
ACSI Engagement
ACSI is at the forefront of advocating a space for Christian education. ACSI regularly submits formal communications to policymakers, elected officials, and courts which address various concerns and legislation affecting religious education, nonprofits, and religious freedom. We partner with like-minded organizations to increase our voice on important issues.
Current Issues
ACSI members are provided with frequent updates and talking points on current issues in Washington, D.C. These highlights are designed to keep you informed and give you valuable insights for prayer and interaction with legislators.
- 09.01.23 Update includes end of recess, Early Ed CCDBG public comment; EE help needed; Letter from Dr. Taylor; Equality Act update; Summit registration ends September 8.
- 08.15.23 Update includes Congressional recess, Summit speakers, Summit updates.
- 08.02.23 Update includes judicial nomination; Title VIII guidance; Recess; Appropriations; ACSI Summit; History Moment – Chief Manteo
- 07.17.23 Update includes results in the Tucker; Fitzgerald; and Starkey cases; ACSI amicus briefs in support; Battlelines observation; ACSI opposition to judicial nominee.
- 07.01.23 Update includes Equality Act reintroduction; SCOTUS decisions in Groff and 303 Creative; Congress on break; Happy Fourth!
- 06.15.23 Update includes amicus in tax exemption case, Illinois school choice, Maine lawsuit, anticipating Supreme Court decisions.
- 06.05.23 Update includes Title IX general and athletic rules; SCOTUS outlook in June.
- 05.16.23 Update includes Title IX Athletics NPRM; comparison with Congressional action; school safety resources from ONPE; request for insights from schools re upcoming Sec. 504 regs; state updates.
- 05.02.23 Update includes SCOTUS oral arguments in Groff; women’s sports bill passes House; Title IX public comment due 5/15; Sec. 504 regulation update imminent; updated FAQs on federal school safety program.
- 04.17.23 Update includes legislation this week; latest Title IX regulations.
- 04.03.23 Update includes our sympathy for Covenant of Nashville, school safety, Parents Bill of Rights Act, Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, Vermont encouragement, Texas school choice, two amicus briefs in Feb/March.
- 03.02.23 Update includes charitable deduction; six-state school choice update.
- 02.15.23 Update includes ECCA update; more school choice bills; next monthly Webinar (with ACSI's Matt Lee on regulation & school choice in Christian schools); Hill day with CAPE; Asbury Revival
- 02.01.23 Update includes: upcoming February 9th Webinar; Speaker election outcome; National School Choice Week; early-bird Summit registration; Title IX religious exemption legal victory.
- 01.05.23 Update includes Speaker election; updates on Yeshiva, Gordon legal cases; National School Choice Week (1/22 – 28); March for Life (1/20); Key 16 Prayer Card; PPLA Webinar January 12 with ADF’s Greg Baylor; Religious Freedom Day (1/16).
(Member Only Resources)
ACSI is active in the legislative process by signing coalition letters, communicating with elected officials and the media, sending out legal alerts explaining the issues to stakeholders, and voter voice emails, making it easy for constituents to let legislators know their viewpoint and why.
ACSI makes a persuasive case before a judge by means of a friend of the court brief (amicus brief). This is an important method for having a voice in the judicial branch. This is usually a collaborative effort whereby multiple groups that agree with a particular line of argument present a unified case to the court for consideration. ACSI has signed many amicus briefs with others, some of which the Supreme Court has cited in their rulings.
ACSI does a number of other things to advocate Christian education through media, press conferences, and other means.
School Safety Resources
Respect for Marriage Act Resources
- ACSI Policy Memo (December 20, 2022)
- ACSI and AACS Joint Letter on RFMA (Updated: December 6, 2022)
- ACSI and AACS Joint Letter on RFMA
- ADF RFMA 1 Page Analysis
- ADF RFMA Substitute Analysis
- Colson Center Breakpoint on RFMA
- US Conference of Catholic Bishops Blog Post
- Liberty Counsel Letter
- Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission Letter
- Heritage Foundation on RFMA
Coalition and Legislative Letters
- 07.12.23 Coalition Letter to Oppose the Nomination of Loren L. AliKhan
- 03.15.23 Letter of Support for the Equal Campus Access Act
- 11.14.22 Coalition Letter to Support the Universal Charitable Deduction (H.R. 1704, S. 618)
- 07.26.22 Coalition Letter to Oppose HR 8404 (Respect for Marriage Act)
- 05.10.22 Coalition Letter to full U.S. House, Community Services Block Grant (Charitable Choice)
- 04.04.22 Virginia – Coalition Letter to Support Gov Signing HB 1063 (religious conduct)
- 03.14.22 Coalition Letter to House Ed Cmte, Community Services Block Grant (Charitable Choice)
- 03.17.22 Coalition Letter to Sen. Lankford for Committee Hearing (Universal Charitable Deduction)
- 02.03.22 Virginia – Testimony in House Subcommittee to Support HB 753 (religious freedom/SOGI)
- 01.26.22 Virginia – Testimony in Senate Committee to Support SB 177 (religious freedom/SOGI)
- 12.06.21 Charities' Priorities – UCD Letter to House Committees
- 12.01.21 BBB - Faith Community Coalition Letter
- 11.16.21 CAPE Letter on BBB's UPK/Childcare provisions in the Reconciliation Bill (House)
- 11.16.21 CAPE Letter on BBB's UPK/Childcare provisions in the Reconciliation Bill (Senate)
- 02.24.21 ACSI-AACS Joint Statement on Equality Act
- 02.15.21 Illinois - ACSI Statement on Teacher Certification
- 02.08.21 West Virginia – Coalition Support for School Choice (ESA bill)
- 12.18.20 Virginia - Statement of Support for Religious Freedom
More information from ADF - 12.09.20 Charitable Giving Coalition (Universal Charitable Deduction)
- 06.25.20 CARES Act Equitable Services
- 04.08.19 ACSI Letter to House Subcommittee (Equality Act)
- 04.08.19 Coalition Letter to Subcommittee of Education and Labor Committee(Equality Act)
- 04.01.19 Coalition Letter to House Judiciary Committee (Equality Act)
Amicus Briefs
- 06.12.23 Hartsoe v. Baltimore Lutheran High School Association - United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- 02.28.23- Groff v. Louis Dejoy - Supreme Court of the United States
- 10.13.2022- Tucker v. Faith Bible Chapel - (Ministerial Exception)
- 09.28.2022 - Lonnie Billard v. Charlotte Catholic High School - United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- 09.02.22 - Yeshiva University and President Ari Berman v. YU Pride Alliance- Supreme Court of the United States
- 08.12.22 Cambridge Christian School, Inc. v. Florida High School Athletic Association - US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- 08.01.22 Baltimore Lutheran High School v. Hon. Richard Bennet - United States District Court- Maryland
- 06.28.22 Tucker v. Faith Bible Chapel - US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- 01.20.22 Lynn Starkey v. Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Inc. et al on the merits in the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit Court (Title VII Religious Exemption/Ministerial Exception)
- 09.10.21 Requesting the US Supreme Court to take Carson v. Makin (Religion Clauses/Equal Protection/School Choice – Maine)
- 09.03.21 Regarding The Trustees of the New Life in Christ Church v. City of Fredericksburg, Virginia (Religious Autonomy)
- 09.02.21 Requesting the US Supreme Court take the case of Seattle’s Gospel Union Mission v. Matthew S. Woods (Ministerial Exception)
- 08.31.21 Requesting the US Supreme Court take the case of Gordon College et. al., v. Margaret DeWeese-Boyd (Ministerial Exception)
- 06.21.21 Regarding Maxon v. Fuller Theological Seminary (Title IX Religious Exemption)
Court Decisions
- 07.08.20 US Supreme Court Decision on Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Agnes Morrissey-Berru (Ministerial Exception)
- 06.30.20 US Supreme Court Decision on Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (School Choice)
ACSI Legal Alerts and Memos on Court Decisions
These member-only notices provide facts regarding important court cases, implications for Christian schools, and calls to action. The most recent Legal Alerts and Memos are as follows:
- 01.26.22 - ACSI Advisory - US Supreme Court Stops Biden Admin Vaccine Mandate OSHA Withdraws ETS
- 12.17.21 ACSI Memo on UPK/Child Care in Congress - Make Your Voice Heard
- 11.09.21 Fisher Phillips Memo - Schools & OSHA ETS Vaccine Mandate
- UPDATED GUIDANCE 06.17.21 ACSI - COVID Relief - Emergency Connectivity Fund Program - ECFP - May 2021
Public Comments
- 08.28.23 CCDBG Public Comment
- 05.15.23 Title IX Athletics NPRM (Title IX)
- 09.10.22 Title IX NPRM Comment (Title IX)
- 04.29.22 ESEA Title VIII Proposed Guidance (Equitable Services)
- 06.10.21 Title IX Hearing (Religious Liberty/SOGI)
- 04.26.21 ARP EANS Implementation
- 02.18.21 SBA Loan and Disaster Assistance Programs (Religious Liberty)
- 12.17.20 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) Draft Revised Enforcement Guidance on Religious Discrimination
- 10.26.20 DHS Foreign Student Extension of Stay Proposed Rule (F-1 Student Visas)
- 07.31.20 IFR CARES Act Equitable Services
- 02.20.20 Public Hearing on IRS SALT (Payments made to Charitable Entities)
- 01.31.20 IRS SALT (Payments made to Charitable Entities)
Other Actions
- 12.20.22 ACSI Policy Memo on RFMA
- 02.18.21 Rep. Bishop Press Release on School Choice with ACSI Support
- 12.17.20 Michigan Member School Op Ed - Religious Freedom
- 09.20.20 Fox News Article - ACSI speaks into national funding needs for private schools
- 06.26.17 Press Release regarding Trinity Lutheran SCOTUS Ruling