While other books have dealt exclusively with the history of Catholic schools or list the institutions, this set provides encyclopedic coverage, including mission and identity, types of institutions, major figures and associations, curriculum, administration, governance, finance, legal questions, and more. Although the encyclopedia is strong on history, it also covers current issues, such as the No Child Left Behind Act.
Preceding the A-Z portion are two lists of entries, one alphabetical and the other topical. A historical overview of Catholic schools in the U.S. follows, mentioning some of the main movements and controversies, such as attendance by non-Catholics. The second volume has a lengthy bibliography.
The 304 alphabetical, signed entries range in length from half a page to nine pages. Each concludes with cross-references and a bibliography. Occasional black-and-white photographs (usually from university collections) illustrate people and events. Coverage seems somewhat uneven. For instance, the entry on the Alliance for Catholic Education (a teacher-preparation organization at the University of Notre Dame, which one of the set's editors directs) is several pages in length. On the other hand, there are no entries on school librarianship or associated organizations, such as the Catholic Library Association or its publication Catholic World. There are no separate entries for teaching orders; instead, they are described as a whole in Religious orders of men and Religious orders of women. The entry Diversity focuses just on ethnic minorities, ignoring students with special needs.
Writing appears to reflect mainstream U.S. Catholic thought. Even though the work is not exhaustive or entirely well balanced, it does provide valuable one-stop information on many aspects of K-12 Catholic education as it is practiced. Recommended for academic and large public libraries. Lesley Farmer
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Review
"One of the most successful and effective ministries of the Catholic Church is that of Catholic education. In addition to the Catholic Church, Catholic schools have made and continue to make tremendous contributions to the civic life in the United States. Thomas C. Hunt, Ellis A. Joseph, and Robald J. Nuzzi have provided a valuable and rich reference tool on all aspects of Catholic education. No volume currently exists that addresses various topics related to Catholic education on such a comprehensive scale."-Daniel F. Curtin, Executive Director, Chief Administrators of Catholic Education National Catholic Educational Association
