Last week, the VenturEd Solutions team had the incredible opportunity to attend the 2025 NCEA Conference in Orlando, gathering alongside thousands of Catholic school educators, leaders, and innovators from across the country. This year’s conference wasn’t just about reconnecting — it was about reimagining the future of Catholic education in a landscape that’s changing faster than ever before.
Today, more than 1.6 million students are enrolled in Catholic K–12 schools across the United States, making Catholic education one of the largest private school systems in the country. Catholic schools have long been recognized for their academic rigor, faith-based values, and deep commitment to building community — involving parents, alumni, staff, and students in a shared mission of excellence and service. This community foundation is a key strength, helping Catholic schools offer not just education, but a lifelong sense of belonging.
One thing was clear at NCEA: Catholic schools that are growing — and sustaining that growth — are the ones leaning into data. From admissions and enrollment to marketing and financial planning, school leaders are looking beyond intuition and tradition to build strategies grounded in real, actionable insights. Nowhere was that more evident than in the key conversations around federal funding, school choice, and the strategic use of admissions data.
ECCA Federal 2025 Funding: A New Chapter for Catholic Schools
One of the standout panels at NCEA focused on the emerging opportunities tied to the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) and other federal funding initiatives anticipated for 2025. If passed and fully funded, ECCA could dramatically expand the reach of school choice programs across the country, providing families with greater access to tuition assistance — and opening new doors for Catholic schools to welcome more students.
The panel emphasized that now is the time for schools to prepare. Federal and state-level funding shifts won’t just impact tuition affordability; they will also change the admissions landscape. With more families able to consider private education, Catholic schools must be ready to respond to growing interest and more competitive markets. Schools that can quickly and effectively gather admissions data, model enrollment trends, and understand their applicants’ needs will be the ones best positioned to thrive.
Admissions Data: The Foundation for Strategic Growth
Throughout the conference, sessions reinforced a consistent message: admissions data isn’t just important — it’s fundamental. For Catholic schools, where community, mission, and sustainability intersect, understanding the admissions pipeline has become a strategic imperative.
At VenturEd Solutions, we witnessed a growing energy around how Catholic schools are transforming their admissions and enrollment strategies with better access to real-time data. By capturing deeper insights at every stage of the student journey — from first inquiry to enrollment — schools are positioning themselves to meet families’ evolving needs and chart a stronger, more sustainable path forward.
As our CEO, Nick Laird noted at the conference,
“Catholic schools are at a pivotal moment. With new funding opportunities and shifting demographics, the schools that succeed will be the ones that treat admissions data not as a back-office task, but as a strategic asset. At VenturEd Solutions, we’re proud to help Catholic schools use data to strengthen community, grow enrollment, and fulfill their mission for generations to come.”
Florida: Leading the Way with Data and School Choice
Nowhere is the connection between admissions data and school choice success more evident than in Florida. Catholic school enrollment across the state has grown by an impressive 6 percent — the highest rate of growth in the country. At NCEA, Florida was frequently cited as a model for how Catholic schools can leverage data to support both short-term enrollment goals and long-term institutional health.
Florida’s Catholic schools aren’t leaving growth to chance. They are investing in admissions technology, tracking inquiry-to-enrollment conversion rates, refining their financial aid strategies, and building partnerships that reflect the evolving funding landscape. As school choice programs expand — through ESAs, tax-credit scholarships, and potentially new federal support — Florida’s Catholic schools are demonstrating how a strong admissions data foundation can turn opportunity into sustainable growth.
The challenge for Catholic schools — and for all schools seeking to replicate Florida’s success — lies not just in gathering data, but in knowing how to use it effectively. Admissions and enrollment teams must move beyond spreadsheets and reactive reporting to adopt a strategic mindset. Data informs everything from marketing campaigns and financial aid models to staffing projections and facilities planning.
Building this data-driven culture can be difficult, especially in smaller schools where resources are stretched. It requires investment in the right tools, training for staff, and a commitment to making data a central part of leadership discussions. But as NCEA made clear, schools that rise to meet this challenge are already seeing powerful results. With growing competition for families, strategic use of admissions data is no longer optional — it’s a mission-critical skill.
TADS: Helping Catholic Schools Prepare for the Future
As part of VenturEd Solutions’ mission to support Catholic education, TADS is committed to giving schools the tools they need to thrive in this changing environment. By offering integrated admissions, enrollment, and tuition management solutions, TADS helps schools capture the critical data points that inform everything from marketing strategy to financial forecasting.
More importantly, TADS is built with the unique needs of Catholic schools in mind. From supporting mission-driven admissions messaging to ensuring tuition management aligns with parish stewardship goals, TADS empowers schools to serve their communities while planning wisely for the future.
The future of Catholic education is bright — but it will belong to the schools that adapt, innovate, and lead with intention. As NCEA 2025 made clear, admissions and enrollment data are no longer “nice-to-have” tools. They are central to strategic planning, competitive positioning, and mission-driven growth.
We left Orlando energized by the progress Catholic schools are making, and even more committed to supporting their success. At VenturEd Solutions, we know that by empowering Catholic schools with the right tools, insights, and support, we can help them not only grow — but thrive.
The time to invest in admissions data is now. The opportunity is bigger than ever. And Catholic schools are ready.
Let’s continue the momentum from NCEA 2025. Talk to our team about how your school can build a more strategic, data-driven admissions plan with TADS.