Churches Use Online Learning as Alternative to Public School Crisis

PHILADELPHIA -- As unruly students, school violence, lack of academic performance and Godlessness are creating chaos in the public education system, many families are finding refuge in innovative alternatives. One solution being embraced is a melding of church-based education and online learning.

The Partners By Grace program allows churches to open their doors to discouraged families, providing accredited, cyber learning in a safe, Christian environment.

“The crisis in the public schools is driving parents to their churches, looking for an education alternative for their children,” says Ralf Augstroze, vice president of solutions development for the leading online Christian educational ministry, Learning By Grace (www.learningbygrace.org). “However, churches have been unable to meet these families’ needs," he adds. "The Partners By Grace program changes everything.”

Public school issues prompted a major discussion at last year’s Southern Baptist Convention about the need for homeschooling and church-based education alternatives. The issue is expected to be on the agenda again this June.

“The church must face the reality that improvement in government education will not occur,” says the Rev. E. Ray Moore Jr., founder of Frontline Ministries’ Exodus Mandate group. “The churches, however, still have the children, the teachers and the facilities to organize a bona-fide, Bible-based school system.”

In the Partners by Grace program, churches partner with Learning by Grace to establish an instant education ministry/Christian “cyberschool.” LBG provides a comprehensive, K-12 Christian worldview curriculum and shares a portion of the tuition with the church.

“Churches no longer have to build a school, hire teachers and worry how to pay for it all,” Augstroze says. “The Partners By Grace program leverages 21st-century technology and the finest online Christian K-12 curriculum to put churches and local education groups in the private-school business overnight.”

Churches partnering with Learning by Grace have two methods by which they can use the LBG on-line curriculum, Augstroze explains: One is to become the hub of a homeschool cooperative, in which students study at home, but families periodically meet together at the church. Another option allows churches to develop an in-church cyberschool, at which children are taught in a supervised environment at the church and underused church facilities can easily be converted into computer labs. The tuition for both methods is significantly lower than most private Christian schools, Augstroze says.

Learning By Grace officially announced and presented the Partners By Grace Program to church leaders from across the country at the Christian Management Association Convention in Long Beach, Calif. (Apr. 25-28) and at the Thriving Churches Conference in Granite Bay, Calif. Apr. 28-30.

Details about the Partners by Grace program are available at www.LearningByGrace.org by clicking on the Partners By Grace link.

Learning by Grace is a leading global provider of revolutionary Christian K-12 online learning solutions. Through its parent-led or teacher-led academies and 130 extensive course offerings, Learning by Grace provides engaging educational support to Christian homeschool families worldwide.

The Learning By Grace Academies include:

The Grace Academy -- www.TheGraceAcademy.org

The Jubilee Academy -- www.TheJubileeAcademy.org

The Morning Star Academy -- www.TheMorningStarAcademy.org

The S.A.T. Academy -- www.SATacademy.org

The Victory Math Academy (coming soon) -- www.TheVictoryMathAcademy.org

To learn more, log on to www.learningbygrace.org.