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Church Educational System

The Church Educational System (CES) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) consists of several institutions that provide religious and secular education for both Latter-day Saint and non-Latter-day Saint elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students and adult learners. Approximately 1.2 million individuals were enrolled in CES programs in approximately 135 countries during the 2003–2004 school year. CES courses of study are separate and distinct from religious instruction provided through LDS Church congregations. Paul V. Johnson of the First Quorum of Seventy has been the Commissioner of Church Education since August 1, 2008.

Seminaries and Institutes of Religion

Seminaries

Religious education programs designed for secondary students are called “seminaries." In areas with large concentrations of Latter-day Saints such as Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming in the United States, and in some places in Alberta, Canada, instruction is offered on a released time basis during the normal school day in meetinghouses, or facilities built specifically for seminary programs, adjacent to public schools. Released-time seminary classes are generally taught by full-time employees. In areas with smaller LDS populations early-morning or home-study seminary programs are offered. Early-morning seminary classes are held daily before the normal school day in private homes or in meetinghouses and are taught by volunteer teachers. Home-study seminary classes are offered where geographic dispersion of students is so great that it is not feasible to meet on a daily basis. Home study seminary students study daily, but meet only once a week as a class. Home study classes are usually held in connection with weekly youth fellowship activities on a weekday evening.

The first seminary was established in 1912 adjacent to Granite High School in Salt Lake City, Utah, under the supervision of Joseph F. Merrill. (View Image) Thomas J. Yates was the first seminary teacher.

Institutes of Religion

Religious education is also provided for students who enroll in post-secondary education, or those of student age, through institutes of religion. Many colleges throughout the United States either have institute buildings or active programs near their campuses. Institute classes are offered in leased or owned facilities adjacent to institutions of higher education. Institute buildings are designed to provide a place for institute students to congregate and socialize. The first Institute of Religion was established in Moscow, Idaho adjacent to the University of Idaho. Currently the largest Institute of Religion enrollment is found at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. The largest Institute enrollment outside of the state of Utah is found at Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho.

Elementary, Secondary, and Higher Education

CES institutions that provide secular education, in addition to religious education, include elementary and secondary schools in Mexico and in the Pacific Islands, Brigham Young University, Brigham Young University-Idaho, Brigham Young University Hawaii, and LDS Business College.

Elementary and secondary schools

Mexico

Academia Juárez
Preparatoria Benemérito de las Américas

Pacific Islands

Moroni High School (Kiribati)
Church College of New Zealand (New Zealand) (to be closed in November 2009)
LDS Primary School (Fiji)
LDS Church College (Fiji)
Church College of Western Samoa (Samoa)
Sanuniatu Primary School (Samoa)
Vaiola (Fusi) Primary School (Samoa)
Church College of Savaii (Samoa)
Liahona High School (Tonga)
Saineha High School (Tonga)
Liahona Middle School (Tonga)
E'Ua Middle School (Tonga)
Havelu Middle School (Tonga)
Saineha Middle School (Tonga)
Pangai Middle School (Tonga)
Pakilau Middle School (Tonga)

Higher education

History

After the emigration to and settlement of the mountain west areas of the United States, the LDS Church set up a number of "stake academies", which mainly provided secondary education due to the lack of public schools in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. A few of these academies eventually evolved into colleges or universities. Most, however, were closed with the emergence of public school districts. These included:

The LDS Church also established formal colleges and universities:

General administration

Church Board of Education and Board of Trustees

Board of Education	Thomas S. Monson Henry B. Eyring Dieter F. Uchtdorf Russell M. Nelson M. Russell Ballard David A. Bednar Steven E. Snow Julie B. Beck Elaine S. Dalton

Office of the Commissioner of Church Education

Commissioner of Church Education	Paul V. Johnson
Assistant to the Commissioner and Secretary to the Boards	Roger G. Christensen

Presidents / Administrator of individual CES units

President / Administrator	CES Unit	Location
Cecil O. Samuelson	Brigham Young University	Provo, Utah
Kim B. Clark	Brigham Young University–Idaho	Rexburg, Idaho
Steven C. Wheelwright	Brigham Young University Hawaii	Laie, Hawaii
Stephen K. Woodhouse	LDS Business College	Salt Lake City, Utah
Chad H. Webb	Seminaries and Institutes of Religion	Salt Lake City, Utah

Chronology of the Commissioner of Church Education

No.	Dates	Individual	Title
1	1888–1901	Karl G. Maeser	Superintendent of Church Schools
2	1901–1905	Joseph M. Tanner	Superintendent of Church Schools
3	1905–1920	Horace H. Cummings	Commissioner of Church Schools
4	1920–1921	David O. McKay	Commissioner of Church Education
5	1921–1924	John A. Widtsoe	Commissioner of Church Education
6	1928–1933	Joseph F. Merrill	Commissioner of Church Education
7	1934–1936	John A. Widtsoe	Commissioner of Church Education
8	1936–1953	Franklin L. West	Commissioner of Church Education
9	1953–1970	Ernest L. Wilkinson	Administrator–Chancellor of the Unified Church School System
10	1970–1976	Neal A. Maxwell	Commissioner of Church Education
11	1976–1980	Jeffrey R. Holland	Commissioner of Church Education
12	1980–1986	Henry B. Eyring	Commissioner of Church Education
13	1986–1989	J. Elliot Cameron	Commissioner of Church Education
14	1992–2004	Henry B. Eyring	Commissioner of Church Education
15	2005–2008	W. Rolfe Kerr	Commissioner of Church Education
16	2008–	Paul V. Johnson	Commissioner of Church Education

References

Arrington, L. J. (1967). The founding of the L.D.S. Institutes of Religion. Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 2, 137-47.
Berrett, W. E. (1988). A miracle in weekday religious education: A history of the Church Educational System. Salt Lake City, UT: Salt Lake Printing Center.
Berrett, W. E. (1992). Church Educational System (CES). In D. H. Ludlow (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Mormonism. New York: Macmillan.
Church Educational System (2005). Church Educational System annual information update. Salt Lake City, UT: Intellectual Reserve Inc.