Jeremy Wayne Tate, educator and CEO of Classic Learning Test, recently told Phyllis Schlafly Eagles President Ed Martin: "A renewal movement is happening with people returning to the classics, returning to the great traditions, the tried and true." A guest on Martin's weekly Pro America Report, 7-15-21, Tate added: "I think people are sick and tired of [public education] experimenting on our kids, and so we're seeing this return in the homeschool world, the Christian school world, the Catholic school world, and the charter school world. They're reintroducing classical education and it's starting to go national."

In response to Martin's fear that we have lost a couple of generations to destructive fad teaching, Tate agreed that "we've slipped away from the basics." He pointed out that testing companies dictate content, and that these companies today are radical. "The College Board is run by David Coleman, the grand architect behind the Common Core standards" he explained. "Our founding documents call us back to be a great nation, but they are not being presented to our students that way. And this situation needs to change."

In 2015, Tate founded the Classic Learning Test (CLT) as an alternative to the standardized college admissions tests to reflect, well, classical learning. As the Wall Street Journal opined in 2019: "A growing segment of schools and home-schooling families see the SAT and ACT, which are aligned with the troubled Common Core curriculum and its emphasis on utilitarian ‘skills' and bland ‘informational texts,' as poor fits with the kind of teaching they believe students need. They think education should build on ideas formed over centuries and help students enjoy beauty and practice good judgment."

When Martin asked about Common Core, which despite significant controversy remains in place, and CRT, which is also not new but is prompting public outcry, Tate responded: "There's a void: we've removed core knowledge and timeless texts from K-12 education, and something needs to fill that void."

He continued:

Currently, the CLT is accepted at more than 150 colleges and universities in the U.S. and internationally. If the classical education resurgence continues, this number will no doubt increase.

Classical Education Options

Jeremy Tate isn't the only one talking about classical education. The Manhattan Institute published an "Issue Brief" in July on this topic titled Classical Education: An Attractive School Choice for Parents. In his introduction, the report's author Brandon McCoy acknowledged that classical education "differs profoundly from the instruction offered by modern district public schools. It is heavily oriented toward the liberal arts, guided by the Western canon, and grounded in Greek and Roman traditions of academic excellence."

McCoy wrote: "In the religious school sector, classical education often incorporates biblical texts and training. These schools often brand themselves as classical Christian schools or classical academies and inculcate their students with a rigorous education and Judeo-Christian values."

"Some Catholic schools have also harked back to a classical model in teaching their tradition. While not representative of most Catholic schools, some parochial schools have made an effort to give parishioners the option of classical education, [and] some Catholic-affiliated networks have also created schools to offer a classical Catholic education."

The report notes that many of the most ardent supporters of classical education can be found in the homeschooling and micro-schooling movements. "However," McCoy wrote, "several public charter schools have adopted aspects of classical learning. These schools, particularly in urban areas, are designed to give students from disadvantaged groups a stronger educational foundation and a better shot at college readiness...many classical charter schools incorporate secular ‘character training' into their curricula."

While McCoy's paper focuses on classical-model charter schools in New York City, Washington, DC, and Nashville, TN, it includes a general overview of classical education and a brief history of the evolution of public education in the U.S.

Classical Christian Schools

According to the Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS): "Classical Christian education has seen the fastest, most consistent growth of any private school movement in the U.S." This is music to the ears of Christians nationwide who are looking for alternatives to the public schools. They are often the ones battling public-school boards and curricula in what is so far mostly a futile hope of restoring sanity and real academics to the classroom.

For those seeking alternatives, the Classical Christian Schools website offers a wealth of information and resources, including a list of the more than 290 ACCS-member schools.

Christian schools not in the network but wishing to transition to a classical curriculum will find the tools and guidance to do so. Member schools pay annual dues in return for resources and membership perks.

Hillsdale-Affiliated Classical Charter Schools

The renowned Michigan-based Hillsdale College supports 24 classical charter schools across the nation with licensed K-12 curriculum and other assistance. In addition, nearly 20 private and parochial schools are licensed to use Hillsdale's K-12 curriculum. One of these schools is located in Misahualli, Ecuador.

Two other classical schools in Florida and one in Georgia were founded through Hillsdale's Barney Classical Schools Initiative (BCSI).

While most of the classical school alternatives discussed above involve a cost to parents in tuition, supplies, or other expenses, most offer scholarships, partial scholarships, and/or payment plans to help defray or manage these costs. States that have enacted school-choice measures may also provide assistance.

Hillsdale Charter Schools
Jeremy Tate on Twitter

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