OUR MISSION

Our mission is to provide children with special needs the opportunity for an inclusive Catholic education in their local parochial schools. We welcome all children - those with and without special needs - to an inclusive Catholic education and to increase the capacity of the parochial schools within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to provide meaningful inclusion.

Learn about Our Work

INCLUSIVE CATHOLIC EDUCATION FOR ALL

Bringing inclusion to the City of Brotherly Love & Sisterly Affection

The Rising Together Alliance is a subdivision of the Foundation for Catholic Education and a chartered member of the Executive Board of Elementary Education for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

As Catholics, we are called to love all God’s children, yet students with disabilities are underserved in Catholic education. Only approximately 1% of the nation’s students with disabilities attend private schools, with 40% identified as Catholic. Meeting the needs of all children requires understanding inclusive education, removing financial barriers, and implementing inclusive educational practices.

A lack of funding in Catholic schools has been listed as the main barrier for inclusion. Given insufficient federal and state funds, parochial schools are left to seek out local funding sources and grants in order to serve their students with learning differences and are often unable to locate such funds. At the Rising Together Alliance, we are working to eliminate this financial barrier, as well as bring professional development in inclusive education to our teachers.

All children have God-given potential and human dignity, for they are made in His image. Catholic teachings are clear about this assertion and implore us to reach out to the margins and open our Catholic school doors so every child has a seat at the table.