History of Cristo Rey Schools

When Cristo Rey Jesuit High School opened under the leadership of John P. Foley, S.J., in 1996, it introduced a highly innovative integration of academic and professional experience to Catholic secondary education in the United States. The model had immediate appeal, first to Catholic educators across the country and soon after to prominent philanthropists committed to educational reform.

Responding to the needs of Chicago's Pilsen community, a working-class neighborhood with many Mexican immigrant families, Bradley Schaeffer, S.J. and John P. Foley, S.J. joined together to establish an academically rigorous and financially sustainable school. A unique and ambitious model was created where students work in paid, entry-level professional jobs to help underwrite the cost of their education.

On September 5, 1996, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School opened its doors. Through the talent and commitment of local communities and generous and enthusiastic support from philanthropic investors, the Cristo Rey Network has grown from a single school in south Chicago to a national network of 41 schools. During a period when traditional Catholic schools were shuttering their doors at an alarming rate, the Cristo Rey Network has grown into the largest network of high schools in the country that exclusively serves low-income students. Cristo Rey Charleston High School will proudly be the 42nd school in the network.