About Us

Catholic schools are institutions of opportunity. For generations, they have provided students with an excellent academic and moral education, launching purpose-filled lives. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is a contributor to this heritage, a legacy of faith and excellence that continues today in our Catholic schools.

Our schools have traditionally welcomed people from the margins of society and helped them to find their places in the professions, in families, and in a life of service in the community. Our faith in Jesus Christ makes this possible — because our faith is Catholic, and the word Catholic means universal, inclusive, and welcoming. We equip our students to live the life of Jesus Christ and take the Gospel to the whole world — every profession, every household, every neighborhood and social class.

Catholic schools serve three counties in the Greater Los Angeles Region; Los Angeles County, Santa Barbara County and Ventura County. These elementary schools and high schools follow a tradition of Catholic education in the United States that can be traced back to the 1600s.

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles opened its first schools in the 1850s. Traditionally, our schools pride themselves on welcoming students from a range of financial realities with diverse backgrounds and helping them to find their places in the college, career, family, and in a life of service to their local and global community. Our faith in Jesus Christ makes this possible – because our faith is Catholic, and Catholic means universal, inclusive, and welcoming. We equip our students to live a life following in the footsteps of the apostles and saints and taking the redeeming message of the Gospel into the world – in every profession, every household, every neighborhood and across social classes.

Come and see our Catholic schools. See the community that raises up tomorrow’s inspired leaders. See a place with a strong moral compass. See the schools whose long tradition is excellence. See the students who succeed.

Paul Escala talked to Angelus News about his past experience, new position and what’s in store for the future of LA’s Catholic schools.

After 17 years in education, you decided to take your family to Bakersfield for a position with a charter school company. Now you’re back. What attracted you to this position at this point in your career?

Going to Bakersfield was about a promise I once made to my grandfather. He came to this country from Mexico as a migrant farm worker though west Texas and Kansas in the early 1900s, experiencing all kinds of extraordinary racism and bigotry as a newly arrived immigrant. He finally came to California and then Simi Valley.

He was the smartest man with the least amount of formal education I ever knew of anyone. He taught me everything. Before he passed, I promised that if I had the chance to work in the type of community that he grew up in, hard-working migrant farm workers, I would do that.  Read more.