ACRE/IFG Testimonials

Assessment of Catechesis / Religious Education (ACRE) Testimonials

"How effective is your parish or school's Religious Education Program? The newly revised NCEA ACRE testing program has arrived and will meet your needs to demonstrate the effectiveness of catechesis to today's youth. As a member of the writing team for this contemporary assessment tool, I can assure you that the latest and the greatest - a fresh "read" is here on how we have evangelized our kids in light of the faith. NCEA ACRE will reflect an authentic expression of Church doctrine with today's vision - using the gifts of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the General Directory for Catechesis. Assess now to promote a faith-filled future!"

Sr. Antoine Therese Lawlor, IHM, MA
Assistant Superintendent for Religious Education
Diocese of Camden
Camden, NJ

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Since it is now possible to administer the NCEA ACRE at any point during the year, the 8th graders in our summer catechetical program recently completed the survey. Receiving results in just a few days following the administration, it was wonderful to realize some important things about the way our children our learning and living their faith.

The scores of our summer program participants were not vastly different when the 8th graders complete the NCEA ACRE in the summer as compared with the results of smaller samples of summer participants who completed the assessment in January or March following their summer session. This leads to the following insights:

1. The small sample was reliable where conceptual scores are concerned.
2. Retention of concepts is not reduced between one summer session and the next - something the catechists have always told us. Now we have a standardized measurement that demonstrates their perception.

Leisa Anslinger
Formation Director
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish
Cincinnati, OH

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ACRE is a most effective instrument for helping catechetical leaders measure how well they are meeting the goals of their religion programs for developing Catholic identity, faith, and values in children and youth. I would encourage any Catholic school or parish religion program to incorporate this valuable tool into its religion curriculum.

Monsignor John M. Unger
Associate Superintendent for Religious Education
Archdiocese of St. Louis

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ACRE and IFG have been integral parts of our efforts to both affirm and challenge all who are involved in the faith formation efforts of the Diocese of St. Petersburg. ACRE has engendered a sense of accomplishment and provided confidence as new program developments are implemented in our Parish and Catholic school programs. The results have been invaluable in planning new strategies, curriculum enhancement and establishing a balance between the desired outcomes in the cognitive and affective domains. The valid and reliable results have served us as we celebrate our strengths and consider the needs in areas for growth. ACRE and IFG results provide valuable building blocks as we form the Church of today and tomorrow.

Brian Lemoi
Director of Religious Education
Diocese of St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, FL

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Our experience with ACRE has been very positive. Materials arrived in a timely fashion and the results were returned quickly. Teachers found that the assessment was easy to administer, although they had a hard time convincing their classes that it was not a test. We found the data provided to be very helpful as it affirmed that overall our program was accomplishing its goals. The report also made us aware of particular areas of weakness as well as the areas of strength. It has helped us in planning and teacher training and in our use of our chosen curriculum. Since discovering the value of ACRE, I certainly plan to ensure its continued use in our parish.

Charlotte Sutherland
President NPCD
Director of Religious Education
St. Louise Parish
Bellevue, WA

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Some years ago while writing a statistical term paper for my MA in Education, I took a close look at the assessments we had done on our eighth grade students in relation to how these same students did in social studies and English test results. ACRE proved an interesting and seemed to me a very accurate instrument as to how well the students did compared to the national outcomes. Those high is the social studies and English were also high in religion -- I felt this was study skills transferred. Students who were good in those two subjects but were not in the religious education average norms were students who were non-Catholic or had only just come to the Catholic school and while Catholic had had no instructions in the faith. This "knowledge" as to why some students were "different" in their results helped us see the importance in "tutorial" help for those students of the Catholic Tradition who had no formal study of their tradition. It also raised the question as a Catholic school if we shouldn’t develop something "extra" for our non-Catholic students so that these students wouldn’t be so "lost" in the religious education classroom. It seemed to me a good "host" makes sure that guests (our non-Catholic students) feel at home by understanding the customs and how the host family functions!!!

Daniel Schwieterman
Director of Religious Education
Christ the King Parish
Houston, TX

INFORMATION FOR GROWTH (IFG) Testimonials

Successful experiences by individual parishes led the Diocese of Boise, Idaho to adopt the Information for Growth for use with its fifty-seven parishes. The aim was to develop data upon which to base its program design for the implementation of Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us, the American bishops’ plan for adult faith formation in the United States. There exists no more dependable or effective tool for generating the kinds of information needed by a diocese or a parish to design and implement religious education programs for adult Catholics.

Jack Craven
Diocesan Director for Educational Ministries
Boise, ID

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I teach "The Spirituality of the Catholic School Teacher" in a special M.A. program for teachers in the elementary and secondary school of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis offered by Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. When I receive the anonymous group IFG report for each of my classes, I gain information on their beliefs, attitudes, religious practice and religious knowledge, and have gained valuable insights so as to be able to adjust course content to meet their needs. As individuals, they are grateful for the personal survey report each receives. I find that the Information for Growth survey is a really valuable tool for the continued formation of our Catholic school teachers.

Brother Theodore Drahmann, FSC
Professor of Education
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota