Research Shows Classical Christian Schools are Ideal

January 15, 2026 by

Classical Christian education is traditional but not outdated. Today, it provides the best opportunity for young students to grow into capable, wise adults. Ancient and medieval pedagogy, or educational theory, is supported by increasing evidence from modern research.

One example is the Good Soil Report. This major educational study, conducted by the University of Notre Dame and the Cardus Foundation, collected data on “life outcomes.”  It considered alumni from six educational backgrounds: public, secular private, Catholic, evangelical, homeschool, and classical Christian. What it found was that classical Christian graduates were more likely than any other alumni group to possess strong Christian values. They were more likely to achieve academic and professional success, and to be free thinkers. They felt less helpless and had a more positive outlook on life. Classical Christian alumni even reported having many more close friends than their peers did.

When educators say classical Christian education aims to develop the whole person, this is what we mean! Classical Christian education creates students who are more well-rounded spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, and socially. The Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS) highlights how classical Christian alumni were 2.6x more likely to pray alone and 3x more likely to donate to their church. Not surprisingly, they were also 6.7x more likely to read than other alumni.

The Good Soil Report surveyed 1,800 randomly selected 24 to 42-year-old alumni of ACCS schools in a comparative study between 2018 and 2019. Researchers used linear regression to filter non-academic influences like lifestyle and parenting out of the results. While it is difficult to account for all the factors affecting a child’s growth, the results from this study clearly highlight the remarkable advantages of a classical Christian education.

The Association of Classical Christian Schools summarized the findings this way: “This research seems to confirm what history has repeatedly demonstrated—classical Christian education can influence the course of a home, a community, or a nation.”

If you are interested in the Good Soil Report, you can find it here. I also encourage you to visit the Association of Classical Christian Schools’ website, which can be found here.