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When St. Augustine Preparatory Academy (Aug Prep) broke ground in Milwaukee almost a decade ago, two worlds collided. The school’s intended location was an “industrial dumping ground,” says Kelsey Brenn, one of the school’s founding members. The property had a number of worn-down buildings, one of which became the new Aug Prep central office: a small yellow house infested with raccoons. “We saw promise there, and God saw promise there,” Brenn said.
We asked Dr. Os Guinness, renowned author, theologian, and speaker at ACSI's Public Policy & Advocacy Summit, some poignant questions about the upcoming documentary, "Truth Rising," and the importance of public policy.
When the hard-working students of Ambassador Christian Academy (ACA) wanted to expand their STEM horizons, they didn’t schedule a field trip to a local science and technology museum. No, they scheduled flights and flew across the country from New Jersey to Phoenix, Arizona, in March 2025 to compete in the International Christian Stem Competition (ICSC) at Grand Canyon University. Much more than a field trip, the entire experience enabled hands-on learning and personal growth from beginning to end.
Dr. Debbie MacCullough, ACSI’s Senior Director of School Improvement, recently shared her insights about the revised edition of the book “Undivided.” “Undivided” is both a philosophical and practical guide to biblical worldview integration in the classroom, offering a compelling framework for how to teach all subjects—even mathematics—with theological depth and coherence. Debbie wrote one of the appendixes and possesses an acute understanding of “Undivided” since it was written by her mother, Dr. Martha MacCullough, a veteran educator with over four decades of experience training Christian teachers.
Beth Afanador grew up attending public schools in Illinois, so she didn't foresee a career in Christian education, let alone overseas. But in seventh grade, her family moved to Mexico for a year due to her father’s grad school program and she experienced Christian education for the first time. That year opened her eyes to the value of teaching overseas, even if her long-term goal was to minister to students in inner-city Los Angeles. When she graduated from Wheaton College and heard about an opportunity to teach in Bogotá, Colombia, she was intrigued.
Featured Event
Public Policy and Advocacy Summit 2025
September 15–17, 2025 | Washington D.C.
Join us in Washington, D.C.! Our annual Public Policy and Advocacy Summit will be held in Washington, D.C., September 15-17. This year's special professional development summit will include panel discussions on important legislative issues, special guest speakers, and so much more.
Blog
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With over 5,000 member schools (2,200 of which are U.S.-based), ACSI is the largest Protestant Christian private school membership association in the world (ECFA, 2025), serving over 650,000 K–12 students (ACSI, 2025). With a renewed emphasis on school choice, ACSI has undertaken a counterfactual thought exercise with implications for U.S. policymakers: If all ACSI students were to enroll in local or regional publicly funded schools suddenly, what would the immediate economic impact on each U.S. state look like in terms of spending and funding?
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The U.S. Secret Service interviewed more than 35 school shooters and discovered a frightening connection between a student bringing a gun to school and what motivated them to murder classmates and faculty.
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I get a lot of questions from Christian teachers lately that sound something like this: “What are we supposed to do with AI in schools? Is this the end of education as we know it?” These are fair questions! AI technology feels mysterious, and maybe even threatening. It can seem almost… magical… so it’s no wonder it causes us to ask big questions. Big questions demand thoughtful answers. For us, as Christian educators, I think this means we need to cultivate an imagination big enough to understand what AI is, what it isn’t, and how we might use it in ways that glorify God and affirm what it means to be truly human.
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The Cognitive Abilities Test™ (CogAT) was designed to empower educators with deeper insights into their students and guide their efforts to adapt instruction to best meet students’ needs and abilities. The key to adapting instruction is CogAT’s unique Ability Profile score, an indicator that concisely conveys the level and pattern of each student’s CogAT scores. Using the Ability Profile is an easy way to visualize the resources and abilities that students bring to their own learning and allows us to link students’ test scores to strength-based instructional strategies.
Podcast
Hear a global update from Latin America, a spotlight on an international school educator, and a word from an Early Education presenter.
Dr. Steve Mason, Student Success Services Teacher at Southside Christian School in South Carolina, joins the Grafted Together Podcast to discuss Artificial Intelligence, biblical worldview integration, and human intelligence.
Josh Leonard and Jerry Nelson discuss targets for students to know, understand, and believe upon graduation. Josh serves at North Raleigh Christian Academy and is currently leading in the role of Dean of Spiritual Formation and Discipleship.
Students are returning to school shaped by culture, for better or for worse. Hear actionable strategies on how to capitalize on the beginning of the school year.
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.
