Classical Baccalaureate

The Classical Baccalaureate (CB) is both a set of rigorous exams and a full diploma program. Students can take CB exams individually, similar to Advanced Placement (AP) exams, or pursue the complete diploma, which bundles those exams into structured courses plus a distinctive core — combining the flexibility of AP with the coherence of an IB-style diploma.

The CB Pilot is designed primarily for our affiliate schools — schools that are academically and culturally established and have gone through our authorization process. For them, the program lays directly over their existing curriculum with very little disruption.

For newer or developing schools, we will offer a member school track. Those schools will adopt the full CB curriculum along with comprehensive teacher training and additional supports.

The diploma’s core requirements — a thesis project and defense, regular Socratic seminars on great books, and a classical portfolio covering arts, physical fitness, and civics — are designed to complement, not replace, what a school is already doing.

The Classical Baccalaureate is rooted in the liberal arts tradition. Because of that, every subject is taught with a deep sense of coherence. We believe the liberal arts relate to one another and together help students understand reality, society, and what it means to live a good and free life.

All subjects are built upon the CB core statements and beliefs that we have already developed. Our subject committees then build upon those beliefs by asking four key questions:

What is the discipline?
What is the purpose of the discipline?
What does the discipline do for those who study it?
And how ought we teach that discipline?

This philosophy-first approach leads to very different courses and assessments than what AP courses offer. In math and science, rather than focusing mainly on procedures and memorization, we emphasize whether students can organize ideas, understand context, see how the discipline connects to the other arts, and continue the journey of discovery in that field.

In history and government, instead of focusing on current political debates or a single viewpoint, we want students to understand how our government was formed, the different voices in that conversation, and how American ideas of freedom, liberty, and constitutionalism fit into the broader Western tradition. We teach students they are part of a long-developing tradition, and they must understand where we have come from before they can wisely decide what to conserve or what to change.

Colleges and universities are increasingly looking for programs they can trust. With grade inflation, AI-generated essays, and even dual enrollment losing credibility, colleges need clear indicators and benchmarks that reflect academic mastery and intellectual formation.

Classical Baccalaureate is intentionally addressing where AP has lost rigor over the past twenty years. We’re restoring the depth that college-level courses used to have — especially in subjects like physics and calculus where critical content has been removed.

Colleges know that students coming from CB will actually be prepared for demanding majors, not just able to pass an exam.
Beyond academics, universities appreciate that CB develops students who can truly think, not just memorize. While IB also emphasizes thinking, it does so through a predominantly globalist lens. CB focuses on forming thoughtful citizens who understand their own tradition and are prepared to contribute to their own society.

Finally, selective colleges care deeply about the character and culture of their student body. They see the CB diploma as providing a trustworthy signal of both strong intellectual formation and excellence of character — something that helps them build the kind of campus community and alumni network they want.

For schools participating in the pilot phase, there are no rigid qualification requirements or mandatory training for CB teachers. Our primary expectation is that teachers are already strong in their subject matter and familiar with classical pedagogy — which is typical of the faculty at our affiliate schools.

Instead of imposing top-down training, we focus on support. Each affiliate school will designate a program coordinator who works closely with our school liaison officer. Together they help teachers understand the CB course descriptions, internal assessments, and rubrics so they can teach and evaluate students in alignment with the CB vision.

More formal teacher training modules, in-person events, and specific training requirements will be introduced when we launch the member school track.

If a school is interested in purchasing CB exams, the Government & Politics and Rhetoric & Composition exams will be available for students to take in the spring of 2027 for college credit. Schools can simply click the link on this webpage, and someone from our team will reach out with instructions for participating in the pilot in spring 2027.

If schools are interested in piloting the full Classical Baccalaureate diploma program, they can click the link above and more information will be sent to them this fall.

Yes. Schools do not need to be a Classical Baccalaureate school or go through any authorization process to use our exams. Any school is welcome to pilot or administer CB exams. Interested schools or students should simply sign up through the link on this page.

The first two CB exams, Government & Politics, and Rhetoric & Composition, will be available for schools to use starting spring 2027.

Yes, absolutely. The pilot program is designed primarily for our affiliate schools — schools that already have strong academic programs. In those schools, CB layers directly onto the existing curriculum, leaving plenty of room for extracurriculars, athletics, and other commitments.

For member schools that adopt the full CB curriculum later, we will design the program with the same principle in mind — supporting well-rounded students rather than overwhelming them.