Six Catholic elementary schools are closing in the Los Angeles archdiocese

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeleswill close six of its elementary schools in June as it struggles to keep many of its schools afloat.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the affected schools are Assumption in Boyle Heights, Blessed Sacrament in Hollywood, St. Catherine of Siena in Reseda, St. Ferdinand in San Fernando, St. Francis of Assisi in Silver Lake and St. Madeleine in Pomona.

The students at the schools are mostly children of working-class Latino families. Parents have lost jobs and could no longer afford tuition that ranges from about $3,900 to $6,000 annually, leading to enrollment drops.

“This is a difficult and challenging time for our schools — schools that provide a service to our neediest children — and what you’re seeing here is a response to shifting demographics and declining enrollment that’s been happening for quite some time now,” L.A. Archdiocese Supt. Paul Escala says.

The closures affect roughly 350 students and 50 staff members.

Three other Catholic schools in the archdiocese have been closed in the last year---St. John Paul II STEM Academy in Burbank, a high school; and two elementary schools, St. Anthony of El Segundo and All Saints of El Sereno.

The 262-school, 66,000-student archdiocese system spans Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

The archdiocese said the pandemic has worsened three problems its schools have been facing for years — low enrollment, shifting demographics and distressed finances.

Systemwide, enrollment suffered a decline last fall of about 10% drop---about 7,195 students.