By The California Catholic Conference
The California Catholic school superintendents met in April for their in-person gathering at El Carmelo Retreat Center in Redlands. The gathering offered an opportunity for prayer, formation, collaboration, and strategic discussion focused on the future of Catholic education in California.
The meeting opened with a spiritual formation led by Brother Keith Warner of the University of San Diego. Rooted in the Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi, the formation reflected on St. Francis’s call before the crucifix—listening, praying, and rebuilding. Brother Keith encouraged participants to embrace a spirit of action grounded in faith and reminded leaders of the Church’s ongoing call to communion, participation, and mission. The reflections emphasized pastoral leadership as a journey of ongoing conversion and highlighted practical Franciscan approaches to accompaniment and service in Catholic education today.
In addition to the formation, the superintendents engaged in discussions focused on innovation and student outcomes. Renaissance Learning delivered a presentation showcasing its new AI-integrated platform, which consolidates multiple learning systems into a single comprehensive resource for schools. California Catholic schools now have more than 10 years of longitudinal data from Renaissance Learning, offering valuable insights into formative and summative student learning outcomes statewide.
The meeting also featured important discussions about the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit and the opportunities it may offer students and families across California. The superintendents were honored to welcome Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Marc Trudeau, Chair of the California Catholic Conference’s Education Committee, and San Diego Auxiliary Bishop Felipe Pulido.
Representatives from the American Federation for Children provided an overview of the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, including implementation planning and considerations for Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) preparation. The superintendents also heard from Superintendent Paul Escala of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, as well as Sean Peterson of Catholic Education Partners and Reficio SGO, who shared insights into efforts to expand educational opportunity and the strategic planning underway nationally and in California.
Above all, the meeting provided Catholic education leaders with an opportunity to come together in prayer and collaboration, focusing on the formation of lay leadership within Catholic schools and on thoughtful preparation for future opportunities to strengthen educational access, sustainability, and student success throughout California.