Religious Schools

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Many parents express a desire to provide their children with religious or moral instruction as a reason for exercising school choice. Roughly 10 percent of all K-12 students in the United States are enrolled in private schools, three-quarters of which have a religious identity. This page highlights research and policy discussion regarding religious schooling in the U.S. Users will find studies on the history and growth of religious school choice, cultural and academic impacts, and scholarly work examining how religious institutions fit into broader school choice policies and debates.

 

Academic Research

Lee, M. H., & Djita, R. R. (2025). Spiritual formation in the home: An analysis of family devotions and quality of parent-child relationships. , 73(1): 57-74.

Lee, M. H., Djita, R. R., & Price, E. W. (2024). Spiritual formation in college and university: Do students in religious higher education institutions feel more supported in their faith? , 23(5): 429-444.

Lee, M. H., Johnson, A., & Cheng, A. (2024). How do parents choose schools for their children? Experimental evidence from the private Christian school sector. Journal for the .

Other Media

Lee, M. H., Johnson, A., & Cheng, A. (2024). Would you rather have academic or religious instruction? Yes, please. (blog).

Ellefsen, E., Johnson, A., & Lee, M. H. (2023). Cost of leadership: 2023 update. (blog).