Exploring why parents choose to enroll their children in a Classical Christian education school: A qualitative study
Abstract
The purpose of this naturalistic inquiry study was to explore parents' rationales for enrolling their children in a Classical Christian education (CCE) school accredited by the Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS). The curriculum of CCE is unique in its biblical and classical (Trivium and Quadrivium) content, its pedagogical progression (grammar, logic, and rhetoric), and its emphasis on the classics and history of Western Civilization. Classical Christian education is growing in hybrid, home, and private religious schools across the U.S. This study utilized the social identity and secular goods theories (Pelz & den Dulk, 2018) to explore the religious and non-religious factors influencing parents' decision to enroll their children in an ACCS school that teaches CCE. Utilizing 15 semi-structured interviews, observations, and document and artifact analysis to understand parents' meanings about their CCE school decision making, five themes emerged from this study: a) rooting education in a biblical worldview; b) passing on a faith that can become their own; c) a community of like-minded people; d) our kids are being challenged; and e) we kept running into people who sent their kids there. The themes indicated that parents enrolled their children to ground them in a biblical worldview and to transmit their religious beliefs and values to them. The themes also signified that parents valued the strong and challenging academics that the classical element of the curriculum provided. Further, social networks frequently introduced parents to the school, and the school's like-minded community incentivized annual re-enrollment. This study's findings have implications for pluralism and religious diversity in public education, parental priorities in private religious education, and the importance of belonging, social relationships, and a nurturing environment in school decision making.
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- OSU Dissertations [11222]