Meitler was founded in 1971 by Neal Meitler who saw the need in the Church for professional planning. At the time, there were 11,367 Catholic schools in the United States with 5.6 million students. Neal recognized that schools with a strategic vision for the future could proactively change and be ready, while schools who failed to change would struggle or close. Over the decades, schools who thought and acted strategically found themselves viable, able to adjust their approach but maintain their mission. Smart planning with a high level of ownership from key decision makers and the participation of the constituents they serve was the best way forward.
Today, nearly 50 years later, Meitler is at the forefront of assisting faith-based institutions of various denominations to prepare for the future and strengthen their current situation. Most of our work continues to be with the Roman Catholic Church, having consulted with over 2,000 schools, 525 parishes, 120 Catholic dioceses and many religious congregations. We have also consulted with private independent schools, Lutheran schools and congregations, and Jewish schools.
Meitler is one of the few planning firms in the United States that has a full-time staff of professional consultants who were former practitioners with extensive background in education and planning. The guidance they give you is always based on solid research, using planning tools including demographic research, financial analysis, enrollment projections, market research studies, professional writing, and expert facilitation. Every project is backed up by our talented support team, who ensure the entire engagement is as smooth and worry-free as possible.
