Classical Education in Public Schools

Classical education is on the rise in the United States. The State of Florida has adopted the classical learning test, and classical charter schools, magnet schools, and home or private school programs have exploded. The Society for Classical Learning, an organization focused on promoting a classical Christian education model, released a document in 2023 that noted the classical Christian movement expanded from 170 schools in 2010 to over 700 in 2023. While classical Christian is slightly different in form and function to a secular classical model, the growth itself is astounding.

The decline in public school quality and opportunity has no doubt accelerated the decline of student enrollment across the country and opened up plentiful ground for alternative education models. But does it always need to be an alternative? Student outcomes and enrollment are huge indicators for the health of a school district, and implementing classical models may help reverse decline and restore trust.

Our white paper covers the growth of classical programs in the United States and actionable items for school board members to explore adopting a classical program in their schools.