Development Perspectives of Faith-based Higher Education among Protestants (on the example of NGO “EATA”)

A historic review of the emergence of domestic faith-based higher education institutions founded by the Protestants is proposed, from informal and underground presence to full participation in the educational realm. Best achievements worth scaling are systematized. Best accomplishments of the public organization "Evangelical Accreditation Theological Association" in terms of performing the functions provided by the unrealized provisions of Article 23 of the Law of Ukraine "On Search for Education" on independent institutions for evaluation and quality assurance of higher education are examined. In the official letter, issued by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine on July 5, 2018, under № 1/9-421 addressed to the leaders of all higher education institutions, there is a list of 230 ‘faith-based’ schools, with about 44 % qualifying as Protestant. Historically it was the Protestant Branch of Christianity that laid foundational principles even in the world-recognized Universities like Harvard. Quality assurance is being declared as one of the top priorities of Ukraine’s development. At the same time within almost 30 years, none of the Ukrainian Universities made it to the top of world rankings. At the same within almost 30 years of Ukraine’s Independence, Protestants of Ukraine were able to establish their own network of education institutions without any governmental financing. Thus best achievements are to be identified and scaled to the whole Ukraine. Faith-based educational institutions founded by the Protestants of Ukraine in their early years applied American educational standards. Level of awareness is still low, thus any research in this area will have scientific novelty by default. The research objective is to identify ways of development among the Protestants on the example of NGO “EATA”. Two possible scenarios are proposed: 1) a preferred way when Agency acquires State and International recognition as agency that is licensed to issue accreditation to educational institutions, and 2) less preferred way one Agency serves inner Christian circles, author argues against that approach.

Assessing Christian learning: Towards a practices-based approach to faith, vocation, and assessment

This essay proposes that efforts at assessing the contribution of faith-based schools to faith formation be grounded in an account of student vocation framed by Christian practices. We identify gaps in research on assessment of school effectiveness and suggest that a focus on the present vocation of students may fruitfully connect faith and school-based learning practices. On this basis, we describe a framework for viewing assessment through a practices lens by identifying Christian practices that orient learning practices. We also briefly introduce the Practicing Faith Survey, a new tool based on this approach.

Racialization of Religion

Muslim American high school seniors navigate their educational spaces at a time when the 2016 Election has unleashed a rhetoric that is riddled with Islamophobia. The experiences of four female participants engages us in their counter-narratives, debunking stereotypes and assumptions that exist about their demographic. The formal and informal experiences of the educational journeys of these participants help us explore the role of family, faith-based education, mosque, and community in the lives of these students. The social and academic learning opportunities for these participants showcased instances of inclusion and marginalization, where there were times when the students underwent a double consciousness. Transitioning from faith-based schools to the public education system became easier when positioned in a climate of diversity. Muslim American students experience a dichotomous pull between religious values and American culture and remain cognizant of these differences. Muslim educational leadership will find the study insightful.

Rejecting “Controversial” Issues in Education: A Case Study of Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Schools in Belgium

In liberal democracies, fundamental rights and freedoms can conflict, and if they do, it is not always clear which right the state should prioritize. Should the right of parents to choose education in line with their own convictions prevail, or should the right of children to be prepared for a future life in a liberal democratic society be given more moral weight? While the former might lead to establishing and subsidizing orthodox religious schools, the latter implies “liberal”, “autonomy-facilitating” education. In order to make this tension concrete, we focus on a case study of an ultra-orthodox Jewish (Haredi) school in Flanders (Belgium), where “controversial issues” are excluded from the curriculum and where education is not fully in line with the core principles of “liberal education”. Subsequently, we explore the legal educational context in liberal democracies, with a particular focus on the freedom of religion and education. Then, we scrutinize several arguments for or against ultra-orthodox faith-based schools. We conclude that there are no convincing arguments for state support for these kinds of schools and that the recent Flemish policy of homeschooling might be a reasonable alternative, wherein a balance is found between children’s rights and parental rights.

Parental Choice and the Future of Faith-based Schools

In the thirty years since Wisconsin enacted the nation’s first private school choice program, the footprint of private school choice has expanded to cover over half of states and the District of Columbia. During the same time, the closure of faith-based schools serving disadvantaged children has continued apace. These schools likely will continue to disappear, especially from our urban communities, unless the scope of, and participation in, private school choice increases rather dramatically in years to come. The effects of increasing the public funds available to attend private and faith-based schools likely will be shaped by myriad factors, including the mechanisms employed to distribute the funds, amount of money distributed, the programmatic and regulatory details, the preferences of parents, and the participation rates of different kinds of schools. That said, choice mechanisms and program regulations also will shape participation rates in private school choice and other alternatives to public schools, such as homeschooling. Not all support such an expansion, but those who do—and who value the pluralism provided by faith-based schools—must come to terms with the issues discussed in this chapter.