The bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has ordered a panel to study its 20 elementary schools to ensure they'll remain healthy in the future.


Spokesman Tony DeGol told the Altoona Mirror the diocese is not conducting the study to determine whether any schools will be closed. Rather, he said, Bishop Mark Bartchak wants to study the schools to determine how they can remain successful.


The diocese serves about 95,000 Catholics in 89 parishes in eight counties. The diocese was the only one in the state not to report a parochial school enrollment drop in the state for the last school year. Enrollment dropped slightly this year.


Four high schools that operate in the diocese aren't part of the study as they're run by independent nonprofit organizations.