New Research Insights: Do Christian Schools Make a Difference? January 13, 2025

What difference does attending a Christian school make? The answer to this question is valuable not only to families deciding on schooling options, but also to Christian school educators who are seeking to understand the value proposition of the educational program they offer. In order to explore this question in a rigorous way, researchers would need to select a nationally representative sample as well as control for a range of respondents’ demographic background characteristics. The Cardus Education Survey (CES), conducted in the United States in 2011, 2014, 2018, and now in 2023, does both.

CES Methodology

The CES examines a range of outcomes for a nationally representative sample of high school graduates aged 24 to 39 across five sectors: traditional public schools, Protestant Christian schools, Catholic schools, nonreligious independent schools, and homeschooling. One of the most comprehensive surveys of its kind, the CES seeks to understand school-sector influence on a range of academic, spiritual, cultural, civic, and relational outcomes for graduates, as well as to assess graduates’ life patterns, views, and choices and their contribution to a shared good. The most recent CES was conducted in October 2023 by the polling firm Ipsos Public Affairs using its KnowledgePanel®, which is the largest online panel in the U.S. The sample size for the CES was 2,350 respondents. Adults who predominantly attended independent schools or were homeschooled for high school were oversampled because they make up a minority of the U.S. population; survey weights are incorporated into analyses to account for this oversampling, so that the results remain nationally representative.

Outcomes of Protestant Christian Schools

A summary report of all CES finding is forthcoming in late Fall 2024, along with several thematic (i.e. sector- or outcome-specific) reports in early 2025. In advance of these reports, several findings regarding graduates of Christian schools are shared here.

High School Quality and Experiences

Overall, graduates of Protestant Christian schools rate their schools’ quality about the same as traditional public school graduates. When it comes to the specifics of their high school experience however, Protestant Christian school graduates were significantly more positive about their schools as close-knit communities, their relationships with teachers, the preparation their schools provided them to have strong personal relationships as adults, and their preparation for academic success in a postsecondary setting, as well as for success in a job or career. They also were more likely to believe they are very well prepared to have vibrant spiritual lives, as well as rate their schools more highly in terms of how they handled religious and spiritual matters.

In terms of areas for improvement, graduates of Protestant Christian schools were more likely to provide unfavorable ratings of the extracurricular activities at their school. This is perhaps unsurprising given educational funding realities in the U.S., along with the overall lower tuition rates of this sector as compared to other types of independent schools. Of perhaps greater importance, however, is the finding that graduates are slightly less likely than their public school counterparts to agree with the statement “I felt like I belonged at my school,” as well as slightly less favorable when it came to relationships with other students at their school. For those seeking to improve the experiences of Christian school students, overall sense of belonging and peer relationships may be important areas to consider.

Academic and Vocational Outcomes

Graduates of Protestant Christian schools were no more likely to attain a bachelor’s degree or graduate degree than graduates of traditional public schools. They were also about as likely to be employed as their public school counterparts. Differences between Protestant Christian school graduates and traditional public school graduates were identified in terms of vocational values, however; specifically, Protestant school graduates are more likely to affirm that it is very important to have a job that provides an opportunity to be directly helpful to others. They are also less likely to consider money a very important personal value.

Faith Formation

Consistent with previous administrations of the CES, faith formation is the domain in which the strongest evidence for sector-level effects can be observed, with a strong benefit for graduates of Protestant schools. Specifically, the CES found that Protestant Christian school graduates were much more likely to report believing in God and in life after death, to engage in religious practices (including regular prayer, Bible reading, attending weekly religious services), and to report regularly feeling God’s presence. They are also much more likely to agree that it is important for parents to teach their children about religious beliefs.

Civic Outcomes

Protestant Christian school graduates have one of the highest rates of charitable giving, even with lower average incomes than at least two other sectors. They are also significantly more likely to volunteer than all other sectors, though not necessarily with any more frequency. Compared to their public school counterparts, graduates of Protestant Christian schools are no more or less likely to serve in a religious or political organization. They are, however, less likely to volunteer in an environmental organization or neighborhood association. Protestant Christian school graduates were also less likely to say that community involvement is a very important personal value. While CES data cannot provide an explanation for this finding, it is nonetheless interesting given these schools’ missions, as well as the findings of ACSI’s Flourishing Schools Research which correlates community engagement with flourishing in Christian schools.

Mental Health and Well-Being

Numerically speaking, Protestant Christian schools can claim more graduates with the highest levels of life satisfaction. However, this difference disappears after controlling for graduates’ demographic background characteristics, which suggests it is attributable to the influence of variables other than school type. Protestant Christian school graduates exhibited similar levels of depression and anxiety as their traditional public school counterparts.

Family Formation

Finally, when it comes to marriage and children, more Protestant Christian school graduates report having ever been married than their public school counterparts. They are also are more likely to say that marriage is a very important personal value. However, neither finding appears to be attributable to school sector, but rather may be due to other factors (e.g., influence of family of origin). While not statistically significant, graduates of Protestant Christian schools are slightly more likely to be divorced and less likely to adopt children than their public school counterparts.

Using the Data

By measuring a range of holistic outcomes, the CES provides insights into how graduates of various school sectors say they are faring. Christian school educators can utilize CES insights not only in conversations with prospective and current families, but also as a helpful lens alongside their own evaluations of their programs. To learn more, and to access CES research reports as they become available, visit the Cardus Education Survey website. 

What difference does attending a Christian school make? The answer to this question is valuable not only to families deciding on schooling options, but also to Christian school educators who are seeking to understand the value proposition of the educational program they offer. In order to explore this question in a rigorous way, researchers would need to select a nationally representative sample as well as control for a range of respondents’ demographic background characteristics. The Cardus Education Survey (CES), conducted in the United States in 2011, 2014, 2018, and now in 2023, does both.

CES Methodology

The CES examines a range of outcomes for a nationally representative sample of high school graduates aged 24 to 39 across five sectors: traditional public schools, Protestant Christian schools, Catholic schools, nonreligious independent schools, and homeschooling. One of the most comprehensive surveys of its kind, the CES seeks to understand school-sector influence on a range of academic, spiritual, cultural, civic, and relational outcomes for graduates, as well as to assess graduates’ life patterns, views, and choices and their contribution to a shared good. The most recent CES was conducted in October 2023 by the polling firm Ipsos Public Affairs using its KnowledgePanel®, which is the largest online panel in the U.S. The sample size for the CES was 2,350 respondents. Adults who predominantly attended independent schools or were homeschooled for high school were oversampled because they make up a minority of the U.S. population; survey weights are incorporated into analyses to account for this oversampling, so that the results remain nationally representative.

Outcomes of Protestant Christian Schools

A summary report of all CES finding is forthcoming in late Fall 2024, along with several thematic (i.e. sector- or outcome-specific) reports in early 2025. In advance of these reports, several findings regarding graduates of Christian schools are shared here.

High School Quality and Experiences

Overall, graduates of Protestant Christian schools rate their schools’ quality about the same as traditional public school graduates. When it comes to the specifics of their high school experience however, Protestant Christian school graduates were significantly more positive about their schools as close-knit communities, their relationships with teachers, the preparation their schools provided them to have strong personal relationships as adults, and their preparation for academic success in a postsecondary setting, as well as for success in a job or career. They also were more likely to believe they are very well prepared to have vibrant spiritual lives, as well as rate their schools more highly in terms of how they handled religious and spiritual matters.

In terms of areas for improvement, graduates of Protestant Christian schools were more likely to provide unfavorable ratings of the extracurricular activities at their school. This is perhaps unsurprising given educational funding realities in the U.S., along with the overall lower tuition rates of this sector as compared to other types of independent schools. Of perhaps greater importance, however, is the finding that graduates are slightly less likely than their public school counterparts to agree with the statement “I felt like I belonged at my school,” as well as slightly less favorable when it came to relationships with other students at their school. For those seeking to improve the experiences of Christian school students, overall sense of belonging and peer relationships may be important areas to consider.

Academic and Vocational Outcomes

Graduates of Protestant Christian schools were no more likely to attain a bachelor’s degree or graduate degree than graduates of traditional public schools. They were also about as likely to be employed as their public school counterparts. Differences between Protestant Christian school graduates and traditional public school graduates were identified in terms of vocational values, however; specifically, Protestant school graduates are more likely to affirm that it is very important to have a job that provides an opportunity to be directly helpful to others. They are also less likely to consider money a very important personal value.

Faith Formation

Consistent with previous administrations of the CES, faith formation is the domain in which the strongest evidence for sector-level effects can be observed, with a strong benefit for graduates of Protestant schools. Specifically, the CES found that Protestant Christian school graduates were much more likely to report believing in God and in life after death, to engage in religious practices (including regular prayer, Bible reading, attending weekly religious services), and to report regularly feeling God’s presence. They are also much more likely to agree that it is important for parents to teach their children about religious beliefs.

Civic Outcomes

Protestant Christian school graduates have one of the highest rates of charitable giving, even with lower average incomes than at least two other sectors. They are also significantly more likely to volunteer than all other sectors, though not necessarily with any more frequency. Compared to their public school counterparts, graduates of Protestant Christian schools are no more or less likely to serve in a religious or political organization. They are, however, less likely to volunteer in an environmental organization or neighborhood association. Protestant Christian school graduates were also less likely to say that community involvement is a very important personal value. While CES data cannot provide an explanation for this finding, it is nonetheless interesting given these schools’ missions, as well as the findings of ACSI’s Flourishing Schools Research which correlates community engagement with flourishing in Christian schools.

Mental Health and Well-Being

Numerically speaking, Protestant Christian schools can claim more graduates with the highest levels of life satisfaction. However, this difference disappears after controlling for graduates’ demographic background characteristics, which suggests it is attributable to the influence of variables other than school type. Protestant Christian school graduates exhibited similar levels of depression and anxiety as their traditional public school counterparts.

Family Formation

Finally, when it comes to marriage and children, more Protestant Christian school graduates report having ever been married than their public school counterparts. They are also are more likely to say that marriage is a very important personal value. However, neither finding appears to be attributable to school sector, but rather may be due to other factors (e.g., influence of family of origin). While not statistically significant, graduates of Protestant Christian schools are slightly more likely to be divorced and less likely to adopt children than their public school counterparts.

Using the Data

By measuring a range of holistic outcomes, the CES provides insights into how graduates of various school sectors say they are faring. Christian school educators can utilize CES insights not only in conversations with prospective and current families, but also as a helpful lens alongside their own evaluations of their programs. To learn more, and to access CES research reports as they become available, visit the Cardus Education Survey website.