The Gilead School Curriculum: 2023
Florida could become the first state to offer a conservative-backed "classical" exam in lieu of the SAT and ACT for public college admissions.
The classical education model — not to be confused with "classics" or "classical humanities" — focuses on a return to "core values" and the "centrality of the Western tradition." It's gained recent momentum in Florida charter schools and private Christian schools.
The Classical Learning Test launched in 2015 and is used by homeschooling families and co-op groups, according to its website. The test contains three sections: verbal reasoning, grammar and writing, and quantitative reasoning. The Florida Board of Governors is expected to vote on the Classical Learning Test on Aug. 30.
In May, DeSantis signed a bill into law that allowed students to use classical test scores to determine eligibility for a statewide college scholarship program. Critics say the emphasis on Western civilization in classical education centers white Europe and America as most important so-called "classical education is really a wolf in sheep's clothing," said Julian Vasquez Heilig, a professor of educational leadership, research and technology at Western Michigan University.
"Really what it's about is using selective Western thinkers to foment a specific moral ideology," said one critic.
The CLT is accepted by around 240 colleges and universities – or 6% of schools - across the United States and abroad.
The classical education model — not to be confused with "classics" or "classical humanities" — focuses on a return to "core values" and the "centrality of the Western tradition." It's gained recent momentum in Florida charter schools and private Christian schools.
The Classical Learning Test launched in 2015 and is used by homeschooling families and co-op groups, according to its website. The test contains three sections: verbal reasoning, grammar and writing, and quantitative reasoning. The Florida Board of Governors is expected to vote on the Classical Learning Test on Aug. 30.
In May, DeSantis signed a bill into law that allowed students to use classical test scores to determine eligibility for a statewide college scholarship program. Critics say the emphasis on Western civilization in classical education centers white Europe and America as most important so-called "classical education is really a wolf in sheep's clothing," said Julian Vasquez Heilig, a professor of educational leadership, research and technology at Western Michigan University.
"Really what it's about is using selective Western thinkers to foment a specific moral ideology," said one critic.
The CLT is accepted by around 240 colleges and universities – or 6% of schools - across the United States and abroad.
