Senior Leadership
I am inspired by the faith, courage, and reverence for God by Christian educators around the world! It reminds me of the story recounted in I Samuel 17 about David defeating Goliath. In verse 29, David’s response to the inaction of his
elder brothers and the Israelites especially encourages me. He boldly and nobly answers the call to action by asking, "Is there not a cause?”
I can think of no greater cause than to partner with you as you advance Kingdom education. We fully believe that authentic devotion to the Christian faith and academic excellence are mutually reinforcing. There are not two or three forms of excellence, but rather an ethos that is cultivated throughout every facet of our schools. Faith is not separated from learning but rather integrated intentionally, resulting in a distinctive Christian worldview.
Scholarship and learning become an integral component to the maturation process known as discipleship. Thus, becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ, the ultimate objective of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20), is the prize for which we strive; it is the highest form of excellence! It is certainly conceivable that we could produce students with the spiritual depth needed to enter our pluralistic society and not fall prey to empty philosophies. Rather, they would be equipped to saturate the marketplace to which God has called them with confidence, purpose, and an eternal perspective.
ACSI’s ongoing mission is to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide as they prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. We want to serve you as you continue to cultivate and sustain a flourishing school. Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you—thank you for your obedience to God’s call on your life—you are indeed making a difference.
Dr. Larry Taylor, President & CEO, ACSI
larry_taylor@acsi.org
719-867-0200
ACSI Senior Leadership
Dr. David Balik
Vice President of USA
Dr. Gavin Brettenny
Chief Strategy Officer
Kevin Buelke
Chief Finance Officer
Cindy Dodds
Chief of Flourishing Initiatives
Michael Epp
Senior Vice President of Global
Brett Henry, J.D.
Chief Executive Officer, Sevenstar
Vice President, Educational Resources
John Klingstedt
Chief Operating Officer
Christi Lynn
Vice President, Communications & Engagement
Chris Loncar
Vice President, Human Resources
Jerry Nelson
Chief Ministry Officer
Philip Scott, J.D.
Vice President for Legal Affairs
P. George Tryfiates
Vice President for Public Policy and Legal Affairs
Susan Verheul
Vice President, Executive Initiatives
Dr. Cecil Swetland
Vice President for Development
News and Press Releases
ACSI Partners with Classic Learning Initiatives to Provide Christian Schools with a Unique College Readiness Assessment Option
Colorado Springs, CO— The Association of Christian Schools International has partnered with Classic Learning Initiatives (CLI), publisher of the Classic Learning Test (CLT), to provide Christian schools with a unique college readiness assessment option.
ACSI Student Assessment Program Director David Smitherman believes this partnership will greatly maximize the effectiveness of ACSI’s Student Assessment Program.
“The Classic Learning Test is set apart from other college entrance exams in that it measures the achievement and aptitude in each student,” he shared. “ACSI is entering into this partnership with CLI with the shared goal of providing our Christian schools with assessments that are steeped in intellectually rich and rigorous content.”
The CLT gauges English, math, and critical reasoning skills through a suite of tests available for grades 7 through 12.
“Higher ed institutions throughout the country recognize the value of the Classic Learning Test, and the excellence of CLT takers,” Smitherman said. “Colleges even recruit students who take the assessment, and provide scholarships based on test performance.”
The assessment can be administered at Christian schools on a variety of dates in the fall and spring. The total test time is 2 hours, and scores are available to students within a few days to share with an unlimited number of colleges and universities.
Matthew Dearden, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at Cedarville University, applauds the exam stating, "CLT is much more aligned with student success in college. If we have a student with a high CLT score, we can almost be assured that they will be very successful at Cedarville."
The ACSI program will include Christian school comparison scores along with discounted member pricing.
To learn more about ACSI’s partnership with Classic Learning Initiatives, visit https://your.acsi.org/clt.
About ACSI:
Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, ACSI exists to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide as they prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. ACSI advances excellence in Christian schools by enhancing the professional and personal development of Christian educators and providing vital support functions for Christian schools through multiple services including teacher and administrator certification, school accreditation, legal/legislative assistance, and curriculum publishing. ACSI supports more than 5,000 member schools throughout the United States and around the world, which collectively serve approximately 1.2 million students. Through additional training programs, materials, and expertise provided to other educational groups worldwide, ACSI’s overall influence and positive impact reaches more than 26,000 schools operating in 100 countries, together serving 5.5 million people.
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About Classic Learning Initiatives (CLI):
Classic Learning Initiatives strives to provide assessments steeped in content that is intellectually richer and more rigorous than other standardized tests and college entrance exams. CLI seeks to serve its constituents in accomplishing their mission of providing a richer, more meaningful education to those who matter most. The Classic Learning Test Suite of Assessments is available for grades 7 through 12. Colleges and universities across the United States recognize the value of the CLT. To learn more, visit the website.