Affordable & Free Homeschool Curriculum

If you’re new to homeschooling, you might wonder if you can find free homeschool curriculum options. You may even ask, “Can I Afford to Homeschool?” or “How much will it cost?” Indeed, for those homeschool families who are experienced, you’d probably answer, “It’s up to you!”

Of course, one major difference between homeschooled and public school families is the upfront cost of purchasing a curriculum for your children. Certainly, most families are on a strict budget, and the cost of a year’s worth of typical books and supplies, especially if multiple children are in different grades, can seem impossible. However, we’re here to show you that homeschooling doesn’t have to cost much at all!

While there are online private schools and some homeschool curricula with giant price tags, those aren’t the only options. Did you know some homeschool curricula are free? Indeed, though these may require a bit more effort on your part, there are certainly ways that enable you to have the freedom of homeschooling in a way that works for your family. And, in particular, without breaking the bank!

State Funds for Homeschooling

As school choice becomes more popular throughout the United States, we are seeing more states give homeschool families the option to use ESA program (education savings account) funds for their homeschool curriculum. Public funds that can be applied to a homeschool education program through ESA, vouchers, or tax credit are helping homeschoolers across the country. These funds can often be used for tutoring, co-ops, curriculum, and other educational resources based on certain eligibility requirements. Homeschool students could see most of their education costs nearly disappear. In fact, Florida and California are both very progressive in helping homeschoolers through a variety of means, including enrollment in homeschool charter schools and private school tuition. Some of these options are set up with a select group of approved vendors for homeschool curriculum from which homeschoolers can choose. Homeschool participants need to review all the details of the program before they register. ESA funding can be a very helpful way to cut the cost of educational expenses in your homeschool. For some really great information and how to apply and get ESA funding, visit Time4Learning’s ESA page.

There are 16 states and Washington, D.C. that offer voucher programs, including Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Ohio.  While 13 states have ESAs, including Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Montana, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia. Finally, there are tax credit scholarship programs from certain states, including Alabama, South Dakota. There is more about this topic in our post on How to Find Homeschool Funding and at HSLDA.

Free Full Homeschool Curriculum

Of course, one thing you may be worried about is the cost vs quality of a free or affordable homeschool curriculum.  We understand! That is a valid concern, but we’ve gathered some of the best free homeschooling options for an all-in-one curriculum available. Don’t worry, if curriculum cost is in the way, here are the top free homeschool curriculum options that don’t sacrifice quality!

Start here with these high-quality suggestions.

  • Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool: This is a complete K-12, online, and free Christian homeschool curriculum in the Charlotte Mason style. Students can complete many assignments online.  And some you need to print. This program also includes lesson plans. This is a wonderful budget-friendly solution for homeschooling families, and very simple to start homeschooling.
  • Ambleside Online: This is another completely online, faith-based option in the Charlotte Mason style. Their curriculum seeks to prepare “children for a life of rich relationships with God, humanity, and the natural world.”Free and Affordable Homeschool Curriculum
  • Khan AcademyThey are a nonprofit that works to provide top-notch education to any and every student. This is also a great supplement if you choose a different curriculum.
  • Create your own unit study: This simple, amazing option integrates subjects and allows your children to focus on their interests. In fact, unit studies can include all or just some subjects and can be as in-depth as you desire.
  • The Good and the BeautifulTheir books are available for free as a PDF download or for purchase as a hard copy. The free curriculum includes Language Arts, Math, and Science. Along with the curriculum downloads, they also provide videos, audiobooks, book lists, and two free learning apps!
  • At Home Middle School: This site pulls from different online resources to create lesson plans in core subjects for middle school students. They offer 180 lessons – the same as a typical school calendar requirement – for math, language arts, science, social studies, Spanish, coding, art history, and chess.
  • Khan Academy – Khan has been around for years, helping students with some of the best online math and science lectures!
  • CK-12 – This is a public school offered online curriculum.
  • Discovery K12 – This is also a public school that offers online curriculum. You can check with your state’s DOE to see how you can enroll!

More Free Full Homeschool Curricula to check into:

  • Georgia Virtual Learning
  • Guest Hollow
  • Hioppo Campus
  • Homeschool College USA
  • Brightly Beaming Resources
  • Core Knowledge
  • Freckle
  • Project Gutenberg
  • Saylor Academy
  • Starfall
  • Teach with Me
  • Under the Home
  • Virtual Homeschool Group

Affordable Homeschool Curriculum

Consequently, if none of the free options seem like they are a good fit for your kids and family, then try these affordable homeschool curricula that are available for a small cost. In fact, many companies do their best to keep prices low so families can provide their children with quality education without going into debt in the process.

Here are some of the best affordable homeschool curriculum options.

  • Time4Learning: (Click to get an exclusive 15% discount) Time4Learning.com is a comprehensive, online, PreK-12 curriculum for a very reasonable monthly fee. Time4Learning can be used as a complete curriculum, core courses only, or as a supplement to another homeschool curriculum. Along with the core subjects – Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies – Time4Learning also offers many exciting electives and foreign language options. Time4Learning is also a well-loved curriculum that meets the needs of special education students.
  • Compass Classroom: This faith-based company provides video classes for grades 4-12 for a low monthly (or yearly) fee. In addition to classes for children, they are also passionate about helping homeschooling moms and offer resources for you too!
  • Alpha Omega Publications (LIFEPAC): LIFEPACs are workbook-based learning for grades K-12 with affordable homeschool curriculum prices varying by grade/subject. Published by AOP, LIFEPACs use a mastery approach to teach Language Arts, History, Math, Science, and Electives through a Christian Worldview.
  • A.C.E. School of Tomorrow: Another faith-based option, A.C.E. uses PACEs, or individual workbooks, that are customizable. K-12 students work independently and at their own speed. Prices will vary due to how you choose to build your school year.
  • Used Homeschool Books: If you find a curriculum you’d like to try before investing in a new set, this website offers used homeschool curriculum items at lower prices. The companies they stock are ABeka, Apologia, BJU Press, Life of Fred, Math U See, Rod and Staff, Mystery of History, Saxon Math, and many more!
  • Homeschool.com Marketplace: Visit the Marketplace often to find the latest discounts on curricula options to add to your homeschool!

Free Homeschool Curriculum by Subject

Perhaps you already have most of your curriculum and are only looking for a certain subject. If so, here are some pages with many free curriculum options in some core subjects.

Free Homeschool Curriculum

Homeschool For Free: 

How to Homeschool by Subject

Do you feel more confident teaching your child at certain ages or subjects? Yes, it’s true, most of us have a niche where we feel most comfortable, but unfortunately, we can’t keep our children in our comfort zone. Actually, if you’re feeling a little insecure in certain areas or need some encouragement, check out our “How to teach” series for some friendly advice from homeschool parents. You’ll find resource articles on how to homeschool most subjects and practical tips for teaching!

How To Homeschool Subject Areas for Parents: 

Additional Free Homeschool Curriculum Resources from Homeschool.com