The Tuition Awards Program (TAP) is the heart of the Foundation providing tuition assistance to children from low income families in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles who desire a Catholic education. Since our inception in 1987, the Catholic Education Foundation has provided $80.3 million in tuition awards to 88,000 students.

The basic TAP provides $1,000 in assistance to elementary school students and $2,000 to high school students. Parents of scholarship recipients must meet criteria at or below the Federal guidelines for poverty. Children are accepted into TAP regardless of ethnic or religious background.

The “Save Our Students” (SOS) Program was founded in 1998 to help students facing extraordinary personal circumstances receive a quality Catholic education. SOS concentrates on those students who are considered most “at risk,” and are in danger of dropping out of school. The SOS Program provides awards of $1,500 per child in elementary school and $2,500 per student in high school. Catholic schools provide access to a system of values and structure that helps these “at risk” students whose needs go far beyond financial assistance. Without assistance from the CEF, these children would most likely drop out of school entirely.

CEF funds the Principal Development Program (PDP) in partnerships with Loyola Marymount University, the University of San Francisco and Mount St. Mary’s College providing an opportunity for teachers and principals to enhance their educational training and development as professionals through programs offering advance degrees and certificates in Catholic School Administration. Participants pay 10 percent of their total tuition, plus the cost of books and fees. The CEF and participating universities work together to fund