Quick answer: An online homeschool curriculum is a full set of lessons, practice and assessments for each grade, delivered on a screen instead of in a box of books. Most families choose from four types: an all-in-one online program, boxed or textbook sets, a subject-by-subject mix, or an accredited online school with teachers. The right one depends on how much teaching time you have, who you want grading the work, and what records your child will need later.
Searches for “homeschool curriculum” return long lists of products. This guide works the other way around. It starts with the choice you are making, shows what each type asks of you in a decision table, and ends with how to check your pick against your state’s rules.
Which Homeschool Curriculum Should I Use? Finding the Best Fit for Your Online High School Journey
The four types of homeschool curriculum
HSLDA, the homeschool legal organization, describes the main formats as complete curriculum packages, online courses, subject-based curriculum, and integrated or unit studies. For most families the choice comes down to the four below.
1. All-in-one homeschool programs (online or boxed)
An all in one homeschool curriculum covers every core subject for a grade, usually with a teacher’s guide and a lesson plan. HSLDA calls complete packages “one-stop shops” that suit a first-year homeschooler. The parent follows the plan, teaches or supervises each lesson, and grades the work. Online versions put the lessons, practice and quizzes on a screen. Boxed versions arrive as textbooks and workbooks.
2. Subject-by-subject mix
Here you choose a separate resource for each subject and combine them. This fits a child who is ahead in reading and needs more time in math, or a family that prefers a different method for each subject. It gives the most control and asks the most planning. You also decide how the pieces add up to a full year.
3. Online classes and courses
Online homeschool classes and courses sit between the first two types. HSLDA separates them into two kinds. Live classes meet at set times and the instructor grades the work, so the parent’s teaching load is lighter. Self-paced classes use recorded lessons and a lesson plan, and the child works alone. Some self-paced courses grade themselves, and others ask the parent to grade with a rubric or answer key. Many families use one or two courses for a subject they would rather not teach, such as upper-level math or a lab science.
4. An accredited online school with teachers
In this model the child enrolls in a school. The school supplies the courses, certified teachers who grade, and the official transcript and, in high school, the diploma. The parent guides the day at home. K12 describes one version of this format, in which elementary students attend scheduled online classes taught by state-certified teachers. Other schools, including Forest Trail Academy, offer self-paced courses with no live class times.
One related option is online public school. K12 states that families do not pay tuition for a student to attend an online public school. Because the child is a public school student, the school and state set the rules instead of the homeschool law, so it is a separate choice from the four above.
Online homeschool curriculum decision table
Use this table to match the type to your household. “Teaching time” is relative, since the hours depend on your child’s grade and pace.
| Type | Parent teaching time | Who grades | Records and transcript | Accreditation | Cost pattern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject-by-subject mix | Highest. You choose, plan and teach or supervise each subject. | You, or the provider of any outside class you add. | You keep the portfolio. In high school you build the transcript. | The family’s overall program is not accredited. Individual classes may come from accredited providers. | Pay per book, course or class. Totals vary widely with your choices. |
| All-in-one program, boxed or online | High to moderate. Teacher’s guides set the plan, and you teach and grade. | You, unless the program includes a grading service. Ask before you buy. | You keep the records and, in high school, build the transcript. | Ask whether enrollment in a school is included. A set of lessons alone is not a school. | One price per grade or per child. Totals vary by publisher. |
| Online classes and courses | Moderate to low. Live classes and many self-paced courses grade for you. Others ask you to grade. | The instructor, the software, or you. Check each course. | You keep the records unless the provider is a school that issues transcripts. | Depends on the provider. Ask for the accrediting agency by name. | Per class, per course or by subscription. |
| Accredited school package taught by the parent (for example, a K-8 correspondence package) | Moderate. You teach from textbooks, workbooks and lesson plans. | Depends on the school. Ask who grades and how progress is reported. | The school issues the official transcript after final grades are in. | Held by the school. | Yearly tuition set by the school. |
| Accredited online school with teachers | Lowest. You guide the day, and teachers teach and grade. | Certified teachers. | The school keeps the record and issues the official transcript and, in high school, the diploma. | Held by the school. Look up its accrediting agencies. | Yearly tuition set by the school, usually published by grade band. |
What homeschooling costs in general
HSLDA surveyed more than 4,000 homeschooling families in summer 2024. Those figures count curriculum, supplies, co-op fees, online class tuition, lessons and tutoring together, so they describe the whole homeschool, not only the curriculum. HSLDA published the survey results in its article The Costs of Homeschooling Today. Treat the averages as a starting point, and read each provider’s own price page for current figures.
What a full curriculum contains, by grade band
A complete curriculum covers the same core subjects in every grade, and the depth grows with age. Use this table to check that a package leaves nothing out.
| Grade band | English | Math | Science | Social studies | Also expect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K-5 | Phonics and reading, spelling, handwriting, early writing | Number sense, addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, fractions | Life, earth and physical science through observation and simple activities | Community, geography, basic history and civics | Art, music, physical activity, character education |
| 6-8 | Literature, grammar, paragraph and essay writing, research skills | Ratios, pre-algebra, early algebra and geometry | Life, earth and physical science with more lab-style work | World and U.S. history, geography, government | Electives, study skills, keyboarding |
| 9-12 | Four years of English: composition and literature | Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, then higher courses | Biology, chemistry, physics or earth science | World history, U.S. history, government, economics | Electives, world language, credits toward a diploma |
For a sample of how one K-8 package is built, see the subject list in our secular K-8 homeschool curriculum. It lists language arts, math, science, social studies, writing and handwriting, and character education in each grade package. For grades 9 to 12, see the online high school curriculum.
Two reference points help you judge whether a program covers enough. The Common Core State Standards set expectations for math and English language arts, and the Next Generation Science Standards set expectations for science. Many curriculum publishers say which standards they follow. If your state has its own standards, the state education department’s website lists them.
Homeschool math curriculum: what to check
Math builds one skill on the last, so a homeschool math curriculum deserves a closer look than most subjects. Check these points:
- Placement. Start where your child’s skills are, not where their age says. Use a placement test or review the first unit before you commit.
- Sequence. Look for a scope and sequence that shows each topic and when it returns.
- Practice and review. Ask whether the program includes mixed review and cumulative tests.
- Who explains new ideas. Some programs teach through video, some through a parent’s guide, and some through a live teacher.
- High school course names. Colleges look for Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II on a transcript. The NCAA asks for three years of math at Algebra I level or higher for Division I athletes.
Homeschool science curriculum: what to check
A homeschool science curriculum should cover life, earth and physical science across the grades, then move to separate courses in high school. Check these points:
- Hands-on work. Find out whether experiments need a kit, household items or a virtual lab, and who pays for supplies.
- Grade-level fit. Compare the topic list with the Next Generation Science Standards for your child’s grade.
- High school lab work. Ask the colleges your child may apply to what they expect for lab science, then choose a course that provides it.
- Credit count. The NCAA Division I list asks for two years of natural or physical science.
How to check a curriculum against your state’s requirements
States set homeschool rules, and they differ a great deal. Use these steps before you buy.
- Find your state’s rules. Our homeschool requirements by state table shows notice, subjects, testing and parent qualifications for every state. HSLDA keeps a page for each state’s homeschool law, and your state education department publishes the official rules.
- List what your state asks for. Write down whether it requires notice, named subjects, attendance records, a portfolio or a yearly evaluation.
- Match each item to a curriculum feature. Required subjects need a curriculum that covers them. A yearly test or evaluation is easier with graded work and a clear record. A notice requirement does not depend on the curriculum at all.
- Ask the provider. Ask what records the program produces, who signs them, and whether families in your state have used it.
A worked example: two states, two different checklists
HSLDA’s state pages show how much the checklist can change. Texas lists no notification requirement and no assessment requirement, and it lists state-mandated subjects. A Texas family needs a curriculum that covers the required subjects and a simple record of the work. New York lists notification, state-mandated subjects and assessment, and it also has an Individualized Home Instruction Plan and quarterly reports. A New York family benefits from a program that produces dated grades and progress reports they can attach to those filings. Both families can use the same curriculum type, but the New York family will keep more paperwork. Rules change, so confirm each point on the state’s own site.
Records, transcripts and diplomas under each type
The curriculum type decides who holds the records. Plan for this in grade 9 at the latest, since colleges, employers and athletic associations ask for a transcript.
- Subject-by-subject mix and all-in-one programs. You keep attendance, work samples and grades. In high school you build the transcript and issue the diploma as the parent-administrator. Our homeschool transcript guide and homeschool diploma guide show how.
- Online classes and courses. The provider usually gives a grade or a completion record for each course. You combine those records into one transcript unless the provider is a school.
- Accredited school package taught by the parent. The school collects progress reports from you and issues the official transcript.
- Accredited online school. The school keeps the whole record, applies credits from earlier schools after reviewing them, and issues the official transcript and diploma.
College-bound athletes have one more step. The NCAA requires that a Division I student’s courses appear on the high school’s approved core-course list, and its Division I requirements page directs homeschool and online questions to the NCAA Eligibility Center. Ask the Eligibility Center about your plan before the first high school course.
Accredited homeschool curriculum: what accreditation covers
Accreditation belongs to a school or program, not to a family. A family that teaches independently does not hold accreditation, and a set of lesson plans is not accredited by itself. When a curriculum is described as an accredited homeschool curriculum, check that a school is behind it, then look up the accrediting agency by name. Our guide to accredited and non-accredited homeschooling covers what accreditation changes for transfers, transcripts and college applications.
How to pick the best homeschool curriculum for your family
There is no single best homeschool curriculum, because families differ in time, budget and goals. Work through these questions in order.
- How many hours can you teach each day, and for how many children?
- Do you want to grade, or would you rather a teacher did?
- Will your child need an official transcript for a school transfer, college, athletics or the military?
- Do you want secular materials, faith-based materials, or either? Check how the publisher describes its approach.
- Does your state require subjects, records or testing that the curriculum has to support?
- Can your child change pace? Look for a program that lets a student move ahead in strong subjects and take more time in others.
- Can you try a sample unit or a trial before paying?
Two sample matches show how the answers point to a type. A parent who works from home part of the day, with a 9th grader planning to play college sports, usually needs teacher grading and an official transcript, which points to an accredited online school. A parent at home full time with a 2nd grader and a wish for a set plan often does well with an all-in-one program. Neither choice is permanent. Families change type as their children grow, and our guide to switching schools mid-year explains how earlier work is credited.
Where Forest Trail Academy fits
Forest Trail Academy is a private, accredited, secular online school for kindergarten through grade 12, based in West Palm Beach, Florida. It has served more than 10,000 students since 2007. Its homeschool programs include K-8 correspondence packages with textbooks, workbooks and lesson plans, where parents submit quarterly progress reports and the school generates the official transcript after final grades are received. Its K-12 online learning is self-paced, with certified teachers who grade every assignment and no live classes. Enrollment is open any week of the year. Accreditations are listed on the accreditations and memberships page, and tuition is on the tuition rates page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best online homeschool curriculum?
The best one is the one that fits your child’s grade and pace, your available teaching time, your state’s rules and your record needs. Use the decision table above to pick a type first, then compare two or three programs of that type.
What is an all-in-one homeschool curriculum?
It is a single program that covers every core subject for a grade, usually with lesson plans for the parent. It can be boxed, online or both.
Is there a free online homeschool curriculum?
Some free lessons exist. K12, for example, lists more than 15,000 free lessons in its Learning Hub. Free lessons may not add up to a full year or produce a transcript, so check what is covered. A free online public school is a different choice, because the child is a public school student.
Does a homeschool curriculum have to be accredited?
Accreditation belongs to schools and programs, and your state’s homeschool law sets what a family must do. Check your state’s rules, then decide whether an accredited transcript matters for college, transfers or athletics.
Can I mix curriculum types?
Yes. Many families use an all-in-one program for most subjects and add an online course for math or science. Keep one record of every course, so the transcript is complete.
Can ESA or scholarship funds pay for an online school?
Each state runs its own program with its own rules. Forest Trail Academy lists Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Tennessee on its funding announcement, including Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program and New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account Program. Guidelines change, so confirm with admissions how your state’s program applies.
Where do I start if I have not begun homeschooling yet?
Read our guide on how to start homeschooling, then return to the decision table to choose a curriculum type.
Want help matching your child’s grade and records to a program? Book a call with admissions.
