Brief Summary of CC
Classical Conversations® is a classical education resource used by homeschoolers in all 50 states and 15 foreign countries. CC now has more than 104,000 students enrolled in its tutoring programs, which are provided by more than 2,300 CC communities. CC provides resources, guidance and a community for a Christian home school curriculum using classical education in three developmental stages: grammar, dialectic and rhetoric.
Leigh Bortins started Classical Conversations in 1997. The family-owned company is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina.
Corporate Mission Statement
“To know God and to make Him known”
Explanation of CC Structure
Classical Conversations includes both Latin and classical literature, but when CC says “classical,” it is referring to the three stages of classical learning, which guided the great thinkers and leaders of the past, including Aristotle, Plato, Thomas Jefferson and C.S. Lewis.
While CC maintains a corporate staff of employees to support the CC communities, most of the work is done by its directors and tutors, who are independent contractors.
A classical education is ideally suited to children’s natural learning style and intellectual growth. The classical model of education divides the learning process into three stages: grammar, dialectic and rhetoric.
In the grammar stage, children devour facts. We call this stage Foundations, and it is for ages 4-11.
In the dialectic stage, children ask many questions as they sort and evaluate these facts. This is our Essentials program, and it is for children ages 10-13.
In the rhetoric stage, teenagers synthesize their knowledge and apply it. This is our Challenge program, which is designed for young adults 13-18.
Bookstore
CC operates an online bookstore where CC parents can purchase all the necessary books, curricula and supplies for their students. Many of the books can also be purchased elsewhere. The bookstore shipped 231,827 individual books or curriculum items in 2015. (www.classicalconversationsbooks.com)
Deadlines
July 20
Deadline for registration and tuition payment for the academic year for Foundations and Essentials, and the first semester for Challenge programs.
Jan. 5
Deadline for registration and tuition payment for the second semester of Challenge programs
Feb. 1
Begins open enrollment for following academic year
May 1
Target date for all CC programs to wrap up
Costs
Each CC Community is independent and sets its own tuition, campus and activity fees. Fees are deliberately kept as low as possible while still paying for the expenses of the community, including fair compensation for tutors and directors.
For more information or to schedule interviews, please contact:
John Carpenter
Communication Journalist
jcarpenter@classicalconversations.com
423.618.3753
Leah Bromen
Communication Team Leader
lbromen@classicalconversations.com