Cristo Rey Net work Model: A Jesuit Initiative

One of the nation's most powerful urban education success stories of the past decade, the Cristo Rey Network serves exclusively economically disadvantaged students with its Catholic mission to prepare them all to enter and graduate from college.

Twenty-eight Cristo Rey schools in 18 states and the District of Columbia provide a quality, Catholic, college preparatory education to 9,000 young people who live in urban communities with limited educational options.

Member schools utilize a rigorous academic model, supported with effective instruction, to prepare students with a broad range of academic abilities for college success. Cristo Rey Network schools employ an innovative Corporate Work Study Program that provides students with real world work experiences. Every student works five full days a month to fund the majority of his or her education, gain job experience, grow in self-confidence, and realize the relevance of his or her education. Students work at law firms, banks, hospitals, universities, and other professional Corporate Partners.

A Cristo Rey school:

  1. Is explicitly Catholic in mission and enjoys Church approval.
  2. Serves only economically disadvantaged students. The school is open to students of various faiths and cultures.
  3. Is family centered and plays an active role in the local community.
  4. Shall prepare all of its students to enter and graduate from college.
  5. Requires participation by all students in the work-study program. All students must be 14 years by September 1st.
  6. Integrates the learning present in its work program, classroom and extracurricular experiences for the fullest benefit of its student workers.
  7. Has an effective administrative and board structure as well as complies with all applicable state and federal laws.
  8. Is financially sound and at full enrollment the school is primarily dependent on revenue from the work-study program to meet operating expenses. In addition, the school maintains a comprehensive advancement program to ensure financial stability.
  9. Supports its graduates' efforts to obtain a college degree.
  1. Is an active participant in the collaboration, support, and development of the Cristo Rey Network.   www.cristoreynetwork.org

Schools in Network

In order of the year they joined the network, here are the current 26 Cristo Rey Network high schools: