PROVIDENCE — “From our youngest students to our most seasoned veteran teachers, there is nothing quite like the start of a new school year. It never gets old,” said William F. Klements, M. Ed., as he begins his first full year as the new superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Providence.
In a recent interview with Rhode Island Catholic, he spoke of many initiatives that he is looking forward to, including an intensive curriculum review process focusing on diocesan theology from pre-K up through Grade 12 that will be developed throughout this school year and put into place by start of the 2026-2027 school year.
He also expressed his pride and excitement about increased enrollment in Catholic schools throughout the diocese.
“The general population of Rhode Island is at a plateau without any major increases forecast in the coming years,” explained Klements. “With that in mind, we have a multi-year trend of increasing enrollment in our schools, and for the 2025-2026 school year we anticipate having more than 10,000 students in our schools for the first time in recent memory. It speaks to the trust we have built with our families, the quality of education our students are receiving, and the values that permeate every one of our school communities.”
Much like any diocese or school district, some of the same challenges in place for Rhode Island’s Catholic schools are not new, but that doesn’t diminish their level of importance. He expressed the need to continue to recruit and retain strong teachers and administrators. Additionally, he said that the Catholic School Office is always looking to do everything they can to increase and expand tuition assistance to make Catholic education accessible to as many families as possible.
“One thing that could aid in this effort would be for our families and readers to reach out to their local representatives to let them know that they are in favor of Rhode Island opting into the Educational Choice for Children Act. This is new legislation that, if it passes, would allow individuals to contribute up to $1,700 to a Scholarship Granting Organization where all of the money would then be disbursed directly to schools and families for tuition assistance. Every dollar would then be returned to the donors in the form of a tax refund. While this exists at the federal level, individual states need to opt in to take advantage of this. As such, any voters who express their support of this bill to their local representatives would be directly helping our students.”
Local Catholic schools are blessed with a strong Catholic foundation, however, many schools around the country are grappling with maintaining their Catholic identity amidst a broader societal context. Klements shared some guidance for school administrations.
“This is an area of which I am particularly proud,” he said. “Our Catholic identity is at the heart of everything we do. Every class, in every school, maintains a focus on our faith, on Jesus Christ, and has Catholic values woven throughout the lesson and the day. Just a few weeks ago we reminded over 50 new teachers across the diocese of how their individual relationship with Jesus can sustain them, enrich them, and enable them to build disciples in their schools. But no matter where any student or family is on their individual faith journey, they will find a welcoming and loving environment in every one of our schools.”
Klements also spoke on the status diocesan Lumen Accreditation. In 2024, The Catholic University of America selected the Diocese of Providence to participate in a pilot accreditation program it has begun to assess Catholic schools across the country.
The Institute for the Transformation of Catholic Education (ITCE) at CUA partnered with the bishops of the United States and other educational leaders to create a framework of guiding principles for K-12 Catholic schools. Dioceses may permit their schools to choose Lumen Accreditation as an alternative to assessment by regional accreditation boards, such as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
In this way, schools will align their goals for improvement with the Church’s vision for Catholic school mission and identity. Currently 13 schools in the Diocese of Providence are accredited by Lumen.
“We are hopeful that as this newer accreditation process maintains a direct focus on how Catholicity is embraced and lived in each of our schools that the number of schools participating in this will grow over the next few years.”
Klements added that if there are individuals who are interested in learning more about how they can serve others through our Catholic schools, all they need to do is ask.
“Please feel free to reach out to the Catholic Schools Office, call your local parish or local school, and see what openings might be available. Even a few hours per week helping with our schools can be tremendously enriching.”
For more information, visit www.catholicschools.org.
