Catholic Academy in Brooklyn to Close Due to Low Enrollment and Financial Struggles
Background
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy in Sunset Park will permanently close at the end of the school year in June, its Board of Trustees announced last week. The K-8 academy has been facing "unsustainable enrollment and financial trends" for the last five years, according to the Diocese of Brooklyn.
Declining Enrollment
The school has dealt with declining enrollment for at least five years. In 2020, 174 students attended OLPH. During the 2024-25 school year, just 111 students attended, and only 85 were enrolled for the upcoming year. With enrollment so low, OLPH would have been spending more than twice the cost of tuition on each student, per the Diocese — tuition runs $5,500, and the per-student expenditure would have been $11,600.
Efforts to Save the School
The Diocese conducted a "thorough analysis" to see if the school could be saved, said Deacon Kevin McCormack, superintendent of Catholic schools in Brooklyn and Queens. But the "pattern of student enrollment" and the academy’s financial situation made recovery impossible.
Closure and Transition
The school year will finish as planned, and students will still receive their First Communion and Confirmation. The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the church attached to the school, will stay open.
Support for Students and Faculty
The Diocese will work with OLPH families to ensure students can be relocated to nearby Catholic schools. St. Ephrem Catholic Academy, our closest partner school, has been especially generous in preparing to welcome our students and keep the spirit of OLPH alive. We are committed to assisting every family in furthering their child’s education in a Catholic setting.
Impact on Faculty and Staff
About 13 teachers are currently employed at OLPH, per the school’s website. John Quaglione, a spokesperson for the Brooklyn Diocese, said teachers seeking positions at other Diocesan elementary schools "will receive support" in their applications, and said all principals are asked to give priority to faculty and staff of a school that is closing.
Conclusion
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy’s closure is the latest in a series of Catholic school closures in Brooklyn. The school’s struggles are a reflection of the broader challenges facing Catholic schools across the country, including declining enrollment and financial struggles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy closing?
A: The school is closing due to low enrollment and financial struggles.
Q: What will happen to the students and faculty?
A: The Diocese will work with OLPH families to ensure students can be relocated to nearby Catholic schools. Teachers will receive support in their job applications, and all principals are asked to give priority to faculty and staff of a school that is closing.
Q: What is the future of the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help?
A: The Basilica will stay open.
Q: What is the current enrollment at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy?
A: There are currently 85 students enrolled at the academy.
