When the U.S. Department of Education last month recognized the 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools, five of the 10 Maryland schools to receive the honor were Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

This is a remarkable testament to how our Catholic schools enable students to reach their full potential and prepare them for the future. Our educators create an environment where students are safe and supported and, in turn, they are able to excel in reading, math, science, social studies and the arts. But how do we do it?

The success in our schools begins with our Christ-centered approach that is central to our mission and inspires all aspects of the Catholic school experience. This includes a strong emphasis on spirituality and morality with the inclusion of the principles of love, compassion, service and justice. The archdiocese strives to make Catholic education accessible to as many families as possible by keeping tuition low and offering scholarships and financial aid.

Our national awardees this year add to the growing list of Catholic schools in the archdiocese to receive this honor, from Baltimore City to Frederick County, Bel Air to Dundalk and Hagerstown to Annapolis. The latest schools to earn this designation — Immaculate Conception School in Towson, Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Ellicott City, St. John the Evangelist School in Severna Park, St. Joseph School in Cockeysville and St. Mary’s School in Annapolis — are indeed among top-ranked schools.

Just 356 schools nationwide receive this prestigious award, and our Catholic schools in the archdiocese represent 12% of all non-public schools honored in this year. The academic excellence is not by chance; rather, it is due to a number of deliberate steps.

Here is what our schools do differently in the archdiocese:

Catholic schools offer parental choice, where parents are given the freedom to choose an educational environment that is best suited for their child. Our classrooms focus on academic rigor, emphasis on faith and values and respect and discipline. Teachers in our schools identify how each student learns best and offer personalized attention.

Our educators were able to minimize the widespread learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic that still affects so many children across the country and world. When schools in Maryland closed in March 2020, the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Catholic schools quickly transitioned to continuous learning that kept students on a strong academic path while keeping them safe.

Technology isn’t viewed as just an “add-on” in our schools but integral to all learning. Students use technology to collaborate, communicate, problem-solve, ask questions and research. The majority of our Catholic schools provide makerspace, robotics programs and innovation labs tied directly to curriculum on science, technology, engineering and math.

Service to the community is a hallmark of a Catholic education. Students in preschool through grade 12 participate in service projects throughout the year, including volunteering at senior centers and helping to build homes for people in developing countries.

These are key reasons why the Archdiocese of Baltimore is home to half of Maryland’s 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools — the highest honor bestowed upon schools by the U.S. Department of Education. All five Catholic schools that received the award this year qualified as Exemplary High Performing Schools based on their outstanding academic performance on national and state assessments. Across the archdiocese, students at every grade level have consistently demonstrated growth in both math and reading.

Academic excellence and faith-based learning define Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. By placing the needs of students and parents at the forefront and offering exceptional instruction, our educators and school leaders demonstrated the value of a Catholic education, and our student achievements speak for themselves.

Gregory A. Farno (gregory.farno@archbalt.org) is chancellor of education for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. After a 45-year career in finance, he retired in 2023 from Truist Financial Corporation as regional president for Maryland.