What is the brief history / purpose of the Cristo Rey model of high schools in the USA?
The first Cristo Rey High School in the USA was begun in 1996 in a poor area of south Chicago. This happened after members of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), under the leadership of Father John Foley, S.J., were motivated to do something about the need to provide college-prep secondary Catholic education for financially disadvantaged students —- many of whom were at risk. Twelve years later, there are currently 22 Cristo Rey schools in operation around the USA and 4 more in the preparation stage to become Cristo Rey Schools (like ICA is now). Most of these CR schools have begun “from scratch” and are start-up schools. A few, like ICA, are called “conversion schools” because they were already in existence and changed to become a Cristo Rey school. Essentially, the purpose of schools in the Cristo Rey Network is to help motivated students who want to succeed but who face great financial challenges to be able to attend a quality, Catholic secondary school in a college-prep environment.
