Dear Friend of Catholic Education,
The LEAD Center for Catholic schools exists to be a support to Catholic schools throughout the country. Our areas of focus include publications, research, and professional development opportunities. I invite you to read on to learn about some of our resources and exciting plans for the future.

Publications
The LEAD Center continues its partnership with the NCEA Secondary Department in publishing quality documents for Catholic school educators. The most recent publication is Justice, Care and Diversity: Addressing the Needs of All Students in Catholic Secondary Schools. Edited by Edmundo F. Litton, Ed.D. And Shane Martin, Ph.D. of LMU, this resource is ideal for educators interested in practical ways to create a welcoming school climate. The new CD-Rom format makes this book even more accessible to everyone. To review or purchase this or other LEAD/ NCEA publications, just click on the title.

Research
A team of researchers in the LEAD Center continues to examine the impact of Catholic schools on ethnic minorities and students from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds in Los Angeles. Following up on its phase I report, entitled The Promise of Catholic Schools for Educating the Future of Los Angeles, the research team will examine the continuation rates of rising 9th grade students, and the retention and graduation rates of high school students. They will look at college acceptance and attendance rates for these students. Additionally, they will examine the difference a Catholic education has made in encouraging family and civic participation. This phase of the research will encompass more than 1,000 students in Catholic schools over a 10 year period.

Professional Development
Part of the LEAD Center’s mission is to provide quality inservice opportunities for Catholic schools in a variety of areas. The LEAD Center partners with numerous educational experts to provide Catholic school educators with researched-based and focused training opportunities. If you have a particular need, please contact the director for more information.

During Summer Session II the LEAD Center will sponsor a service learning workshop for K-12 Catholic educators. Please check back soon to receive detailed information about the workshop.