What Families Appreciate About the Consortium

In November 2025, Consortium families completed a second annual parent perceptual survey. The results gave us a valuable look at what families appreciate most about the Omaha Catholic School Consortium—and where they want to see continued growth. Across all six schools, one message came through clearly: our families believe deeply in the mission of Catholic education and want to see it thrive. 

Top Three Strengths of the Consortium

A Strong Foundation in Faith

The most consistent theme in the feedback from each school was that our Catholic identity was a major strength. Parents loved that their children are growing in faith each day, surrounded by strong values and supported by teachers and peers who encourage a relationship with Christ. 

Some statistics we are especially proud of:

• 96% of parents across Consortium schools agree that their school helps their child understand the Catholic faith and develop a relationship with Christ. (This was up 5.6% from the 2024-2025 parent survey results!)
• 93% of families say their school has a vibrant Catholic identity. (This was up 2.3% from last year!)

A Welcoming, Connected Community

Families also highlighted the strong sense of community. Many parents said they (and their children) feel a real sense of belonging, unity and teamwork across the six schools and 16 parishes. Several responses noted that it has become more noticeable how the schools support each other and offer opportunities to gather together. 

A few related data points:

• 94% of parents say their child feels like they belong to their school community. (This was up 2.1% from last year!)
• 92% of parents say they personally feel welcome in the school community. 
• 90% of parents agree that their school(s) foster healthy relationships regardless of cultural backgrounds.

Indeed, the diverse, yet inclusive, environment of our schools was noted many times, especially by bilingual respondents. 

Clear Communication and Support for Families

Parents also shared that they value how approachable and responsive the Consortium is. Specific feedback included consistent updates via email and staff members who listened and worked with them on their issue, including tuition assistance or other questions. Many said this level of communication helped them feel more connected and confident in their child’s school experience. 

Additional Strengths Families Recognized

While faith, community and communication were the most common themes, survey results from families showed some secondary themes: 

• Caring leadership and staff at both the school and central office levels
  • 92% of parents said they feel teachers/staff really care about their child. 
• Academic program support
  • 86% of parents agree that their school meets the instructional needs of their children. (This was the highest increase year-over-year in all questions on the parent survey). 
• Additional support for families, including:
  • Social and emotional resources at and outside of school 
    • 3 of 4 parents on average said they believe their school has appropriate and accessible resources for the social and emotional wellbeing of their child.
    • 81% of parents said their school has programs that help develop their child’s character.
  • Tuition assistance options 
    • $2.2 million provided in tuition assistance for the 2025-2026 school year.
    • Additional Central Office staff was hired in the last year to work more directly with families.
• Resource sharing

Continued Growth for the Consortium

Families also shared honest feedback about areas where they hope to see improvement. These themes were consistent across schools and give us clear direction for the work ahead:

• Increased tuition assistance opportunities 
• More academic and student‑support services, including mental health support and opportunities for advanced learners
• More clarity and transparency about how the Consortium operates, where tuition dollars are spent and what it funds at each school

We are grateful for this feedback, and we know it reflects our families’ desire for strong, stable Catholic schools. We appreciate the opportunity to lead and grow in ways that can benefit all students and contribute to the strength of our shared community.

As always, the Consortium remains committed to listening and serving as best we can. These survey results will guide us as we move forward in our strategic planning. Each school has plans to distribute its individual survey results to families to continue the conversation as well.

2026 State of the Schools Event

All Consortium families are also invited to attend the 2026 State of Schools program. Two presentations will be offered, one in Spanish on March 18 and one in English on March 24. During the evening, parents can learn more about:

• How the Consortium was formed, its mission and plans for the future
• Strategic plan progress to date
• Next steps with the parent survey results
• Funding model, the cost to educate and the role of the Central office

Parents can RSVP to attend either event, and you can contact the Consortium office or a school principal for more information. 

I am grateful to our parents and guardians for taking the time to offer their input.  We are working to live our mission at the highest level, and their insights are guiding lights for us.  It means a great deal to know that our students and families recognize these efforts to create strong communities of faith.  We are blessed to be on this journey together to ensure every child in our Consortium schools discovers their God-given potential and are equipped to carry that into the world. 

– Shannan Brommer, executive director