              SCHOOLS WEEK

  Mr. RUBIO (for himself and Mr. Casey) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 539

       Whereas Catholic schools in the United States are 
     internationally acclaimed for their academic excellence and 
     provide approximately 1,700,000 students with more than an 
     exceptional scholastic education;
       Whereas Catholic schools instill a broad, values-added 
     education emphasizing the lifelong development of moral, 
     intellectual, physical, and social values in young people in 
     the United States;
       Whereas Catholic schools serve the United States by 
     providing a diverse student population from all regions of 
     the United States and all socioeconomic backgrounds with a 
     strong academic and moral foundation, including 29.4 percent 
     of students from racial minority backgrounds, 18.8 percent 
     from Hispanic heritage, and 20.8 percent from non-Catholic 
     families, according to the 2023-2024 National Catholic 
     Education Association survey of elementary and secondary 
     Catholic schools in the United States;
       Whereas Catholic schools are an affordable option for 
     parents, particularly in underserved urban areas;
       Whereas Catholic schools produce students who are strongly 
     dedicated to their faith, values, families, and communities 
     by providing an intellectually stimulating environment that 
     promotes spiritual, character, and moral development;
       Whereas Catholic schools are committed to community 
     service, producing graduates who hold ``helping others'' 
     among their core values;
       Whereas the total Catholic school student enrollment for 
     the 2023-2024 academic year is 1,700,000, and the student-
     teacher ratio is 10 to 1, according to the 2023-2024 National 
     Catholic Education Association survey of elementary and 
     secondary Catholic schools in the United States;
       Whereas the Catholic high school graduation rate is 98.9 
     percent, with 85.2 percent of graduates attending 4-year 
     colleges;
       Whereas the week of January 28, 2024, to February 3, 2024, 
     has been designated as ``National Catholic Schools Week'' by 
     the National Catholic Educational Association and the United 
     States Conference of Catholic Bishops;

[[Page S313]]

       Whereas, this year, National Catholic Schools Week marks a 
     significant milestone and celebrates its 50th anniversary, 
     having been first established in 1974; and
       Whereas the theme for National Catholic Schools Week 2024 
     is ``Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community'', which 
     reflects the fact that Catholic schools, united in their 
     faith, expand beyond the walls of the classroom to envelop 
     the parents and families of students as integral parts of the 
     school community: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals of National Catholic Schools Week, 
     an event--
       (A) cosponsored by the National Catholic Educational 
     Association and the United States Conference of Catholic 
     Bishops; and
       (B) established to recognize the vital contributions of the 
     thousands of Catholic elementary and secondary schools in the 
     United States;
       (2) applauds the National Catholic Educational Association 
     and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on their 
     selection of a theme that all can celebrate; and
       (3) supports--
       (A) the dedication of Catholic schools, students, parents, 
     and teachers across the United States toward academic 
     excellence; and
       (B) the key role they play in promoting and ensuring a 
     brighter, stronger future for the United States.

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