As we settle into the winter months, we look ahead to the next school year and planning. Details like next year’s academic calendar and just as important, when spring break will be, need to be determined well in advance of the actual dates. One such detail that takes significant planning is next year’s budget. There are so many factors that go into the GRACE budget, some we can control, others we can only estimate. The two items we spend a considerable amount of time on each year are tuition rates and employee compensation.
I can assure you there is so much more that goes into determining tuition rates than just an arbitrary percentage increase. The GRACE Finance Committee analyzes tuition and regularly discusses various options to ensure affordable tuition for our families. These past several years have been challenging in so many ways for our families as everyday necessities like food and gas have increased at a higher rate than cost of living increases. We are very sensitive to the fact that increases in tuition can become a barrier for middle class families as they experience financial struggles in the current economy. Over the last several years, we have implemented annual increases in tuition of 4% and last year we made an inflationary increase of 6%. For the 2024-2025 school year we are committing to increasing tuition only 2.5% and it is our hope that we can target the same 2.5% increase for the 2025-2026 school year. It is our commitment that the cost of Catholic education is not a barrier to families who desire Catholic education for their children. We have many resources to help make Catholic education affordable so please take a look at the “Navigating Tuition Affordability” section of this newsletter. We would also like to hear from you any ideas you may have to ensure the cost of tuition is not a barrier for your family.
Regarding compensation, GRACE has completed a compensation study which has enabled us to better understand where we have some gaps, but also where we are doing well. We have implemented the first phase of our compensation plan and will continue to strategically elevate compensation with resources available as we are committed to this initiative as outlined in our GRACE Strategic Plan. In addition to providing fair wages, we have a solid benefits package with affordable health insurance, a competitive retirement contribution, employee tuition discounts, YMCA reduced membership fees, and discounted childcare for employees with children in our GRACE Little Saints program, to name a few. Added to the monetary benefits are the benefits of working in faith filled, safe schools with engaged family and church communities.
GRACE is blessed to be in a fiscally healthy state more than 10 years after being formed. We have accomplished this through the responsible use of funds as well as thoughtful stewardship of revenue opportunities. Since GRACE was formed we have been able to shift our revenue structure from being heavily reliant on parish support to diversifying into the Choice program and increasing development revenue through the annual appeal, grants and stewardship of generous donors committed to Catholic education. This has enabled us to open our doors to more students, decrease our reliance on parish support and site fundraising while also increasing the amount of funds available for compensation, technology, facility upgrades and rent. We have also been able to invest in staff development and educational resources to ensure we are providing high quality education for all of our students. Over the years we have centralized resources, increased buying power and implemented strategic planning and execution. We will continue to evaluate our long term goals and look for ways to provide fiscal stability for the long term health of our system, providing Catholic education for generations to come.
The Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) School System consists of nine schools. We focus on the development of each student grounded in our foundation of Catholic faith for grades PK3-10.
Our mission continues to evolve in these unique times as we embrace new technologies, deliver innovative teaching and learning strategies, and hire exceptional faculty and staff dedicated to the vocation of education. Our current GRACE Strategic Plan outlines action steps in the areas of faith, academics, vitality and experience that have assisted us to enjoy enrollment growth over the past five years.
Please know you are always welcome to visit our schools to learn more about our offerings and the culture that makes each of our GRACE schools unique. The rewards of a Catholic education are endless. The gift of a Catholic education prepares your child and will remain with them throughout their life. Learn more about us here.
