American Association of Christian Schools
The information on this page was last updated 4/3/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Serving students and teachers in member schools for 50 years.
Contact information
Mailing address:
American Association of Christian Schools
3323 Jenkins Road
Chattanooga, TN 37421
Website: aacs.org
Phone: 423.629.4280
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 581316123
CEO/President: Dr. Jeff Walton
Chairman:
Board size: 0
Founder:
Ruling year: 1980
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end:
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2012
Purpose
AACS - the American Association of Christian Schools - is one of the leading organizations of Christian schools in the country. Founded in 1972 and now in operation for fifty years, the AACS serves over 100,000 students and teachers in member schools throughout the United States. The general purpose and objectives of AACS are to aid in promoting, establishing, advancing, and developing Christian schools and Christian education in America.
Mission statement
Statement of faith
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
C
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: K-12 Schools/Academies
This ministry has not been rated.
Financial ratios
Financial ratios for this ministry have not been calculated.
Financials
Financials for this ministry have not been collected.
Compensation
Compensation data for this ministry has not been collected.
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 4/3/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
The American Association of Christian Schools began in August 1972 in Miami, Florida. Instrumental in the founding of AACS, Al Janney, president and founder of the Florida Association of Christian Schools, was president of AACS from 1972 to 1992. At the first recorded AACS board meeting, held in Dallas, Texas, on November 30, 1972, Dr. Janney set forth the question: "Where is the separatist organization, on a national level, that will champion our cause?" Thus was the need for AACS clearly voiced and firmly established. During this time, the Christian school movement in the United States was growing rapidly and experiencing opposition. AACS provided its membership leadership, legislative protection, and high-quality educational programs.
AACS expanded services as its membership increased throughout the 1970s. In 1978 Arno (Bud) Weniger, Jr., became executive vice president and assumed responsibility for day-to-day operations, and the office was moved from Hialeah, Florida, to Normal, Illinois. The nonprofit, tax-exempt organizational status of AACS was clarified in 1980. When Gerry Carlson was promoted to executive director in 1985, AACS opened a DC-area office in Fairfax, Virginia. Under Dr. Weniger's leadership (1978-1988), AACS continued to grow, with the number of member schools passing the 1,000 mark in 1982.
Upon Dr. Janney's retirement in 1992, the AACS national office moved to Independence, Missouri, and Carl Herbster became president. Under his leadership (1992-2003), AACS services and schools expanded. Directed by Charles Walker, the AACS education office opened in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1993. The AACS legal office was established in Atlanta, Georgia, in May 1996. In 1998, AACS purchased a four-level building in the Capitol Hill Historic District within one block of the U.S. House of Representatives office buildings to house the AACS office in Washington, D.C.
In 2003, Keith Wiebe became the third president of AACS, and Charles Walker was appointed to serve as executive director. The national office was moved from Kansas City to Chattanooga, Tennessee, in September of 2003. In 2009, Dr. Walker resigned as executive director and education director, and Jeff Walton became the executive director of AACS. Dr. Mike Rouse, the current AACS president, was elected in 2016.