 CLE Accreditation Statement
Christian Light Education is used in all 50 states, Canada, and over 100 other foreign countries. In the U.S. the county superintendent or another school district official is usually responsible for approving curriculum, where such approval is needed.
However, Christian Light is not accredited by any state or government agency. We have chosen to emphasize academic excellence and Christian character development rather than conforming to secular curriculum content standards. CLE is pleased to be able to provide a Bible-integrated curriculum that enables students to deepen Biblical convictions and commitment as they further academic development. Numerous letters testify to the asset the CLE program has been. Many students have scored exceptionally high on the S.A.T. or A.C.T., and some students have been granted full or partial scholarships after graduation from the CLE program.
Most public schools have accepted the student's transcript of CLE high school work or given tests to determine the amount of credit to be given. Colleges and universities generally use college entrance test scores and high school transcripts rather than accreditation status in determining whether or not to accept a student. Some schools may also require the G.E.D. A student earning a CLE diploma should have no trouble passing the G.E.D. exam. Many of our graduates are enjoying success in colleges and universities throughout the U.S. and around the world.
 How Important is Accreditation
To say that a school or program is "accredited" might sound impressive, but what does it really mean? How does it impact private education, including home schooling? Accreditation tends to treat schools as factories. Once a factory is declared accredited, it is assumed to produce uniformly acceptable products. Accreditation says little about the individual child.
Accreditation asks the question, "What school did you go to?" rather than "What have you learned and achieved?" If the student names a school that has kept its accrediting dues paid up, he will receive credit for his work in that school. If the student names an unaccredited school, his work, no matter how brilliant, could be passed over.
Consider this: in the states that rank lowest in the nation for test scores, virtually all public high schools are accredited by some government organization. Therefore, accredited schools do not necessarily provide higher quality education.
The beauty of home schooling is that it is warm, personal, and centered on the needs and interests of each individual child. Home schooling is free from the doctrines of the professional education establishment. The home schooling community is alive with fresh new approaches and innovative materials for learning and teaching. It is a community of equals; people from all backgrounds are free to participate at all levels of discourse. Home schooling families may choose to rely on their own instincts and knowledge, or may choose to consult professionals. Accreditation, by contrast, thrives on conformity to predetermined standards and a heavy reliance on all things certified, audited, credentialed, and "professional."
In the United States, accreditation is not a legal designation, rather a voluntary process. Among those who have come to rely on accreditation as a measure of a private school's competency and professional dedication are parents, students, transfer institutions, curriculum publishers, grantors, standardized testing groups, the military, colleges & universities, etc. It is up to the individual or organization to accept or reject official records from another school or program, based on their own internal policy.
There are several organizations, with widely variant quality standards and program requirements, which accredit private schools. One accrediting organization is not legally designated as being superior over another. Consequently, the acceptance of diplomas, transcripts, and transfer credits for students who are home schooled or enrolled in a particular program are according to the requirements of the receiving institution.
A school's accredited status from any accrediting organization does not provide a legal guarantee that a student will be accepted in any private or public transfer institution. It only demonstrates the school's voluntary self-examination assisted by an independent third party.
A student may petition for admission to any public education entity and request to be accepted based on his transcripts, course descriptions, attendance records, diploma, standardized test results, and any other documentation. The student may also request to subject himself to standardized academic tests to confirm his mastery of the subject area(s) that he claims to have mastered, at the grade/education level or competency he claims to have achieved.
Christian Light Education expressly makes no claims regarding the acceptance of our diplomas or transcripts by any specific state or public school district, state, government agency, community college, private or public transfer institution, parent, military branch, or any other organization. Information concerning the acceptance of CLE's diploma and/or transfer credits should be directed to the admissions official at the public or private transfer institution well in advance, prior to seeking enrollment in their institution or programs.
 CLE Homeschool Plus
Using CLE curriculum in CLE Homeschool Plus program qualifies the home to purchase any of the CLE materials and includes the following services that contribute significantly to home education success:
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Parent training taken at home, by mail, or in a summer session at one of CLE's training centers.
Training provides a thorough orientation for beginning home educators. A CLE Teacher's Certificate is issued when training is completed.
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Record Keeping Services. A permanent record of work completed, grades, time and attendance is maintained for each student. Report cards and transcripts are provided.
- Phone, fax, mail, and e-mail assistance offer help for starting students properly, teaching, evaluating and improving student work, and general guidance to help lead the student to success. A personal academic advisor is assigned to the family.
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Ability to purchase standardized achievement tests from Christian Light Education. We sell the 1970 edition of the California Achievement Test.
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CLE's high school diploma is designed to meet the different levels of ability and interest of students. We offer three diploma programs, academic, general, and vocational.
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Free Subscription to CLE PlusLines-This official newsletter of CLE Homeschool Plus is sent only to those enrolled in our program. It provides information about recent or upcoming program updates on a quarterly basis. It also includes interesting activities for your family, updates on CLE materials, and other helpful information.
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Free Subscription to CLE LightLines-This bimonthly newsletter is sent to any homeschool family using CLE curriculum. It contains many interesting articles relating to homeschooling.
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A 10% discount on library books and many other non-curriculum items sold in the Christian Light Publications catalog.
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Other Benefits and Special Incentives are also available.
 CLE High School Diploma Requirements
The student needs to complete the required high school courses to earn the CLE diploma (academic, general, or vocational) they are pursuing. The minimum requirements for each diploma are as follows, but many students graduate with more than the minimum required credits.
| * Academic 22 credits |
* General 20 credits |
* Vocational 18 credits |
A diploma qualifying test is required at the end of the course work, which is administered by a qualified proctor, at a location outside of the student's home, in an independent or group testing situation. The student needs to reach the level of achievement required to qualify for the CLE diploma they are pursuing.
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