St. Joe is one of 41 schools in the Forth Wayne-South Bend Diocese hoping to increase their enrollment thanks to the state's new voucher system.
Viramontes plans to apply for a voucher to use at St. Joe.
"It provides a different opportunity that some public schools can't provide," said Joel Viramontes, Lourdes’ brother.
And St. Joe's new high school will be ready.
It will be able to hold 80 more students than the current school.
But it’s not surprise Catholic schools have been struggling because of dropping enrollment.
"We've closed a thousand catholic schools in the country in the last decade," said Superintendent Mark Myers from the Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese.
Myers said the voucher program is a chance to revive the catholic school foundation.
"We're excited; we see this as an opportunity to renew those communities.”
Vouchers WILL increase private school enrollment.
In return, those schools will see more stability.
But some parents are concerned.
"I am somewhat ambivalent, I’m afraid the voucher program is going to take needed funds from the public schools," said mother Emily Sipos-Butler.
The diocese said that's not their intention.
“We're not in any way competing with public schools, we believe parents making the choice is the best for the child," Myers said.
There are requirements when applying for vouchers: Students must live in Indiana and within the district of the school they would like to attend.
Also, students have to complete a full year of public schooling before transferring over to a private school.
This program is only available for middle to lower income families.
For example a family of 4, has to make less than 62,000 dollars a year to qualify for a voucher.
7500 vouchers are available this year in Indiana, 15,000 will be available next year and after 2012, there will be an unlimited amount.
The Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese would like to see 1000 students transfer to catholic schools.
That’s about 25 more students per catholic school.
If they reach that goal, and that could mean a 3 million dollar boost in revenue for the diocese.
Schools said applications for the voucher program may be available on Friday July 7th.
