Making microschools work for all 

For many years Catholic schools have faced significant enrollment loss. My parish school, with a capacity of 300, enrolls 86 students in TK-8. The idea of microschools presented in the Feb. 24 issue is a wonderful idea, regardless of total school numbers. Giving children the opportunity to be exposed to real-life curricula will serve them well.  

However, this plan ignores the reality of offering a Catholic education to a broad spectrum of LA students, many of whom are immigrants or members of working-class families, who simply can’t afford the tuition. How about a plan to open these schools to all of our children and spend energy, creativity, and resources to make that affordable? A 300-seat school with 86 students is not the best use of the facility. Can we do better for our children?

— Cheryl Ortega, Los Angeles