The Cost vs. the Value of a Christian Education

As much as we truly would love it to be the case, an education at Chapelgate Christian Academy is not free.

An essential question parents need to consider as they weigh the option of sending their child to any Christian school is whether or not it is worth the financial investment. As a Christian school teacher, administrator and father of Christian school graduates myself, I want to share a few brief thoughts on this important question.

In my 30 years in education I have witnessed the impact of Christian schooling on literally hundreds of families.

More than once I have heard a parent say, “you saved my child’s life”.

That is powerful. A school setting where students are loved as image bearers of a creative, loving God is irreplaceable. Clearly, no human institution is perfect but some of the barriers that exist in other settings to create the environment for growth do not exist in our setting. We have great unity of purpose, even in the midst of great diversity ethnically, racially and where we attend church on the weekend.

In an issue of Christian School Comment, a publication of the Association of Christian Schools International, Karen Winter the Superintendent of Turlock Christian Schools in Turlock, CA shared some fascinating statistics and facts regarding private schooling generally and Christian schools specifically. Some of the information she shared:

1. The 2002 National Center for Education Statistics report showed that students who had completed eighth grade or higher in a private school were twice as likely as other students to graduate from college. They are also twice as likely to complete a bachelor’s degree or higher than those who have attended public school, according to the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988.
2. Christian school students consistently score top marks on standardized tests and college entrance exams. “Private high school students scored significantly higher than public high school students on reading, math, and science assessments by age 15, and by age 23 had higher levels of educational attainment” (Frenette and Chan, 2015).
3. Between 90 and 100 percent of Christian school graduates attend their university of choice.
4. Christian education reinforces a commitment to excellence, strengthening a biblical Christian worldview.
5. Christian schools have a higher percentage of students involved in extracurricular, leadership, and outreach activities, which help develop new talents, responsibility, discipline, and a heart for serving.
6. A 2007 study reinforced the power of dedicated teachers in private schools (Van Pelt, Allison, and Allison). Christian teachers help children reach their God-given potential.
7. A safe, secure learning environment, one of the keys to student success, is a top benefit of a Christian school.
8. Christian education supports a positive, Bible-based value system, helping ensure your child makes good choices.

CCA is located in Howard County, Maryland which has one of the best school systems in the country. We consistently match or exceed the test scores for college placement of the county. This is remarkable for a school of our size. We also offer many AP courses, athletic & fine art opportunities, co-curricular activities all in a Christian school setting.

The investment that I personally made in my children’s Christian schooling has impacted them well beyond the actual time they spent in this building. Like so many of their peers, years after graduating some of those people they met at CCA- students and faculty- continue to influence and enrich their lives. For my family and so many like ours, Christian schooling has been well worth the investment. Steve Kennedy

To learn more about CCA or ask about openings please contact us here:

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