History

Before there was a CCLE Board, there were planning committees for the Conference on Classical and Lutheran Education.

We are thankful for these Classical and Lutheran education pioneers!

In the summer of 1999, a group of concerned individuals met at Glen Eyrie Castle in Colorado Springs to discuss classical Lutheran education. In attendance were Rev. Joel Brondos, Dr. Steven Hein, Rev. William Heine, Rev. Stephen Kieser, Rev. Robert Schaibley, and Dr. Gene Edward Veith. The theme was: “Clarifying the Task.” Thus began the practice of an annual summer conference based on topics regarding classical Lutheran education. The next conference (CCLE II) was held at Concordia University Wisconsin in 2000.

The Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education (CCLE) was then incorporated in Indiana on June 28, 2002, and was registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. In 2010, the CCLE began accrediting schools using a process developed by Dr. Jackquelyn Veith based on the Marks of a Classical Lutheran School. The Marks were originally produced by the CCLE board as standards by which to promote institutional development and to function as a tool in the accreditation process. The CCLE and the LCMS School Ministry signed an Accreditation Agreement in 2011, which provides schools with the ability to receive National Lutheran School Accreditation (NLSA) using the CCLE accreditation process.

In 2013, the Marks of a Classical Lutheran Educator were developed by the CCLE Board and a certification process developed by Dr. Jackquelyn Veith was approved. In 2015, the CCLE sponsored its first student contest. The first CCLE-certified teacher was recognized in 2016. The Marks of a Classical Lutheran Administrator were approved in 2016, and the first administrator was certified in 2019. In 2019, the CCLE was accepted as a Recognized Service Organization (RSO) of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

In 2021, the CCLE hired its first salaried employee, Anna Martin, for the position of executive director. In 2022, the CCLE resumed publication—for the first time in print—of the Classical Lutheran Education Journal along with other books and print resources. In 2023, the CCLE launched a new membership program offering benefits and resources to households and schools. In 2025, the CCLE launched the Institute for Classical Lutheran Education offering a catalogue of online courses and webinars for continuing education and professional development in pedagogy, administration, and the classical liberal arts.

Attendance at the CCLE’s annual summer conference has grown since that first gathering twenty-five years ago of less than a dozen individuals. The conference now attracts hundreds of attendees and over 50 speakers each year. In 2023, the newly developed Grammaticus and Scholasticus children’s programs were launched to accommodate families attending the conference together. The CCLE now offers an annual fall symposium and practicums throughout the year. These additional events (each usually attracting 100 or so attendees) are designed to generate awareness of classical Lutheran education and to equip educators in different regions of the United States.

God be praised for 25 years serving Lutheran churches, schools, and families. May God bless the furtherance of classical Lutheran education in the next 25 years and beyond

Summer 1999

A Conference on Classical and Lutheran Education was held in Colorado Springs, CO.
Rev. Joel Brondos, Dr. Gene E. Veith, Rev. Dr. Steven Hein, Rev. Bill Heine, Rev. Robert Schaibley, and Mr. Steve Kieser (now Rev.) were instrumental in founding the CCLE.

The Planning Committee for CCLE I-II was Steven Hein, Joel Brondos, Ed Veith, and Robert Schaibley.

The Planning Committee for CCLE III–V was Steven Hein and Joel Brondos.

June 2002

The Consortium for Classical and Lutheran Education, Inc., was established as a Non-Profit Domestic Corporation in the State of Indiana and as a 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Service. Directors listed on the Articles of Incorporation are Rev. Joel A. Brondos, Mr. Stephen W. Kieser, and Dr. Gene Edward Veith.

Rev. Brondos held two conferences on his own in 2004:
“A Classical Lutheran Education Teacher Training Seminar will be offered this summer on August 2-6, 2004, at Zion Lutheran Academy in Fort Wayne, IN. And running concurrently will be our CCLE VI Conference.“

With the establishment of the CCLE Board, conference numbering resumed with VI and VII,
following up on the Laramie conference, with Roman Numerals concurrent with the A.D. year, e.g., VI/2006.

Conference Planner for CCLE VI – Classical & Lutheran Education: Laying Foundations III
(Colorado Springs, CO; July 21-22, 2006) was Steven Hein.

2006-7 Board:

Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman/Treasurer, Permanent Director
Rev. Bill Heine, Secretary, Permanent Director
Rev. Dr. Steve Hein, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Rev. John Hill, Term Director
Rev. Dr. Ron Garwood, Term Director
Rev. Richard Gaub, Term Director

March 2007

The Classical Lutheran Education Journal (formerly The Classical Education Quarterly) was first published as an online journal. The best of CLEJ was published in book form in July 2013, under the title A Handbook on Classical Lutheran Education.

2007-8 Board:
Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman/Treasurer, Permanent Director
Rev. Bill Heine, Secretary, Permanent Director
Rev. Dr. Steve Hein, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Rev. John Hill, Term Director
Dr. Jim Tallmon, Term Director
Rev. Richard Gaub, Term Director

2008-9 Board:
Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman/Treasurer, Permanent Director
Rev. Bill Heine, Secretary, Permanent Director
Rev. Dr. Steve Hein, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Dr. Jim Tallmon, Term Director
Mrs. Deb Dikeman, Term Director
Mr. Michael Butterfield, Term Director

2009-10 Board:
Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman/Treasurer, Permanent Director
Rev. Bill Heine, Secretary, Permanent Director
Rev. Dr. Steve Hein, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Dr. Jim Tallmon, Term Director
Mrs. Deb Dikeman, Term Director
Mr. Michael Butterfield, Term Director

March 2010

CCLE launched accreditation for classical Lutheran schools.

2010-11 Board:
Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman, Permanent Director
Rev. Bill Heine, Treasurer, Permanent Director
Rev. Dr. Steve Hein, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Mrs. Cheryl Swope, Term Director
Rev. Paul Cain, Secretary, Term Director
Rev. David Speers, Term Director

Summer 2011

At CCLE XI, Martin Luther Grammar School, Sheridan, WY was the first school accredited by CCLE. The first edition of Resources for Classical Lutheran Education by Melinda K. Heine and Cheryl L. Swope was published. The Classical Lutheran Homeschoolers Yahoo group was established after CCLE XI. It was a vibrant discussion group that had 300+ family members by 2015 (Facebook groups partially replaced this.)

2011-12 Board:

Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman, Permanent Director
Rev. Bill Heine, Treasurer, Permanent Director
Rev. Dr. Steve Hein, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Mrs. Cheryl Swope, Term Director
Rev. Paul Cain, Secretary, Term Director
Rev. Mark Grunst, Term Director

Summer 2012

At CCLE XII, Mount Hope Lutheran School, Casper, WY; Trinity Lutheran School, Riverton, WY; and Trinity Lutheran School, Cheyenne, WY were accredited by CCLE. CCLE announced a co-accreditation agreement with National Lutheran School Accreditation of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. Martin Luther Grammar School, Sheridan, WY was the first school jointly accredited by CCLE and NLSA.

2012-13 Board:

Summer 2013

The CCLE held its 13th national conference this summer in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The conference hosted individuals from 20 states and Canada. Dr. Steven Hein was honored upon his retirement from the CCLE Board as a Master Teacher. At CCLE XIII, the CCLE Board announced a process for classical Lutheran educator certification. The process was developed from a CCLE Board-produced document entitled, “The Marks of a Classical Lutheran Educator.” The process requires that educators satisfactorily meet standards that include classical education thought and pedagogy, a confessional Lutheran identity and practice, and time-tested effective management and professional habits.

2013-14 Board:

Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman, Permanent Director
Rev. Bill Heine, Treasurer, Permanent Director
Rev. Paul Cain, Secretary, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Mrs. Cheryl Swope, Term Director
Rev. Dan Praeuner, Term Director
Mrs. Erika Mildred, Term Director

Summer 2014

The CCLE accredited Wittenberg Academy, an online Lutheran High School based in Chatfield, MN and Mount Olive Lutheran School-A Classical Academy, Billings, Montana at CCLE XIV.

2014-15 Board:

Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman, Permanent Director
Rev. Bill Heine, Treasurer, Permanent/Term Director
Rev. Paul Cain, Secretary, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Mrs. Cheryl Swope, Term/Permanent Director
Mrs. Erika Mildred, Treasurer, Term Director
Rev. Robert Paul, Term Director

Summer 2015

The Lutheran School Accreditation Commission of the Texas District – LCMS (LSAC) endorsed the accreditation process of the CCLE. Four school accreditations were announced at CCLE XV: Our Savior, Houston, TX; Memorial, Houston, TX; Faith, Plano, TX; and our host for CCLE XV, Messiah Lutheran Classical Academy, Keller, TX. A revised edition of the Curriculum Resource Guide for Classical Lutheran Education Paperback by Cheryl Swope and Melinda Heine was released. CCLE debuted its new logo and seal, designed by Jonathan Mayer. Upon the Rev. William C. Heine’s retirement as a Permanent member of the CCLE Board, he was awarded the title “Master Teacher.”

2015-16 Board:

Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Rev. Paul Cain, Secretary, Permanent Director
Mrs. Cheryl Swope, Permanent Director
Dr. James Tallmon, Term Director
Mrs. Erika Mildred, Treasurer, Term Director
Rev. Robert Paul, Term Director
Sara Schultz Intern for CCLE

February 2016

The Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education recognizes Rev. Robert Schaibley as Magister Magnus.

2016-17 Board:

July 2017

CCLE recognizes Mrs. Melinda K. Heine as Magistra Magna.

2017-18 Board:

2018-19 Board:
Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Rev. Paul Cain, Secretary, Permanent Director
Mrs. Cheryl Swope, Permanent Director
Mrs. Erika Mildred, Term Director, Treasurer
Rev. Robert Paul, Term Director, Vice Chairman
Mrs. Melinda Heine, Term Director

2019-20 Board:
Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Rev. Paul Cain, Secretary, Permanent Director
Mrs. Cheryl Swope, Permanent Director
Rev. Robert Paul, Term Director, Vice Chairman
Mrs. Melinda Heine, Term Director
Mr. Justin Benson, Treasurer, Term Director
Dr. Jackquelyn Haws Veith, Advisory Director

2020-21 Board:
Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Rev. Paul Cain, Secretary, Permanent Director
Mrs. Cheryl Swope, Permanent Director
Rev. Robert Paul, Term Director, Vice Chairman
Mrs. Melinda Heine, Term Director
Mr. Justin Benson, Treasurer, Term Director
Dr. Jackquelyn Haws Veith, Advisory Director

2021-22 Board:
Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Rev. Paul Cain, Secretary, Permanent Director
Mrs. Cheryl Swope, Permanent Director
Rev. Robert Paul, Term Director, Vice Chairman
Mr. Justin Benson, Treasurer, Term Director
Dr. Gabriel Haley, Term Director
Dr. Jackquelyn Haws Veith, Advisory Director
Mrs. Anna Martin, CCLE Executive Director, Advisory Director
Mr. Nathaniel Pullmann, Advisory Director

2022-23 Board:
Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Rev. Paul Cain, Secretary, Permanent Director
Mrs. Cheryl Swope, Permanent Director/Term Director
Rev. Robert Paul, Term Director/Permanent Director, Vice Chairman
Mr. Justin Benson, Treasurer, Term Director
Dr. Gabriel Haley, Term Director
Dr. Jackquelyn Haws Veith, Advisory Director
Mrs. Anna Martin, CCLE Executive Director, Advisory Director

2023-24 Board:
Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Rev. Paul Cain, Secretary, Permanent Director
Rev. Robert Paul, Permanent Director, Vice Chairman
Mr. Justin Benson, Treasurer, Term Director
Dr. Gabriel Haley, Term Director
Mr. Nathaniel Pullmann, Term Director
Dr. Jackquelyn Haws Veith, Advisory Director
Mrs. Anna Martin, CCLE Executive Director, Advisory Director

2024-25 Board:
Rev. Steve Kieser, Chairman, Permanent Director
Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Permanent Director
Rev. Paul Cain, Secretary, Permanent Director
Rev. Robert Paul, Permanent Director, Vice Chairman
Mr. Justin Benson, Treasurer, Term Director
Dr. Gabriel Haley, Term Director
Mr. Nathaniel Pullmann, Term Director
Dr. Jackquelyn Haws Veith, Advisory Director
Mrs. Anna Martin, CCLE Executive Director, Advisory Director