Our Impact
Numbers tell the story of our impact.
Results matter. See how we’ve transformed lives and hear from parents, educators, and partners Seton serves across the country.
Achieving Academic Excellence
Brilla was the third highest performing school out of all New York state elementary schools serving a similar composition of children.
Brilla scholars grew 1.5 times faster than the national average in both reading and math.
77% of Romero scholars made one or more years of growth in math and 78% in reading.
96 percent of third-grade scholars at our Ohio Catholic blended learning schools met Ohio’s Third Grade Reading Guarantee—a 32 percent increase from the pre-Seton average.
Achieving Academic Excellence
Brilla was the third highest performing school out of all New York state elementary schools serving a similar composition of children.
Brilla scholars grew 1.5 times faster than the national average in both reading and math.
77% of Romero scholars made one or more years of growth in math and 78% in reading.
96 percent of third-grade scholars at our Ohio Catholic blended learning schools met Ohio’s Third Grade Reading Guarantee—a 32 percent increase from the pre-Seton average.
Building the Church Family
236 El Camino Disciples have been baptized into the Catholic Church, with nearly as many receiving the sacraments of reconciliation and first communion.
12 El Camino Disciples have received the sacrament of confirmation.
66 percent of families attend church more often since enrolling in El Camino.
Four-fifths of parents say they pray more as a family because of El Camino.
Building the Church Family
214 El Camino disciples have been baptized into the Catholic Church, and even more have received the sacraments of reconciliation and first communion.
3 El Camino Disciples have received the sacrament of confirmation.
66 percent of families attend church more often since enrolling in El Camino.
Four-fifths of parents say they pray more as a family because of El Camino.
Nurturing Good Character
70 percent of Brilla parents report that their children repeatedly demonstrate behavior in line with our four core virtues.
Zero Brilla have been scholars expelled since founding.
85 percent of parents report their children behave better because of El Camino.
Nurturing Good Character
70 percent of Brilla parents report that their children repeatedly demonstrate behavior in line with our four core virtues.
Zero Brilla scholars have been expelled since founding.
85 percent of parents report their children behave better because of El Camino.
Honoring Parents as First Educators
100 percent attendance at parent-teacher conferences (held three times per year) since Brilla’s founding.
Honoring Parents as First Educators
100 percent attendance at parent-teacher conferences (held three times per year) since Brilla’s founding.
Defying Trends
Enrollment increased over 20 percent at our Catholic blended learning partner schools.
Defying Trends
Enrollment increased over 20 percent at our Catholic blended learning partner schools.
Cultivating Gifts
100 percent of Seton Teaching Fellows agree or strongly agree that they “grew as a whole person during” their fellowship.
94 percent of Fellows currently use the professional skills they gained during their fellowship.
100 percent of Fellows are fully employed, in graduate school or enter religious life the same year they finish their fellowship.
Two-thirds of Fellows stay in education after they serve.
Cultivating Gifts
100 percent of Seton Teaching Fellows agree or strongly agree that they “grew as a whole person during” their fellowship.
94 percent of Fellows currently use the professional skills they gained during their fellowship.
100 percent of Fellows are fully employed, in graduate school or enter religious life the same year they finish their fellowship.
Two-thirds of Fellows stay in education after they serve.
Beyond the Numbers
We know it’s not all about the numbers. Hear from the families we serve, our colleagues who teach, and the partners who support us.
From Parents
“Did you teach him how to pray? He prays every night now even by himself. I love coming into his room to hear him.” – Parent of an El Camino Kindergartener
“I have seen my child grow from a boy to a man with El Camino.” – Parent of an El Camino Fifth Grader
“Believing in God is the most important thing for children. My daughter talks about God because of El Camino, and I love that.” – Parent of an El Camino Kindergartner
“Before El Camino, my daughter was a C student. Now she’s an A and B student. When she was at El Camino, she learned how to deal with her anger. Her grades went up dramatically.” – Ikema Lang, Parent of an El Camino Fourth Grader
“New York City is busy—it’s chaotic and it’s crazy. And it just felt like something was missing. When my children started going to El Camino, it really brought prayer back into our lives again. We’re really grateful for El Camino.” – Stephanie Forbes, Parent of an El Camino Second and Fourth Grader
“My children now remind me to pray more than I remind them.” – Parent of an El Camino First Grader
“My daughter never stops talking about how much she has learned about God. The best decision I have made was enrolling Alessandra at Brillante Academy & having her be a part of the El Camino Program. She has learned so much about God in such little time & she is now being an example for not just myself, but for her siblings. Thank you.” – Parent of an El Camino Disciple at Brillante
“The program offers not only religious instruction, but true love and support. We appreciate the sincere love from all the Fellows. ❤️” – Parent of an El Camino Third Grader
From Educators
“Seton, it has been a blessing to grow with you. Thank you for all you have done for our kids.” – Sister Claudia Carrillo, Principal at Immaculate Conception School, Chicago, IL
From Partners
Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, Archdiocese of New York
I know and I can attest to you the effectiveness of Seton Education Partners. I see it in action in our own schools here in the Bronx—some of the toughest neighborhoods around. A creative, innovative organization continuing the Church’s great legacy of teaching. I love it!
Kathy Hamel, partner, Charter School Growth Fund
Beyond Brilla’s outstanding academic results, what especially attracted Charter School Growth Fund to Brilla is its unique approach to educating the whole child. Many charter schools pay lip service to social-emotional learning and character education—Brilla weaves this work into all aspects of its school days, its staff hiring and training, and its work with parents.
Father Gene Contadino, pastor, St. Francis de Sales Parish, Cincinnati, OH
Our school’s partnership with Seton enriched the relationship between teachers and scholars, and opened doors for both groups to travel new and challenging learning paths. As pastor, I received timely and excellent feedback regarding the progress of our students as well as our teachers. Seton staff were down-to-earth and helpful when it came to evaluations and what I could do to give our teachers the boost everyone needs from time to time. Seton is a real gift to our scholars and our teachers.
Dr. Timothy McNiff, former Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of New York
During my tenure as School Superintendent for the Archdiocese of New York, our Catholic school system was fortunate to form an alliance with Seton Education Partners, and specifically with their Brilla College Prep Charter School and El Camino Faith Formation Program. Given the economic challenges of sustaining Catholic education in New York City for thousands of disadvantaged children, and our lamentation in closing many schools as a result of that reality, Seton quickly became a ray of light and hope for the archdiocese.
Their mission, to provide an academically superior, character building, and faith nurturing education for those who choose it was completely aligned with our goals. Their academic results, which speak for themselves, are particularly impressive when benchmarked against a school community where 90% live below the poverty line and approximately 20% of the children have special learning needs.
Those results, coupled with the intimate partnerships they established with their parents, represents the cohesiveness that makes the Brilla charter school and El Camino Faith Formation Program such a wonderful story to share and support.
Dr. Kevin Baxter, former Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Our whole goal was to rethink Catholic education, and so we were interested in being innovative and creative. Seton has an established track record and good data to demonstrate effectiveness and growth. We were extremely excited to partner with them.
Dr. Jim Rigg, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of Chicago
The results that Seton helped accomplish both in Chicago and Cincinnati when I was there have propelled the schools forward. Not only that, they have helped me think differently about my role as superintendent.
Seton has a strong vision for what constitutes academic excellence. It’s backed up with good data from their national research as well as what they collect from their own schools. They see immediate returns with their students. And it’s helped me and the other dioceses in which they’re located create a concrete vision for the future—a future founded upon academic excellence and innovation.
Peter Simon, Co-Chairman, William E. Simon Foundation
The William E. Simon Foundation has been proud to partner with Seton since its founding. Their business-like approach to operating both traditional Catholic schools and their charter network, ensuring that faith and character building are creatively integrated into their academically-focused classrooms, has benefited countless students. One of our best investments.
Louis V. Gerstner Jr., retired chief executive officer and chairman of the board, IBM Corporation
Seton’s pioneering school model serves the neediest among us, and at the same time solves the challenge of financial sustainability for whole-child education. Seton has been a high-impact investment.
Brendan J. Cassin, founder and chairman, Cassin Educational Initiative Foundation
Seton is bringing quality, character-building education to underserved communities. Seton is a beam of hope to many families who have had limited quality education opportunities.
Joseph Womac, executive director, Specialty Family Foundation
The unique thing about Seton is not the number of schools they partner with, although that is important. What matters most is the ripple effect. By being so intentional about student outcomes, they have far-reaching influence. Seton has had a great effect on other schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles where we work—especially on schools that have converted to or are thinking about converting to a blended learning model. We have learned a lot from seeing Seton’s implementation in action, giving us a template for how to construct a well-organized and well-thought-out program in blended learning and through other innovative approaches.
Before, we could only hypothesize about whether something like blended learning would work in Catholic schools. Now we know. Seton has proven that it can be done. I firmly believe Seton provides a solution to Catholic schools with uncertain futures.
