Christian school graduates are socially fragmented, anti-intellectual, politically radical, and live a militantly right-winged lifestyle. At least that’s the popular stereotype. In contrast to this caricature, a new study done by Cardus Education Survey group, found

“Compared to their public school, Catholic school, and non-religious private school peers, Protestant Christian school graduates are uniquely compliant, generous, outwardly-focused individuals who stabilize their communities by their uncommon commitment to their families, their churches, and larger society.”

The purpose of the study, published in 2011, was to “determine the alignment between the motivations and outcomes of Christian education, setting a benchmark for further study of Christian schooling.” In short, do Christian schools deliver on their promises to develop students who are spiritually formed, culturally engaged, and academically competent?

The results of the survey are fascinating. First, the difference between Protestant schools and Catholic schools are striking. Catholic schools tend to provide superior academic outcomes, which translates in greater matriculation in prestigious universities and colleges. However,

“our research finds that the moral, social, and religious disposition of Catholic school graduates seem to run counter to the values and teaching of the Catholic church. For example, students graduating from Catholic schools divorce no less than their public school counterparts, and significantly more than their Protestant Christian and non-religious private school peers. Similarly, having attended Catholic school has no impact on the frequency with which those graduates will attend church services, and Catholic school graduates are less likely to serve as leaders in their churches.”

Protestant school graduates, in contrast, are committed to their families and churches, marked by a hopefulness for the future, and in many ways are “foundational members of society.” However, when trying to balance the demands of faith, learning, and cultural engagement, the study found that Protestant school graduates don’t perform academically better than their private or public school peers.

The study is an extremely valuable resource for parents considering religious education for their children. It rigorously studies the academic, communal, and spiritual impact of Christian education on children.

Yet as a Christian school administrator, I was particularly engaged by the questions posed by the study. For example, “What if Christian school leaders were more audacious in their goals, expecting students to be unwaveringly committed to both their families and to being a part of culture through politics, the arts, and the world of ideas?”

Also, consider this question: “What if Christian schools would inspire students a ‘whole gospel’ mindset—reverence for creation, acknowledgement of the fall, worship of the Redeemer, and a taste for restoration—rather than a more narrowly-focused understanding of Biblical roles as husbands, wives, fathers, mothers?”

Finally, “Have Protestant Christian schools set the bar too low with regard to academic program and developing students’ intellect, and have Catholic schools done the same in their student’s spiritual growth?”

These are questions that everybody in the Christian School movement need to answer.

The authors guess that we are moving into a new era for Protestant Christian schools, in which there will be a greater focus on academic outcomes, while not leaving out the critical element of faith. They also believe that Christian schools are the perfect “incubators for educational innovation”, as they are not constrained by federal and state regulations. Now is the time to start experimenting in healing this fissure between heart and mind.

I would agree. Christian schools have a great opportunity to build the types of educational structures that will produce “whole” people – intellectually competent, culturally engaged, and spiritually centered – that will be the future leaders of our globalized society.