Catholic K-12 Education
According to the National Catholic Educational Association, 150,000 teachers and support staff instruct nearly two million children in our nation’s Catholic schools. Before the 1960s most teaching positions were filled by vowed religious (nuns, friars, and priests who belonged to religious orders). Today lay men and women account for more than 97% of the Catholic school workforce.
Unlike most Catholic hospitals and universities, Catholic schools are typically operated directly by the Church. Elementary and Middle schools are generally operated by parishes, while high schools are more commonly operated by a diocese or sponsoring religious order. Because they are directly operated by the Church and charged with teaching religious doctrine to Catholic youth, the courts have exempted these schools from the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Act, citing the First Amendment’s absolute protections of religious freedom.
This exemption does NOT mean that teachers lack the right to form unions and bargain collectively, just that the National Labor Relations Board will not protect them from those that might violate their rights. The NLRB’s absence does not absolve the pastor, school board or principal from the Bishops’ injunction that “All the moral principles that govern the just operation of any economic endeavor apply to the Church and its agencies and institutions; indeed the Church should be exemplary (Economic Justice for All, 1986).”
Indeed, thousands of Catholic Schoolteachers across the United States have formed unions and established mutually rewarding collective bargaining relationships with individual Catholic schools or entire Diocesan school systems. Some belong to familiar unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO, while many others belong to an independent union, the National Association of Catholic School Teachers.
Catholic K-12 Education
According to the National Catholic Educational Association, 150,000 teachers and support staff instruct nearly two million children in our nation’s Catholic schools. Before the 1960s most teaching positions were filled by vowed religious (nuns, friars, and priests who belonged to religious orders). Today lay men and women account for more than 97% of the Catholic school workforce.
Unlike most Catholic hospitals and universities, Catholic schools are typically operated directly by the Church. Elementary and Middle schools are generally operated by parishes, while high schools are more commonly operated by a diocese or sponsoring religious order. Because they are directly operated by the Church and charged with teaching religious doctrine to Catholic youth, the courts have exempted these schools from the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Act, citing the First Amendment’s absolute protections of religious freedom.
This exemption does NOT mean that teachers lack the right to form unions and bargain collectively, just that the National Labor Relations Board will not protect them from those that might violate their rights. The NLRB’s absence does not absolve the pastor, school board or principal from the Bishops’ injunction that “All the moral principles that govern the just operation of any economic endeavor apply to the Church and its agencies and institutions; indeed the Church should be exemplary (Economic Justice for All, 1986).”
Indeed, in approximately 300 K-12 Catholic Schools across the across the United States, teachers have formed unions and established mutually rewarding collective bargaining relationships with individual Catholic schools or entire Diocesan school systems. Some belong to familiar unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO, while many others belong to an independent union, the National Association of Catholic School Teachers.
Below find hundreds of Catholic schools with unions representing teachers and other staff; if yours is missing, contact [email protected].
California
Archdiocese of San Francisco
AFT Local 2240
- Marin Catholic HS, Kentfield CA
- Sacred Heart Cathedral HS, San Francisco CA
- Archbishop Riordan HS, San Francisco CA
- Junipero Serra HS, San Mateo CA
Diocese of San Jose
AFT 2240
- Archbishop Mitty HS, San Jose CA
Connecticut
Archdiocese of Hartford
NACST, Greater Hartford Catholic Education Association
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- East Catholic HS, Manchester CT
- Northwest Catholic HS, West Hartford CT
- Sacred Heart High School, Waterbury CT
- Paul HS, Bristol CT
Missouri
Archdiocese of St. Louis
NACST, St. Louis Archdiocesan Teachers Association
- Cardinal Ritter College Preparatory
- Bishop DuBourg High School
- Rosati-Kain High School
- Marys High School
- Pius X High School
- Trinity Catholic High School
New Jersey
Archdiocese of Newark
LIUNA Local 305
- Immaculate Heart Academy, Washington Township, NJ
- Hudson Catholic Regional High School, Jersey City, NJ
- Mother Seton Regional High School, Clark, NJ
- Paramus Catholic High School, Paramus, NJ
- Roselle Catholic High School, Roselle, NJ
- Saint Joseph Regional High School, Montvale, NJ
- Union Catholic Regional High School, Scotch Plains, NJ
NACST
- St Joseph’s HS, West New York NJ
- Our Lady of Peace ES, Fords NJ
Diocese of Trenton
AFT
- Monsignor Donovan HS, Tom’s River NJ
NACST
- Holy Cross HS, Delran NJ
- St. Rose Grammar School, Belmar NJ
- St. John Vianney, Holmdel NJ
Diocese of Camden
NACST
- Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill NJ
- Holy Spirit High School, Absecon NJ
- Paul VI High School, Haddon Twp. NJ
- St. Joseph High School, Hammonton NJ
- Wildwood Catholic High School, Wildwood NJ
New York
Archdiocese of New York
OPEIU Local 153, Federation of Catholic Teachers
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- Blessed Sacrament, Staten Island NY
- Holy Rosary, Staten Island NY
- Monsignor Farrell HS, Staten Island NY
- Notre Dame Academy HS, Staten Island NY
- Our Lady Help of Christians, Staten Island NY
- Our Lady of Good Counsel, Staten Island NY
- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel/St. Benedicta, Staten Island NY
- Our Lady Queen of Peace, Staten Island NY
- Our Lady Star of the Sea, Staten Island NY
- Sacred Heart, Staten Island NY
- St. Adalbert, Staten Island NY
- St. Ann, Staten Island NY
- St. Charles, Staten Island NY
- St. Christopher, Staten Island NY
- St. Clare, Staten Island NY
- St. Joseph – St. Thomas, Staten Island NY
- St. Joseph by-the-Sea HS, Staten Island NY
- St. Patrick, Staten Island NY
- St. Peter’s Boys HS, Staten Island NY
- St. Peter-St. Paul, Staten Island NY
- St. Rita, Staten Island NY
- St. Teresa, Staten Island NY
- Dominican Academy HS, New York NY
- Epiphany, New York NY
- Guardian Angel, New York NY
- Immaculate Conception, New York NY
- LaSalle Academy HS, New York NY
- Notre Dame, New York NY
- Our Lady of Pompeii, New York NY
- Sacred Heart of Jesus, New York NY
- St. Brigid, New York NY
- St. Ignatius Loyola, New York NY
- St. Jean Baptiste HS, New York NY
- St. Joseph–Yorkville, New York NY
- St. Stephen of Hungary, New York NY
- St. Vincent Ferrer HS, New York NY
- Transfiguration, New York NY
- Ascension, New York NY
- Blessed Sacrament, New York NY
- Corpus Christi, New York NY
- Good Shepherd, New York NY
- Incarnation, New York NY
- Mount Carmel/Holy Rosary, New York NY
- Our Lady of Lourdes, New York NY
- Our Lady Queen of Angels, New York NY
- Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, New York NY
- St. Ann, New York NY
- St. Charles Borromeo, New York NY
- St. Elizabeth, New York NY
- St. Mark the Evangelist, New York NY
- St. Paul, New York NY
- St. Rose of Lima, New York NY
- Holy Cross, Bronx NY
- Holy Family, Bronx NY
- Immaculate Conception, Bronx NY
- Monsignor Scanlan HS, Bronx NY
- Our Lady of the Assumption, Bronx NY
- St. Anselm, Bronx NY
- St. Athanasius, Bronx NY
- St. Benedict, Bronx NY
- St. Frances de Chantal, Bronx NY
- St. John Chrysostom, Bronx NY
- St. Luke, Bronx NY
- St. Theresa, Bronx NY
- St. Thomas Aquinas, Bronx NY
- Christ The King, Bronx NY
- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Bronx NY
- Our Lady of Refuge, Bronx NY
- Sacred Heart, Bronx NY
- St. Angela Merici, Bronx NY
- St. Brendan, Bronx NY
- St. Gabriel, Bronx NY
- St. John, Bronx NY
- St. Joseph, Bronx NY
- St. Margaret Mary, Bronx NY
- St. Margaret of Cortona, Bronx NY
- St. Nicholas of Tolentine, Bronx NY
- St. Philip Neri, Bronx NY
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- Simon Stock, Bronx NY
- Holy Rosary, Bronx NY
- Immaculate Conception, Bronx NY
- Nativity of Our Blessed Lady, Bronx NY
- Our Lady of Grace, Bronx NY
- Santa Maria, Bronx NY
- Barnabas, Bronx NY
- Barnabas HS, Bronx NY
- Clare of Assisi, Bronx NY
- Francis of Assisi, Bronx NY
- Francis Xavier, Bronx NY
- Helena, Bronx NY
- Lucy, Bronx NY
- Raymond, Bronx NY
- Raymond Academy for Girls, Bronx NY
- Raymond High School for Boys, Bronx NY
- Philip and James, Bronx NY
- Annunciation, Crestwood NY
- Holy Name of Jesus, New Rochelle NY
- Immaculate Conception, Tuckahoe NY
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Pelham Manor NY
- Our Lady of Victory, Mt. Vernon NY
- Sacred Heart, Yonkers NY
- Sacred Heart HS, Yonkers NY
- Ann, Yonkers NY
- Anthony, Yonkers NY
- Eugene, Yonkers NY
- John the Baptist, Yonkers NY
- Joseph, Bronxville NY
- Paul the Apostle, Yonkers NY
- Peter, Yonkers NY
- The John Cardinal O’Connor School, Irvington-on-Hudson NY
- Corpus Christi/Holy Rosary, Port Chester NY
- Immaculate Heart of Mary, Scarsdale NY
- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Elmsford NY
- Our Lady of Sorrows, White Plains NY
- Resurrection, Rye NY
- Sacred Heart, Hartsdale NY
- Augustine, Ossining NY
- Columbanus, Cortlandt Manor NY
- Elizabeth Ann Seton, Shrub Oak NY
- Patrick, Bedford NY
- Patrick, Yorktown Heights NY
- John & Paul, Larchmont NY
- Transfiguration, Tarrytown NY
- Most Precious Blood, Walden NY
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Middletown NY
- Sacred Heart, Suffern NY
- Sacred Heart, Monroe NY
- Sacred Heart/St. Francis, Newburgh NY
- Anthony, Nanuet NY
- Gregory Barbarigo, Garnerville NY
- John S. Burke HS, Goshen NY
- John, Goshen NY
- Margaret, Pearl River NY
- Paul, Valley Cottage NY
- Stephen/St. Edward, Warwick NY
- Holy Trinity, Poughkeepsie NY
- Kingston Catholic, Kingston NY
- Denis/St. Columba, Hopewell Jct NY
- James the Apostle, Carmel NY
- Martin de Porres, Poughkeepsie NY
- Mary, Fishkill NY
- Mary, Wappingers Falls NY
- Peter, Poughkeepsie NY
- Peter’s Regional, Liberty NY
LIUNA Local 255, Lay Faculty Association
- Cardinal Hayes HS, Bronx NY
- Cathedral HS, Manhattan NY
- Moore Catholic HS, Staten Island NY
- Cardinal Spellman HS, Bronx NY
- Archbishop Stepinac HS, White Plains NY
- Maria Regina HS, Hartsdale NY
AFT
- St. Dominic’s Home, Blauvelt NY
Diocese of Albany
AFT
- Christian Brothers Academy, Albany NY
- Lasalle Institute, Troy NY
Diocese of Brooklyn
LIUNA Local 255, Lay Faculty Association
- Bishop Loughlin HS, Brooklyn NY
- Bishop Kearney, Brooklyn NY
- Archbishop Molloy Brooklyn NY
- St. Edmunds , Brooklyn NY
- Nazareth Regional HS, Brooklyn NY
Diocese of Buffalo
NACST, Diocesan Elementary Schools Association
- Catholic Academy of West Buffalo, Buffalo NY
- Holy Family, Buffalo NY
- St. Agatha, Buffalo NY
- St. Agnes, Buffalo NY
- St. Ambrose, Buffalo NY
- St. Bernard, Buffalo NY
- St. Mark, Buffalo NY
- St. Martin, Buffalo NY
- St. Thomas Aquinas, Buffalo NY
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Orchard Park NY
- St. Bernadette, Orchard Park NY
- St. Andrew, Kenmore NY
- St. Paul, Kenmore NY
- Queen of Heaven, West Seneca NY
- St. Bonaventure, West Seneca NY
- Our Mother of Good Counsel, Bladgell NY
- St. Barnabas, Depew NY
- St. Gregory the Great, Williamsville NY
- St. Leo the Great, Eggertsville NY
- St. Mary’s Swormville, E. Amherst NY
NACST, Secondary Lay Teachers Association
- Buffalo Diocesan Secondary Schools
Diocese of Rockville Centre
LIUNA Local 1261, Lay Faculty Association
- Holy Trinity HS, Hicksville NY
- Bishop McGann – Mercy High School, Riverhead NY
- St. John the Baptist High School, West Islip NY
- Sacred Heart Academy, Hempstead NY
Diocese of Syracuse
AFT
- Christian Brothers Academy, Syracuse NY
Ohio
Diocese of Columbus
Central Ohio Association of Catholic Educators (COACE)
- Bishop Hartley HS
- Bishop Ready HS
- Bishop Watterson HS
- St Charles HS
- St Francis de Sales HS
Diocese of Cleveland
NACST, Cleveland High School and Academy Lay Teachers Association (CHALTA)
- Lake Catholic HS
- Cleveland Central Catholic HS
- Villa Angela-St. Joseph HS
- Holy Name HS
- Elyria Catholic HS
Diocese of Youngstown
Youngstown Confederation of Diocesan Teachers
- St. Charles ES
- Holy Family ES
- St. Nicholas ES
- St. Christine’s ES
- St. Joseph-Immaculate Heart of Mary ES
- St. Patrick in Hubbard ES
- Cardinal Mooney HS
- Central Catholic HS
- John F. Kennedy Upper Campus HS
- Thomas Aquinas HS
- Ursuline HS
Pennsylvania
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
NACST Local 1776, Association of Catholic Teachers
- Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast HS
- Archbishop Carroll HS
- Conwell-Egan HS
- John W. Hallahan HS
- Holy Cross HS
- Saint Hubert HS
- Father Judge HS
- Lansdale Catholic HS
- Little Flower HS
- Bishop McDevitt HS
- Saints John Neumann & Maria Goretti HS
- Cardinal O’Hara HS
- Pope John Paul II HS
- Archbishop Prendergast HS
- Roman Catholic HS
- Archbishop Ryan HS
- Bishop Shanahan HS
- West Catholic HS
- Archbishop Wood HS
Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
NACST
- Bishop Carroll HS, Edensburg PA
- Bishop Guilfoyle HS, Altoona PA
- Bishop McCort HS, Johnstown PA
Diocese of Greensburg
NACST
- Geibel Catholic Junior-Senior HS, Connellsville PA
- Greensburg Central Catholic Junior-Senior HS, Greensburg PA
Diocese of Pittsburgh
NACST, Federation of Pittsburgh Diocesan Teachers (FPDT)
- Bishop Canevin
- Blessed Sacrament
- Butler Catholic
- Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic
- Central Catholic
- Christ The Divine Teacher Academy
- East Catholic
- Holy Trinity
- John F. Kennedy
- Oakland Catholic
- Our Lady of Fatima
- Our Lady of Grace
- Quigley Catholic
- Serra Catholic
- Seton LaSalle
- St. Agnes
- St. Alexis
- St. Alphonsus
- St. Anthony
- St. Bartholomew
- St. Bernadette
- St. Bernard
- St. Bonaventure
- St. Elizabeth
- St. Gabriel
- St. John Bosco
- St. John The Baptist, Unity
- St. Joseph
- St. Louise De Marillac
- St. Malachy
- St. Maria Goretti
- St. Mary
- St. Patrick
- St. Sebastian
- St. Sylvester
- St. Teresa
- St. Therese
- St. Thomas More
- St. Vitus
IBT Local 26
- School at McGuire Memorial, New Brighton PA