Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Partners in Excellence

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Partners In Excellence (PIE) Scholarship Program?

For families who live in poverty, sending a child to a Catholic school often requires heroic sacrifices. PIE offers partial scholarships to those who meet eligibility requirements to help bridge the gap between what a family can pay and the cost of tuition. Most families pay an average of 60% of tuition ($5,700 for elementary school, $13,000+ for high school). PIE scholarships average approximately $2,000. Investment by the families is a key part of why the program works and why students are successful. Since 1996, over 28,000 scholarships worth more than $35 million have been awarded.

For the 2020-2021 school year, $1,329,450 was awarded to deserving PIE students in the form of 658 scholarships.

Who is a PIE Scholar?

Not every disadvantaged youth is the most appropriate candidate for the PIE Scholarship. A scholarship recipient is typically a student who:

Cannot afford a Catholic education without financial help.
May not always be at the designated grade level in reading/math literacy, but should be lagging by no more than 1 ½ to 2 years.
Has strong parental/guardian support as shown by their willingness to work with the school.
Lives in Baltimore City and has a Baltimore City zip code.

What is the selection process?

Families seeking tuition assistance must apply through FACTS Tuition Management, an independent third party, which verifies a family’s income and need. Once FACTS determines the need, a scholarship is made based upon the amount of funds available.

Having received a scholarship, students are eligible to re-apply each year. Priority is given to returning PIE Scholars, assuming that they continue to meet financial eligibility requirements, demonstrate academic growth and parental support remains strong.

It is imperative that families apply (or re-apply) to FACTS each year they wish to receive tuition assistance prior to the start of the school year. The deadline for the 2021-2022 school year is February 28, 2021!

Apply for FACTS HERE!

HOW CAN I SUPPORT PIE?

Volunteer with PIE
Create a Corporate Partnership With PIE
Give a gift to PIE

Tuition Assistance Scholarships

- Elementary PIE Scholarship- $1,000 – $3,750 ($2,000 average) scholarship for eligible elementary and middle school students. Eligibility will be based on financial need and Baltimore City residency, with a priority given to returning PIE Scholars.
- High School PIE Scholarship– $1,000 – $4,000 (@ $2,000 average) scholarships for eligible high school students attending Archbishop Curley High School and other high schools. Students must live in Baltimore City and meet financial eligibility requirements.

Endowment

- Tuition Assistance- Donors can establish a named endowment fund within the Catholic Community Foundation (a separate 501c3) with a commitment of $25,000 or greater. A named fund can benefit a specific school or the PIE program.
  -Donors can contribute any amount to the already established Partners In Excellence Endowment Fund within the Catholic Community Foundation. Currently, the Partners In Excellence Endowment Fund has a value of approximately $800,000.
- Program, Capital and Other Funding- Like a tuition assistance endowment described above, donors can establish a named fund in the Catholic Community Foundation with a $25,000 or greater commitment to support a variety of initiatives within our Catholic schools. Programs like STEM, Dual Language, and Montessori are excellent examples. Named endowments can also provide ongoing capital funding support for one or more schools. Additionally, a named fund can also support other school needs, like teacher salaries or professional development.

Non-scholarship School Funding

Programmatic & Curriculum Funding– Donors are able to focus their philanthropic support on educational initiatives that are important to them, like STEM, Dual-Language or Montessori. Funding of this nature has an immediate impact on particular schools, improving the educational experience for all students.
Capital Funding- The average age of our school facilities is now over 70 years, and capital projects have become an increasing burden on our schools. Donors who would like to contribute to the capital needs of a particular school – or a group of schools – will improve the educational environment for the students and improve safety and comfort for all.