Roman Catholic high schools in the Philadelphia area will soon be managed by a private foundation, a historic arrangement that could reinvigorate a system decimated by high costs and low enrollment, church officials announced Tuesday.

Archbishop Charles Chaput said the church-affiliated Faith in the Future Foundation will oversee 17 secondary and four special education schools starting Sept. 1, creating a new independent Catholic school system.

"While this decision reflects a paradigm shift, it serves to change the organizational structure for Catholic education, not its mission," Chaput said.

The archdiocese helped establish the lay foundation six months ago following an outpouring of support for four high schools targeted for closure. Impromptu fundraising of about $12 million eventually led Chaput to keep the buildings open.

The foundation's original mission was to strengthen local Catholic secondary schools through fundraising and marketing. Now, the group will do that and manage a new school system that serves about 15,000 students on a $128 million budget.