Parochial school, puh ROH kee uhl, is a private school conducted and supervised by a religious group. Many people think the term parochial means schools conducted by the Roman Catholic Church. But parochial comes from the Latin word for parish (church district) and refers to a school operated by any church. The name usually applies to elementary and high schools, but can also describe colleges and universities. Instruction in parochial schools includes religious education as well as many of the subjects taught in public schools. In the United States, parochial schools are the only schools allowed by law to require that teachers and staff hold particular religious beliefs.