"Education shapes the future of our whole society - our children's future.  School matters; we are right to worry about the educational choices."  Shaping Hearts and Minds: Why it Matters Where Your Child Goes To School by Dr. Shawn and Monica Whatley

After choosing to impart the gospel of Jesus Christ to our children, education was the 2nd most important parenting decision for our family. Fifteen years ago, we chose classical, Christian education.  We desired a school with excellent academics, where the truth and grace of the gospel were taught and lived out, where our kids would learn to think, speak and live with a biblical worldview.  We found all of these things and more in CCA's community. 

Even though we believe we made the best educational decision for our family, there still have been difficult days along the way where we found ourselves wondering, "is it really worth it?"  Our choice required a significant investment of time and financial resources.  For us, it was well worth the cost. We have two graduates now, and we can clearly see the return on our investment.  Our graduates are grounded in their faith and know how to think and communicate well.   

To answer the "is it worth it? " question, the Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS) commissioned a study by the University of Notre Dame's Sociology Department.  Good Soil: A Comparative Study of ACCS Alumni Life Outcomes compares life outcomes for adults aged 24-42 who were educated in public, private, classical Christian, and homeschool settings. Here is a summary of some of the study results: 

ACCS alumni, as adults, think and live in a
markedly different way than their peers from other
educational models. Nearly 90% of them attend
church at least 3 times monthly, and they participate
in other church activities at a higher rate. They are
2.6 times more likely to pray alone and 6.7 times
more likely to be readers. While they do not give
more money overall, they are much more likely to
believe they have the obligation to give. They stand
out as they seek jobs that fulfill their religious calling,
and they prioritize pay at a much lower rate than
other groups (which may explain the giving). ACCS
alumni have healthy families. While they report no
significant difference in marital satisfaction from the
other segments, they are much more likely to hold to
traditional beliefs about marriage than their
Christian school counterparts. And, this shows in
their lives. They have much lower divorce and
cohabitation rates compared to the other groups.
They send their kids to Christian schools at a higher
rate, and they volunteer more.
ACCS alumni are more grateful, more
hopeful, and more trusting than their peers from
other types of schools. And they are willing to
sacrificially serve wherever they are called.

The study's bottom line is the investment required for classical Christian schools is worth it, and it truly matters where you educate your children. 

You can review a summary of the study or read the entire report here.