Welcome to Stories
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Before Alisa Childers gained notoriety with the Dove Award-winning band ZOEgirl, she fell in love with Christian education as a student. From walking into her Christian preschool for the first time, to the memory verses she still remembers from first grade, all the way to graduating from a Christian high school, Childers is a strong advocate of Christian schools.
The news was devastating. Fires were spreading across the Los Angeles metropolitan area, leaving in their wake immense destruction and loss. The Resurrection Christian School community in Loveland, CO, immediately joined together in prayer. They collectively brainstormed ways they could help. “Each year, our elementary students participate in a Penny War, where they collect coins by class and we donate the proceeds to a specific cause,” said Inta Hand, Elementary Assistant Principal at Resurrection Christian School.
It did not take long for Schools United to see its vision for building camaraderie between Christian educators to come true and then far exceed it. What began in 2018 as an informal gathering of Christian school leaders in South Florida has developed into a robust organization that connects Christian school professionals across the United States—and soon: beyond.
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We asked ACSI Exemplary Accredited school leaders what they love most about Christian education. Here's what they shared.
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Our Career Center stands out because it is exclusively for Christian educators, ensuring that all candidates align with the school's values and mission. This means the hiring process is more efficient, as they don’t have to sift through resumes from candidates who may not share their faith or educational philosophy. They can trust that every applicant has a strong commitment to Christian education, saving time and helping them find the right fit for their school’s unique community.
Featured Event
Flourish Deeper
- Engaging Students Who Think & Learn Differently
03/20/25 | Sacramento, CA
Flourish Deeper is a one day focused, learning experience around a relevant construct from the Flourishing School Culture Research. It is a deep learning opportunity with a unique blend of expert-led sessions and interactive discussions designed to inform
a school’s planning, practice, and purpose.
Blog
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Risk management is a crucial aspect of school administration, yet research on the specific needs of Christian schools has been limited. To address this gap, ACSI’s 2024–2025 Commercial Insurance and Risk Management Benchmarking Report (CIRM-BR) aimed to provide valuable insights into the unique risk profiles and insurance options for Christian schools. The report presents key findings from a national survey of ACSI member schools, covering areas like insurance purchasing, risk management practices, and consumer sentiment.
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There are many words that we can use to describe our modern culture, but there is one that we can all resonate with: “busy.” We are busy people living in a busy world. The calendar always seems full, and life always seems to be moving at a more rapid pace than the year before. As an educator, you feel this at an even higher level as spring approaches. There are too many tasks to complete, events to be planned, and meetings to be attended, yet too little time.
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John Maxwell once said, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” In my experience, this has proven to be true. Every successful school I have had contact with has had strong leadership. Conversely, schools that are struggling often have leadership issues. So what does strong leadership in a Christian school entail? The attributes of quality leadership are things dissertations and books are written on; here we will address five aspects of leadership in Christian schools.
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If you work or lead at a Christian school, it might feel like a given that Christ is at the center of every conversation—whether between faculty and students, in classrooms, or even in online courses. After all, the mission is clear, right? We're a faith-based institution, and that should naturally flow into everything we do. But here’s the thing: even with the best intentions, the demands of academics and administration can sometimes push faith integration to the side.
Podcast
Dr. Edward Bunn sits down with Becky Tubergen and Betsy Winkle from All Belong to discuss how to help every student thrive.
Dr. Larry Taylor interviews Mark Thiessen, a Christian school leader in Indonesia. Mark shares his journey and commitment to Christian education, describing how his family was called to serve in Indonesia.
Mia Lazaga rejoins the podcast for a longform conversation about community development and empowering students beyond the classroom.
Emily Pigott discusses building confidence in young leaders through a Christ-centered approach, emphasizing the importance of overcoming self-doubt and learned fears.
Stay Informed on ACSI's Events and Resources
President's Office
“I can think of no greater cause than to partner with you to advance Christ-centered education.” Dr. Larry Taylor, ACSI President & CEO
Dr. Taylor has been serving in education for over 30 years. He is passionate about training up this generation of disciples for Jesus Christ through Christian education.
Prior to accepting the President position at ACSI, Dr. Larry Taylor served twenty years as the Head of School at Prestonwood Christian Academy (PCA) in Plano, Texas. Prestonwood Christian Academy serves more than 1,600 students enrolled at four campuses as part of its school system.
Click the link below to read more.
ACSI's Mission
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's Foundational 3 Pillars
Advancing
Leading Christ-centered education toward excellence and flourishing
We want all schools to aspire to, achieve, and remain committed to a biblically-based philosophy of education, standards that are measurable, and flourishing-related criteria. ACSI strives to lead, support, and serve Christian schools, and educators, by placing them on a path of growth and flourishing using the research-based Flourishing Schools Initiative. This model should link leadership and faculty professional development accreditation, and every culture-driving component of a school. A common philosophy, and a flourishing-based metric, would unify our efforts of advancing Christian schools and educators.
Access
Making Christ-centered education available and obtainable
ACSI is committed to making Kingdom education available to as many children and families as desire it, believing that such an education offers students an opportunity to grow in a loving relationship with their Creator, come to know His saving work through Jesus, and flourish in His Ephesians 2:10 calling for their lives. This commitment requires removing barriers to access for those who traditionally have not benefited from Christian school, as well as seeking out new ways to create access points to Kingdom education and the ability to thrive and be successful in that education—for all those who desire it.
Advocacy
Promoting and protecting Christ-centered education for today and tomorrow
As the largest evangelical Christian school association in the world, ACSI is by default viewed as the spokesperson for Christian schooling in the public square. In order to discharge this responsibility with excellence and seasoned speech (Colossians 4:6), and to equip our member schools to do the same, ACSI must invest in developing public-facing resources and forming strategic relationships with those working in the area of advocacy for Christian Education and for religious liberty.
Stay Connected to ACSI
The ACSI Community online forum exists to provide connection, collaboration, and networking with Christ-centered education advocates, educators, and influencers in a protected online environment.
ACSI Community offers Christian educators opportunities to Connect, Collaborate, Compel, Captivate, and Comprehend. Join thousands of like-minded education professionals around to globe to grow in knowledge, sharpen skills, and deepen your faith, in a safe, authentic virtual environment.
ACSI provide helpful tools for you to find the next position God has for you through a resume review search and career planning portal. You can also discover ACSI positions.
Thinking about serving internationally? PFO2Go will provide the confidence to enter a new culture in which to both work and live outside the United States.
ACSI Announces its Strategic Alliance with Schools United, Expanding Peer-to-Peer Networks for Christian School Educators
Colorado Springs, CO– The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) is pleased to announce that it has entered a strategic alliance with Schools United. The alliance will expand opportunities for Christian school leaders to meet with others who hold similar roles to share best practices in a peer-to-peer setting.
ACSI President and CEO Dr. Larry Taylor shared that this alliance is aligned with ACSI’s Vision 2030.
“As a part of ACSI’s Vision 2030, we continue to connect with like-minded organizations to leverage resources and create greater missional impact,” he said. “Our desire is to help develop and support strong Christian educators and leaders so that they can provide the highest level of excellence in Christian education. This strategic alliance with Schools United will amplify the opportunities for our school leaders to join local, state, and national peer-to-peer networks.”
Schools United, founded in 2015, started with a few heads of Christian schools in South Florida getting together to talk, build relationships, and learn from each other. These gatherings have since grown to incorporate multiple peer networks representing many different professions within Christian education, as well as an annual conference with more than 2,000 attendees.
Schools United leader Dr. Jason Rachels believes this alliance with ACSI will greatly benefit Christian school leaders, faculty, and staff as they seek to connect.
“By working together with ACSI, we will be able to help more school leaders, faculty, and staff to catch the vision for how coming together in profession-specific peer networks will allow them to become better equipped to serve their students, to bring greater unity to the body of Christ, and to have an opportunity to pour into others,” he said.
Taylor shared that ACSI will continue to grow and pursue strategic alliances with other organizations to meet the diverse needs of Christian schools.
“It’s exciting to see what the Lord is doing in and through ACSI. We are not only focused on equipping our educators,” he said. “But we are committed to partnering with other leading organizations and ministries who can come alongside our schools with the tools they need to navigate an ever-changing educational terrain.”
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. Serving more than 25,000 schools in 108 countries, ACSI helps more than 5.5 million students worldwide connect to Christian education.
Follow ACSI on our social channels: Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin | Instagram
About Schools United:
Schools United began with just a few heads of Christian schools in South Florida getting together over a meal to talk, build relationships, learn from each other, and pray for one another. These gatherings then grew into peer network opportunities for every profession within the Christian school. These peer networks are free of charge and are run by those in the profession in their local area or online. Schools United exists as a catalyst and a support to help these networks get started and to develop into a resource of free professional development, unity, and support for those in each profession. In 2019, the organization programmed its first annual Professional Development Day Conference that now has more than 2,000 attendees each year. Schools United believes that developing disciples of Jesus Christ is a calling that educators don’t have to walk out alone. By working together, we can all take our schools farther for God’s glory.
Learn more about Schools United on the website: https://schoolsunited.city/about/Strategic Partners
ACSI proudly presents the Strategic Partnership Program, which includes companies, organizations, and ministries who have been carefully chosen to benefit you—our member schools—and to assist you in accomplishing your life-changing mission.
