What Is the Church Educational System (CES)? Overview and Operations

LDS Perspective

The Church Educational System (CES) is the centralized educational administration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, established in the 1950s under the direction of the First Presidency to unify and oversee the Church's educational efforts worldwide. CES was formed by consolidating all seminaries, institutes of religion, and the remaining Church academies into a single system administered by the Church Board of Education, which operates under the direct supervision of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. CES encompasses several distinct programs serving different age groups. Seminaries provide weekday religious instruction for high school students aged 14 through 18, with classes held in seminary buildings near public schools, in Church meetinghouses, o

Historical Perspective

The Church Educational System (CES) is the educational arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, encompassing seminaries and institutes of religion for secondary and post-secondary students, as well as church-owned institutions of higher education including Brigham Young University (BYU). Historically, CES operated under the direct supervision of the Church Board of Education and the First Presidency, maintaining strict doctrinal control over curriculum and personnel. A pivotal moment in CES history occurred in the summer of 1938 at Aspen Grove, Utah, when J. Reuben Clark, then a member of the First Presidency, delivered his address "The Charted Course of the Church in Education" to church educators gathered for instruction. This address marked a decisive shift away from the