Welcome to Stories
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Burt Carney, former longtime ACSI staff member and founder of the Legal Legislative Update, passed away on December 7, 2024. His dedication to protecting and supporting Christian schools left an indelible mark on the organization and its members. Early in his tenure at ACSI, Carney was tasked by the organization’s founder, Dr. Paul Kienel, with creating a regular newsletter for Christian school administrators and board members. "This became one of my most enjoyable duties as an employee," Carney would later write.
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ACSI introduced Kati Melton as its new Senior Director for the Western Division in September 2024. In her new role, Melton will oversee and offer guidance to 570 member schools across 13 states in the Western Division of the U.S. Melton answered some questions recently about her background and vision for ACSI.
As a parent, of course you are going to have to address the poor behavior, but this is going to take wisdom, discernment, time, and patience. If your child has experienced trauma, they need you to stay calm. You will need to slow down your reactions so that you can respond to your child's behaviors gently while tending to the underlying causes for their inappropriate choices. So, for example, if you find that your child is having trouble going to sleep at night, resist the urge to approach this as a behavioral issue and consider the fact that they might be afraid! You cannot discipline fear out of a child. We need to shepherd our children, seeking to understand their hearts and their reactions. We need to develop a plan to support them in their suffering.
As we approach Christmas, we asked Spiritual Life Directors at ACSI member schools how their school community celebrates this special season! Ideas include Christmas concerts, toy collections for children's hospitals, ornament decorating at nursing homes, at more.
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We have several employees retiring in December 2024. We are so grateful for their servant hearts and service in Christian education over the years! Celebrating Jan Snyder’s 30 Years of Service at ACSI Jan Snyder started her journey with ACSI on November 9, 1994, just two months after the organization moved its headquarters to Colorado Springs from Whittier, California. At the time, ACSI was led by founder Dr. Paul Kienel, and his wife, Annie Kienel, who hired Jan to work part-time in the mailroom. Annie, a servant leader, was gracious and flexible, allowing Jan to work during the hours that her three young children were at school.
Featured Event
Flourish Deeper
- Rethinking Worldview & Student Leadership Development
02/6/25 | Columbus, OH - Healthy Governance & Sustainable Funding
03/6/25 | Pittsburgh, PA - 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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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.
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We often speak of educating our students from a biblical perspective, for God’s word and His truth to serve as the foundation of everything we do as Christian schools. While that’s good and as it should be, how often do we follow this same viewpoint in our roles as leaders of these schools? Specifically, as we consider things like direction and focus for our schools, are we guided more by the philosophies of the world around us or by the God of the universe to whom we claim our schools belong?
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If you walk into our headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado, you will immediately see this Scripture on the wall: “We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done” (Psalm 78:4). This is a precious Scripture to ACSI as we recognize a key part of why we exist. Across the history of the Jewish people, God was very intentional about ensuring that His people remembered the key events that demonstrated His faithfulness and goodness to them. Passover celebrates God’s deliverance of the Jews from Egypt in the days of Moses, and Purim celebrates God’s deliverance of the Jews from Haman in the days of Esther. Our own Christian holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, follow that model of remembrance with Christ’s birth, death, burial, and resurrection.
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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.
Podcast
Dr. Edward Bunn sits down with Lainie Montgomery, ACSI Director of Spiritual Formation, to discuss strategies for partnering with parents and families.
Dr. Lynn Swaner, ACSI Senior Fellow and President, US of Cardus, joins the podcast to discuss research findings regarding AI in schools and examples of how Christian schools can use AI.
Jerry Nelson and Mia Lazaga, Chief Evangelist with Archangel, discuss the partnership between ACSI and Archangel, emphasizing community development through technology training programs.
We must be aware of the factors affecting our students today and common values in this generation in order to most effectively engage them and make an enduring impact. Tune in for Emily Pigott's encouragement and reflections.
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. Also, don’t miss the International Schools Job Fair.
ACSI Grants Exemplary Accreditation to Four Christian Schools for 2023–2024
The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) is honored to renew the Exemplary Accreditation status of four Christian schools in the U.S. for the 2023–24 academic year.
The four schools include: Delaware County Christian School (PA); First Presbyterian Day School (GA); Southside Christian School (SC); and The First Academy (FL).
ACSI Exemplary Accreditation was designed for top-performing schools that are seeking to maintain higher standards for all programs and operations.
In addition to simply meeting the indicators at an effective or highly effective level, these schools have a demonstrable history of exemplary programs and practices in governance, executive leadership, school viability, student learning, spiritual formation, and overall school culture (a vibrant, Christ-centered ethos among students, faculty, and leadership).
Dr. John Patterson, Head of School at First Presbyterian Day School, shared how honored he feels to be recognized as one of the 19 ACSI Exemplary Accredited schools.
“This accomplishment is a testament to the incredible faculty and staff who live out our mission to ‘educate and equip students to change the world for God's glory,” he said.
ACSI President & CEO, Dr. Larry Taylor, believes these schools are truly paving the way for Christian education to thrive.
“I am so proud of and impressed by our Exemplary Accredited schools,” he said. “Their commitment to homing in on the areas of their schools that can be pruned to produce even more fruit as they disciple ambassadors for Christ is inspiring. I am looking forward to seeing how these schools and the many more like them who will pursue ACSI Accreditation raise the standards in defining Christ-centered education.”
Superintendent of Southside Christian School Dr. Sam Barfell shared, “We are thrilled once again to achieve Exemplary Accreditation from ACSI. We consider it a humbling honor to partner with ACSI in seeking excellence as a Christian school in all regards. Although a rigorous process, accreditation is well worth the effort as we seek effectiveness in pursuit of our mission of seeking to partner with Christian parents to educate and disciple students to live a gospel-centered life.”
ACSI Senior Director of Accreditation and Credentialing Stephen Deck shared why accreditation is meaningful for schools.
“Accreditation documents that a school is true to its stated mission and helps schools determine their own effectiveness in fulfilling the accreditation standards through a peer-review process that culminates in an action plan for continued improvement,” he said. “Similar to the picture in Jeremiah 17:7-8 of a tree planted by the water sending its roots by the stream, ACSI Accreditation provides a structured process for a school to strengthen its roots, helping the school to flourish.”
To learn more about Exemplary Accreditation, feel free to review the Exemplary Addendum or reach out to accreditation@acsi.org.
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.
