CHICAGO (CNS) – The Archdiocese of Chicago’s strategic plan to keep its Catholic schools vital and viable emphasizes new management strategies, the need to find new funding and a strong focus on Catholic identity and excellent academics.

The plan highlights an issue facing Catholic schools nationwide: funding.

It calls for a capital campaign to establish a scholarship fund and raise money for capital needs and to maintain efforts to secure some public funding for Catholic education. It also stresses the need for increased partnerships with organizations that have supported Catholic schools, such as the Big Shoulders Fund, a Chicago foundation whose mission is to help Catholic schools in the neediest areas of Chicago.

The plan also reorganizes the Office of Catholic Schools by creating new senior management positions in the areas of Catholic identity, academics, operations and finance.