“Education within the Lutheran Church has been a high priority for over 150 years. The Lutheran Church operates the largest Protestant school system in the United States. Evangelitical Lutheran Church of America’s congregations operate more than 1,500 early childhood education programs, elementary schools and secondary schools. A large majority of these schools are early childhood centers, such as preschools and kindergartens. Most programs enroll children from the community as well as children of congregational members. All seek to provide excellent education as well as character and faith development for children.

 

The ELCA churchwide organization works through the association of ELCA Schools and Learning Centers — the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association — to support these schools and centers. The Association provides services to the schools and centers, including accreditation. The Association also supports the ELCA in the use of schooling for mission outreach. Programs of the Association include resources for congregations, pastors, school administrators, principals, directors, schools boards, committees and parents. “
Excerpted from elca.org