The Supreme Court issued an opinion this week in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue that effectively put an end to state bans on students using educational choice programs to attend religious schools. This was a major victory for families and the schools that want to serve them. Unfortunately, our celebration is tempered by an unprecedented crisis that is threatening to cut off access to Catholic schools for thousands of families across the United States.

Over 100 Catholic schools have announced that they are closing next year, and COVID-19 has contributed to the closing of many of these schools. Many more are experiencing a decline in enrollment due to the uncertainty about what the fall will bring. Some schools are facing reported enrollments down as much as 80%. These closures mean thousands of children will be displaced from their schools.