Christian Liberty Academy

There is some good and some bad to this school, and it isn't for everyone. I switched over to public school in 2010 to public school. First the bad: the school hasn't been accredited (the state of Illinois hasn't approved the school curriculum), and most of the teachers haven't been certified (gone to college to teach). This will make it harder for you to get into college. Also, they use the IOWAS as a standard to measure their school by, when the test is outdated, and thus the school can't be said to measure up to the standards of public schools. The curriculum is taught from homeschool books. Also the school is extremely conservative, and recently changed the dress code to accomadate girls wearing pants. Students can also develop reputations, as word gets around about what students are like. It also is quite backwards in technology, and computers are discouraged. CLA also does not excell in math. The junior high transition was also difficult for me in academic setup. The good: Many of the teachers are caring and fun. They also really hammer home Bible. There reading program is also fairly good. I would only recommend this school to people planning to major in Bible in college.

Wonderful school academically and more importantly your child will study the Bible and grow spiritually too. We love this school. The teachers care for the students.
—Submitted by a parent

We pulled our student from the public school and started going to CLA in the fall. We couldn't be happier! The teachers, principal, office staff have been so helpful and caring. Our son is excited about learning. The transition for him with making new friends and having new teachers went smoothly. Worth every penny! The curriculum is excellent. They teach history, grammar, writing, math exceptionally well. We have no doubt that our son is getting a solid foundation and will do well in the years ahead.
—Submitted by a parent

My son attend Jr. K @ CLA. So far I am really liking it. He is reading already..
—Submitted by a parent

We used the home school curriculum and after receiving additional charges that are above and beyond the curriculum charges they dreamed up damages to the books we returned just to keep more of our money as we withdrew from the school. We withdrew after receiving the extra charges and finding out that the accreditation wasn't up to the requirements of the general public and my child may still have to take the GED just to be acknowledged by some colleges. Bottom line is, it is a good curriculum as long as you do everything their way, but after you cross them, you will get taken.
—Submitted by a parent

I would recommend this school for any kindergardener. This school gives a great foundation for moral education for all of its students . The teachers are understanding and are selective about the studies of each student. Their curriculam is one of the best. My daughter was enrolled in senior kindergarden in this school.
—Submitted by a parent

It is with interest that I read the reviews posted here and felt compelled to add my own, albeit differing, view. I have had many occasions to observe CLA first hand and through the eyes of several students over several years. I believe that the CLA Teachers and staff are all caring Christians. However, my husband and I were quite shocked upon hearing stories from several current students and their parents about the vicious bullying of classmates and lack of respect for teachers on the part of many students. We were also concerned by the reports of an apparent lack of action on the part of Administration and Faculty regarding these matters. We had been considering sending our homeschooled child to CLA for High School. Instead we are now seeking other alternatives including PS, Community or Christian College dual enrollment. We strongly recommend prayerfullly and carefully considering whether CLA is a positive option given the current climate at the school.

I am a former student, and am the parent of future CLA students. I attended CLA for 8th-12th grades, and felt that my education was of the highest quality. I was much more prepared for college than many of my friends who attended different schools. The school has made many improvements over the last 10 years or so, and I'm excited to see what else the future will bring. CLA is for families who are looking for a Christian education that meets the highest standards. Your student will need to work hard, but it's a much better preparation for the real world.

My 4 children have attended the school from kindergarten to highshool. It is a small teacher ration, good skills taught, memorization, math and english. They are ahead in the cirriculum of the public schools. There is a lot of homework to keep the kids busy. I loved the shool and how my children were treated and raised. A positive christian value and solid upbringing for children. I would highly recommend this to anyone concerned about bringing up thier children the right way. Additionally, the cost is very reasonable about $4000 per child.
—Submitted by a parent

Two of my three children have benefited from CLA so far. The third child will soon. It's been great! Our family highly recommends it to other families. We've also been driving in cars less and have had more time to bond.
—Submitted by a parent

I graduated from the school in 2003, and I was fully prepared for college. I was enrolled in the program from kindergarten through my senior year of high school. I know for a fact that the students at CLA on average rank in the 90th percentile and above in all areas of study. It is also a very safe school. Low student-to-teacher ratios allow the faculty to know the students very well. In my opinion, I would not listen to any bad reviews about the quality of education at CLA (especially if the review is written with bad grammar and spelling, lol).
—Submitted by a student

I can not say anthing about the school but I can say a lot about their Home school program (CLASS). My youngest son has been with CLASS from kindergarten through ninth grade which he is in right now and my youngest daughter has been with CLASS since kindergarten through 5th grade which she is in right now and they are learning so much not just their subjects but of God and that is what it's all about. I have two children that graduated from public schools and I can say that my two that are being home schooled are learning so much more. The customer service for CLASS is wonderful they are patient and really work with you. They have an online bulletin board where you can meet other parents and students and plus get help. http://www.homeschools.org/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi I recommend the CLASS program for any one considering home schooling, it is affordable.
—Submitted by a parent

I am now a senior at CLA and have attended here for 6 nonconsecutive years (the others were spent homeschooling). The faculty and staff are so wonderful, they really know and care about you. The small classes provide more personalized learning. I also appreciate being taught from a Christian perspective not only in Bible class but also in every other subject. Although the athletics program is still small, it gives more students who may not be as experienced a chance to play sports.
—Submitted by a student

I have a daughter that has been homeschoolked through CLA for 6 years and she will graduate in 2010. CLA makes homeschooling easy and efficient. The C.L.A.S.S. program has been a godsend to our family! Very easy and affordable! Everything for the year comes in one box and it is al you need!
—Submitted by a parent

i had gone to the school for 8 years and this year i had recently gone to a public school and most of the students at the new school are far more advanced then i and there extreme beliefs in god and shutting ot people if they dont belliev the same things is very unchristian dont you think so
—Submitted by a student

I have used C.L.A.S.S. for years.I find the staff helpful when needed.
—Submitted by a parent

I was new to this school last year and I was shocked at how lazy the students are, the low academic level ( I was doing things that I had learned in 7th grade), the few advanced courses, and extreme beliefs of the church.
—Submitted by a student

My three sons, 1 graduated 2003, 1 to graduate 2006 and 2008 have been greatly educated about the importance of Jesus Christ and His word as it applies to all areas of life. Other schools maybe fancier and prettier or have more bells and whistles, but Christian Liberty Academy is at the top when comes to teaching children how to think not what to think. I thank God for this school...it has changed my families life!
—Submitted by ken kramer, a parent

Just starting homeschooling for the first time and Christian Liberty Academy has made the process smooth and painless. Thank you.
—Submitted by a parent

The school provides excellent academy traning as well as christian education. Our kids were in 2nd and 4th grade. Unlike public schoos where students may learn some computer skills which,we think, do more harmful than good in their early childhood, they learned the basic block of writing, math and the other courses. The teachers can paid attention on each students due to small size of class. The teachers are friendly, knowledgeable and responsible. We are very impressed with their homework assignments to my children. They enjoyed the homeworks and learned a lot from them. My son joined the chorus group after the school. He hopes more boys to join the singing. The students overall are well behaved. We did not hear any bad words from their mouths in the caferia and hallway. The school is preparing our kids to college while building their characters.
—Submitted by a parent