Welcome to Stories
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Christian schools across the globe united for ACSI’s 2025 Global Day of Prayer, setting aside time to seek the Lord together, celebrating the theme “Abide.” Students and faculty across campuses and time zones united in prayer, engaging in creative expressions such as building prayer vines, rotating through prayer stations, and contributing to prayer walls.
Dr. Jeff Mattner’s life was an authentic testimony of faithfulness, service, and deep commitment to God’s calling, specifically through Christ-centered education. For 14 years, Jeff served at the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), investing his time, gifts, and wisdom into hundreds of Christian schools. His steady devotion and graceful presence offered reassurance, counsel, and direction.
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Forty-five minutes. That’s all that separates the parking lot of Ocean View Christian Academy in San Diego from the dirt roads, improvised homes, and vibrant faith communities of Primo Tapia, Mexico. But for the students who cross the border each year on the school’s annual mission trip, those 45 minutes may as well be a world away. And that’s exactly why they go.
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ACSI believes that Faith Teaches every moment, every day, every way. It is tremendous to witness member schools putting faith into action. Through teaching students servant leadership by volunteering at The Salvation Army, to raising money in penny drives to support missions overseas, Christian schools are truly showing what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ.
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As Christmas approaches, we reached out to our ACSI leaders across the globe and asked them to tell us how their regions celebrate this joyous season. The traditions they shared rooted in faith, culture, and community paint a rich picture of how Christians everywhere honor the miracle of Christ’s birth. Enjoy this look at Christmas around the world!
Featured Event
Rooted Educator Worldview Summit '26
June 15–17, 2026 | DoubleTree Hotel | Colorado Springs, CO
Rooted will explore what it means to be human in light of the Christian worldview and how this vision reshapes the aims, practices, and culture of Christian education. Grounded in the biblical narrative—from creation in God’s image, to the distortion of sin, to redemption and restoration in Christ—the conference invites educators to consider how a robust theological understanding of personhood informs formation, teaching, curriculum, and community life. By recovering a hopeful, truthful, and dignifying view of humanity, Christian education can equip students to embrace their identity as image-bearers, their belonging within God’s family, and their call to participate meaningfully in God’s redemptive work in the world.
Blog
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When was the last time you used the word “stakeholder” in the context of your school community? How about constituents? Partner? Client? Customer? (It gets worse from there.) The purpose of these next few minutes is twofold: to ask you to lock on to the word “stakeholder” when you talk about your school community. to view your stakeholders as a basket of real people with real insight committed to the mission of your school. Not surprisingly, “constituent” is a fair word if we hold to the strict definition of the dictionary, meaning, “a part of the whole or a component of something” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). That's who our people are. But the word “stakeholder” ups the ante.
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I promise that I didn’t do it on purpose. I was not snooping around, but one early December day many years ago, in a moment of mindless meddling around the house, I found it. My big Christmas gift that my parents tried to keep hidden until Christmas morning: a full-sized Voltron action figure, the envy of any elementary aged boy in the 1980s. However, as much as I pleaded and begged, they would not let me play with it until Christmas morning. The toy was agonizingly within my grasp, but I had to wait.
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At North Raleigh Christian Academy (NRCA), we believe our mission doesn’t end at graduation. We’ve seen firsthand how alumni continue to impact their communities and the world for Christ — from doctors and pastors to artists, athletes, engineers, and educators. And because of this, maintaining strong, meaningful connections with them isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a vital extension of our mission.
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Joseph saved God’s people from starvation as a high-ranking leader in Egypt. Moses led God’s people out of bondage in Egypt. David led God’s people both as military leader and king. Gideon led an army of God’s people into battle. Elisha relayed God’s words to His people. Peter, Andrew, James, and John led God’s people in the days of the early Church. What do all these men have in common? They each experienced a radical, God-ordained career change. Each of them was “unconventionally prepared” for their leadership roles. Consider David—he had no military experience when he fought Goliath, nor political experience when he was anointed king. Yet God took a humble shepherd and transformed him into a warrior and a king.
Podcast
Simon Jeynes, Co-Founder of Christian School Management, discusses cultural shifts in and around Christian education, and more.
Douglas Campbell hosts an episode with three major contributors to ACSI's Spiritual Formation Network meetings.
Emily Pigott shares how to lead with presence to remind students that peace is not the absence of chaos, it's the awareness of Christ in that chaos.
Rachael Jones sits down with Dr. Edward Bunn to discuss strategies for receiving and implementing healthy feedback as leaders.
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.
