Over the last decade, Louisiana increased its private school enrollment from 16.6 percent (2001) to 19.1 percent. These figures make the state third in private school enrollment nationwide, just behind Hawaii and Delaware. Jefferson Parish had the most children attending private school at 36.6 percent.

Many would think that enrollment in private schools would drop given the economic downturn, yet some attribute the growth to the strong relationship between Catholic and independent schools.

“I feel like we are authentically Catholic,” said Jan Lancaster, superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. “Parents want schools that are faith-based and that have a proven track record with academic excellence. I think that is the culture here.”

View the chart below to see where states rank in private school enrollment:

Read the full article here. What do you think? Are parents seeking private schools for religious reasons despite a slow economy? Leave a comment.