Sacramento, California – The Diocese of Sacramento has confirmed plans to merge three Catholic primary schools in south Sacramento. This would eliminate two long-standing campuses and open a single regional school in the fall of 2026. The decision will have an impact on St. Patrick Academy, St. Charles Borromeo School, and St. Robert Catholic School. Each of these schools now has about 200 students in preschool through eighth grade.
The plan indicates that St. Patrick Academy on Franklin Boulevard and St. Charles Borromeo School on Center Parkway will close in June 2026, at the end of the 2025–2026 school year. In August 2026, two months later, a new Catholic elementary school will open on the St. Robert site. The new school will be its own thing, and families who want to send their kids there will have to fill out new applications.
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According to diocesan leaders, the consolidation is happening because enrollment has been going down in Catholic schools in south Sacramento for years, while operational costs have been going up gradually. The diocese’s forecasts say that enrollment will keep going down over the next three to five years, even if they will keep financial support.
Bishop Jaime Soto said in a recorded message sent to families that the decision was an attempt to carefully manage limited resources while keeping Catholic education in the area. He said that the adjustment would help bring together three school communities to improve academics, religious formation, and long-term stability.
Many families are especially sad about the closing of St. Patrick Academy because the school has been a part of the neighborhood for so long. The campus has been a part of the south Sacramento neighborhood for more than nine decades and has long been seen as a place of stability.
Sixteen years ago, St. Patrick was created by combining two other schools to defend Catholic education in the area during a time when fewer students were enrolling. Families have said that the school was a close-knit place where everyone knew each other, families were helped, and Christianity was a part of everyday life.
People have reacted strongly and, in many cases, negatively to the news. Parents claim they were stunned by the news and angry that they weren’t consulted before the decision was made.
A lot of families talked about how stressful it was to suddenly have to find new schools during busy enrollment times. Some people are worried about children being split from friends they’ve known since kindergarten and losing access to teachers, after-school programs, and sports teams they know.
The news has also been hard for students. Older kids talked about how hard it was to leave a school they had been going to for most of their life and deal with a lot of changes at once. Some families have concerns that applying to the new regional school could become competitive, especially if there aren’t many spots available. Others are thinking about other options for the first time, such public school or homeschooling.
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Leaders at St. Patrick Academy have promised to help families through the change and have made it clear that the school’s history won’t fade overnight. The diocese has said it will help with student records, placements, and advice for families looking into their future steps. However, they are still working out the details of staffing, enrollment capacity, and programming at the new school.
Catholic schools all around the country continue to have trouble with enrollment and funding, especially in urban areas. The Diocese of Sacramento runs dozens of schools that serve thousands of kids. This latest decision shows how hard it is for faith-based schools to make decisions as demographics and expenses change.