Welcome to Stories
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Middle school students from the United States and the Dominican Republic participated in a virtual speech and rhetoric challenge as part of the ACSI Student Leadership & Learning program, “Voices in the Middle: Empowered to Inspire,” on March 11, 2026. The event, inspired by 1 Timothy 4:12, encourages students to develop leadership and communication skills while using their voices to make a positive impact.
During her 16 years of working in public schools, Meghan Coates was skeptical of private education. “I was thoroughly convinced that in private education, they must be skipping something,” Coates said. “I would get to the end of the day and think, ‘I worked my tail off today. How in the world did they have time for chapel, to study the Bible, or to stop and pray with their kids?’”
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A new agreement between the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and the Ethiopian Council of Gospel Believers’ Churches marks a significant step for Christian education in Ethiopia and may create new opportunities for faith-based schools in the country.
In alignment with Vision 2030, ACSI’s GRAACE initiatives (Gender, Race, Ability, Academic, Culture, Economic Status) are driven by a desire to foster biblical unity within Christian schools, empowering educators in their mission to make Christian education accessible to all students.
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When educators at a Christian school I consulted recently began to observe that one of their students, Elizabeth, appeared to be increasingly anxious and withdrawn, they did not simply identify the situation as a behavioral issue. Instead, they convened a meeting, bringing together her teachers, parents, and administrators around a single table. "We gather everyone together," one school leader explained. “The goal isn’t to point fingers, but to talk honestly about Elizabeth’s needs. Then we ask, ‘which of these can we meet, and which need support outside the school?’”
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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As educators, learning is our foundation and passion. In most schools, including private Christian institutions, the value of student learning is expressed in its core values, mission and vision statements, and expected student outcomes (ESOs). Ideally, this should make a culture of learning easy to identify. Yet, because school culture evolves gradually, it’s easy to drift off course over time. This can happen due to inconsistent alignment with core values, an overemphasis on grading, resistance to change, little or no professional development, or a lack of intentional faith integration. School culture is essentially “the way we do things around here” (Baker, 2023). It’s powerful and accumulates over time, so cultivating a learning-focused culture requires intentionality and leadership. Here are five strategies to promote and sustain a culture of learning.
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Christian schools across the United States have an incredible opportunity to help children understand not only the story of our nation, but the deeper foundations that still impact its governance today. When young students grasp how faith shaped America’s founding, they are empowered to live as responsible, thoughtful citizens who recognize that freedom and virtue are gifts to steward wisely.
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Accreditation plays a vital role in ensuring quality education in private Christian schools. It is a voluntary process where independent agencies evaluate various aspects of schools, including curricula, faculty, and facilities. This process is essential for maintaining high academic and operational standards, fostering continuous improvement, and attracting families and students. Accreditation not only serves as a signaling device for quality assurance but also affords benchmarked standards for excellence on a broad scale, nationally and, increasingly, globally.
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The first hours of a crisis will shape everything that follows. Dr. R. Adams Cowley, widely regarded as the father of trauma medicine, described what he called the “golden hour”—the critical window immediately following a life-threatening injury, during which rapid intervention dramatically increases survival odds. “There is a golden hour between life and death,” he observed. “If you are critically injured, you have less than 60 minutes to survive.” What is true in the trauma bay is equally true in the principal’s office. For the thousands of schools that make up the Association of Christian Schools International, a crisis can arrive without warning and without sympathy for anyone caught unprepared.
Podcast
"You can't just sprinkle Jesus dust on an otherwise secular education." Noah Brink joins the Grafted Together Podcast and shares how Franklin Christian Academy (TN) prepares students for God's calling by teaching Christianly.
It's not an add-on: the real work of forming a biblical worldview takes a systematic approach at each Christian school. Billy Hutchinson, Director of Colson Educators with the Colson Center, shares insights and resources.
As an admissions specialist, Angie St. Pierre sees how spiritual formation starts from the very first interaction, ensuring that Christ is central in every aspect of the school experience.
This episode features Dr. Adam Wilson, speaker at the Secure & Sound Mental Health Symposium (May 1 in Denver with a virtual option as well) and Elizabeth Urbanowicz, speaker at the Rooted Educator Worldview Summit (June 15-17 in Colorado Springs).
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 Launches New Collaboration with the North American Mission Board, Equipping 47,000 Churches
Colorado Springs, CO- The Association of Christian Schools International is thrilled to announce its collaboration with the North American Mission Board (NAMB), aimed at fostering Christian education within North America. NAMB serves the 47,000 Southern Baptist churches and pastors across North America through strategic leadership, resource, and support, to help reach people with the gospel.
After months of prayer, dialogue, and collaboration, Dr. Jimmy Scroggins, lead pastor of Family Church in South Florida, and Trevin Wax, Vice President of Resources and Marketing at NAMB, have unveiled a compelling resource titled "The Education Reformation: Why Your Church Should Start a Christian School." This monograph serves as both an inspiring call to action and a practical guide for pastors and church leaders.
ACSI President & CEO Larry Taylor shared his thoughts on the new collaboration with NAMB.
"We are calling upon pastors to envision a generation of ambassadors for Jesus Christ, molded through Christian education," expressed Taylor. "We envision a future where the next generation is equipped with a firm Christ-centered foundation and a biblical worldview, capable not only of engaging with the culture but also of navigating and thriving amidst secular ideologies."
ACSI encourages existing Christian schools to consider ways they can support new initiatives within their communities. Whether through launching satellite campuses or providing resources such as desks and chairs, schools have the opportunity to play a pivotal role in advancing access to Christ-centered education.
To support this initiative, ACSI encourages churches of all denominations to explore the resources available on the NAMB website: https://www.namb.net/schools.
ACSI offers "How to Start a Christian School" training, complete with a comprehensive timeline checklist and supplementary resources, to assist emerging schools. To learn more, visit the website.
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.
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.
