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A Homeschooling Guide for Parents and Students

Instead of attending traditional public or private school, homeschooled children are taught by their parents at home. Learn more about the homeschooling movement and what's really involved when caregivers educate their kids.

Requirements
Getting Started

Making a Homeschool Schedule

Planning a Curriculum
Homeschooling FAQs

Homeschooling involves parents educating their children at home instead of sending them to a traditional public or private school.

The homeschooling movement began growing in the 1970s, and it's relatively popular today. About 6% of school-aged children were homeschooled during the 2021-2022 school year, according to the National Home Education Research Institute . That equates to about 3.1 million students in grades K through 12.

Keep reading to learn more about homeschooling, including necessary requirements, how to begin, and tips for success.

Requirements for Homeschooling Your Kids

Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states and many foreign countries, but requirements vary depending on location. Some states have few or no requirements; others ask for portfolio reviews, attendance documentation, or standardized testing at certain intervals. In almost all areas of the country, parents do not need an education degree to homeschool—but they do need the right mindset.

According to John Holt , an early proponent of homeschooling and author of the bestselling book Teach Your Own , the most important thing parents need to homeschool their children is "to like them, enjoy their company, their physical presence, their energy, foolishness, and passion. They have to enjoy all their talk and questions , and enjoy equally trying to answer those questions."

Indeed, for the majority of parents who homeschool, the only prerequisite is the desire to do so, along with a dedication to the educational process.

Why Do Families Choose Homeschooling?

Families choose to homeschool for a variety of reasons, including the following:

Dissatisfaction with available education options
Increased flexibility with scheduling and curriculum
Different religious or educational philosophies
Sheltering from bullying, peer pressure, and school violence
More opportunities for parent-child bonding
The belief that children are not progressing within the traditional school structure
Better ability to cater to mental and physical health problems

Getting Started with Homeschooling

Those with young children who have never attended a traditional classroom can begin a home education program when their child turns school age . At that time, they will start adhering to the requirements in their particular state.

The process is slightly different for parents who have kids in school already and then decide to homeschool. They must first write a letter of withdrawal to the school principal or local superintendent. The letter should describe the parents' intent to remove a child from school to begin homeschooling. After the notification, parents continue to follow their district's specific guidelines.

Homeschoolers organize their days in whatever way works best for them. Many begin their schooling early in the morning, as in a traditional school, but some opt to make less distinction between "school" and "home." If a child gets excited about a science experiment before bed, some parents follow the child's enthusiasm to see where it leads; this becomes part of the school day as well.

The educational philosophy a homeschooling family chooses will significantly influence the structure of their days. Most of us are familiar with only one style of education—the traditional system of textbooks, desks in rows, and standardized testing—but a wide array of educational philosophies exists. These methods include Waldorf, Montessori , Charlotte Mason, classical, leadership education, interest-led learning, unit study, and more. Homeschoolers have the freedom to blend ideas that best meet their children's needs.

You might also be wondering if homeschoolers follow the public school calendar year. In reality, homeschoolers have complete freedom over the structure of their school year. Many follow the traditional school calendar, some school year-round, and others take off during specific weeks when they need breaks.

Planning a Curriculum for Homeschooling

An increased number of homeschoolers has resulted in a wide variety of available curricula and resources. Catalogs are filled with options based on different educational philosophies, learning approaches, the amount of time a homeschool teacher devotes to daily instruction, and so on.

Subjects typically taught include the standard disciplines followed in a traditional school program, as well as those that capitalize on the child's interests . In his best-selling book The Element , British author and speaker Ken Robinson writes that "the key to [educational] transformation is not to standardize education, but to personalize it, to build achievement on discovering the individual talents of each child, to put students in an environment where they want to learn and where they can naturally discover their true passions."

A homeschooling atmosphere provides a natural setting in which parents can deliver an individualized method of instruction that matches the child's unique interests, ability, and learning style.

Families that homeschool often combine certain subjects that aren't necessarily grade- or age-specific, such as history, literature, and the arts. For example, children of different ages might study the same historical time period together, and then be given assignments that reflect specific age and ability.

For studies in other subjects, such as math and reading, a homeschooling parent might tutor each child one-on-one to meet the student's individual needs. Meanwhile, depending on each child's age, the other students may be working on solo assignments or playing in another room .

Homeschooling FAQs for Parents

Are homeschooled kids behind compared with public school kids.

One of the advantages of homeschooling is that students can progress according to their own temperament and timetable. The National Home Education Research Institute found that homeschoolers typically score 15 to 25 percentile points higher on standardized academic achievement tests, compared with kids educated in public schools. These results stay strong regardless of family household income and education level of caregivers.

What's more, the National Home Education Research Institute found that homeschooled students often score above-average in terms of social, emotional, and psychological development. This includes measures of leadership, self-esteem, peer interaction, and more.

Does the state fund any homeschool programs?

Government-funded programs vary widely from state to state, but most homeschooling families fund their children's studies themselves. In certain areas, enrollment in a state-based program is optional. In that case, the state pays for specific resources in exchange for the homeschool meeting certain requirements to remain in the program.

Is there a network of parents who homeschool?

Homeschoolers in most places have access to an array of resources and social networks. In addition to forming co-ops , in which families group together to have classes, you might find social events such as lectures, field trips, art classes, music instruction, sports, and playdates.

What happens if the homeschooling parent is sick?

One of homeschooling's biggest advantages is the flexibility it offers. A sick parent can still ensure that the most essential aspects of the day's work get accomplished, providing instruction from bed if necessary. Group work that requires the sick parent's direct involvement may be cancelled for the day, but the parent could still supervise any individual work the child needs to do—like penmanship or reading. In two-parent families, both parents can contribute according to their schedules.

Do homeschooled kids receive homework?

In many ways homeschooling lessens the need for traditional homework often required by schools , particularly for elementary school-age kids. Without 20 or more children in one class, schoolwork can often be completed in a shorter time frame during the school day, eliminating the need for extra work afterward.

Acting as a one-on-one tutor, the parent-teacher constantly observes the children as they learn. This direct observation allows a parent to keep track of a child's proficiency or struggles. Assignments are then tailored accordingly.

Homeschooled children, especially as they grow older, often attend more traditional classes, giving them experience in completing more typical homework assignments. Some public schools allow homeschoolers to attend certain classes that they choose. As they get older, homeschooled kids may enroll in community college classes and begin their college studies early.

How do homeschooled children receive objective grades?

Although grades in certain subjects are not always needed, many families choose to administer graded tests, some through computer programs. The homeschooling environment allows children to progress at their own pace until they have mastered the necessary materials.

Do homeschooled kids need to take standardized or state-mandated tests?

A number of states require standardized testing at specific intervals; others don't. Some families prefer to have their kids tested to ensure they're progressing academically. Other homeschoolers believe there is no need for such testing until a child reaches high school.

How long does homeschooling last?

Homeschooling can continue until a student graduates and enters college. Families may choose to homeschool throughout their children's education, or they may do so for only a few years before transferring their kids back into a mainstream school system. Most colleges are beginning to take note of homeschooling's popularity. Even Ivy League universities have recruited and accepted homeschooled graduates.

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Best Online Homeschool Programs

The 7 best online homeschool programs for you and your child

Homeschooling curriculums have advantages. For one, using a curriculum can help you ensure your child meets national standards for their age group. And with an abundance of homeschooling resources available, some curriculums can also provide opportunities for you and your child to explore new learning styles.

If you’ve never taught your child at home before, it might seem like a daunting task. But not to worry: There are plenty of high-quality, interactive homeschool programs that you can easily use on your tablet, smartphone, or laptop.

Whether you’re looking for SAT prep for your high school student, ways to keep your toddlers engaged and educated, or hoping your elementary-aged kids won’t fall behind in their studies, we’ve come up with a list of the best online homeschool programs on the market. These picks are interactive, user-friendly, and cost-effective.

7 Best Online Homeschool Programs of 2023

Best Budget: ABCmouse.com
Most Customizable: K12.com
Best for Structure: Time4Learning
Best for Community: Connections Academy
Best Free: Khan Academy
Best for College Prep: edX
Best for Math and Science: CK-12 Foundation
Our Top Picks
ABCmouse.com
Time4Learning
Connections Academy
Khan Academy
CK-12 Foundation
See More (4)

Final Verdict

Compare Programs

Methodology

Best budget : abcmouse.com.

ABCmouse.com

Price : $12.99 per month
Grades : Preschool-2
Subjects : Reading, math, science, social studies, art, music

Kids aged 2 to 8 will have no trouble staying motivated to use ABCmouse.com; engaging activities and an interactive learning map will encourage them to keep going.

Levels based on age and grade level

Rewards system lets kids collect “tickets” for virtual prizes

Art & Colors curriculum for the youngest users

Desktop or tablet use

Works better as a curriculum companion

Kids have to be able to navigate a computer or smartphone

May not be challenging enough for some kids

At around $13 per month, a subscription to ABCmouse.com is the most budget-friendly educational purchase you can make for your early learner. ABCmouse.com’s Step-By-Step Learning Path is accessible on tablet, smartphone, or computer for kids ages 2 to 8.

Spanning 850 lessons across 10 levels, this award-winning curriculum includes a comprehensive reading system (from letter recognition and phonics to reading full-length books), as well as math, science, social studies, and even art (including both drawing and painting).

Music, read-aloud stories, puzzles, and educational games round out the ABCmouse.com library, making it a solid choice as a supplement to an existing homeschool curriculum and for a comprehensive educational system.

ABCmouse.com is also gamified, meaning your little ones can play it like a video game, complete with a ticket system that rewards them for completing levels successfully.

As they sharpen a particular skill set, they’ll receive tickets they can use to buy virtual treats, like fish for the online classroom aquarium. Built-in incentives allow your kids to move at their own pace and make the learning experience more enjoyable and engaging.

Most Customizable : K12.com

Price : Varies; has tuition-free public school, fee-based private school, and other courses on an individual cost basis
Grades : K-12
Subjects : Standard

K12.com is a highly customizable homeschool option, allowing you to fully enroll your child in an online school curriculum or cherry-pick only the subjects you want.

Full public school curriculums offered

Access to individual teachers and tutors

Available for kids in grades K-12 and includes all subjects

You may live in a different state than the school you enroll in

Some programs require long hours online for completion

Some users complain about customer support and website issues

Notable for its comprehensive and ultra-customizable approach, K12.com is a one-stop shop for online learners and their families.

K12’s online homeschool options include tuition-free, virtual public schools for students in grades K-12 taught by state-certified teachers. There are options for three different tuition-based private schools, and a variety of summer school, intensive, and standalone course offerings for kids with special interests or subjects they’d like to brush up on.

If you’re not looking for a full-time homeschool program, you can draw from K12 Digital Literacy Solutions—a free library of literacy tools and over 24,000 e-books—to boost your child’s reading ability, or sign your teenagers up for one of K12’s several free camps centered around high-interest areas like coding, marketing, or information technology.

Free, game-based learning is available for kids in grades K-8 through K12’s program STRIDE. And, if there are subject areas in which you don’t feel comfortable homeschooling your child, K12's state-certified teachers offer live, online tutoring sessions in math, world languages, English, science, or social studies.

Best for Structure : Time4Learning

Time4Learning

Price : $24.95 per month for PreK-8 (for one child; $14.95 per month for additional children); $34.95 per month for high school
Grades : PreK-12
Subjects : Language arts, math, science, social studies

For parents who want to 100% homeschool online, Time4Learning is a full-fledged curriculum that takes all the planning and guesswork out of setting up your child’s grade level work.

Full online-only homeschool curriculum

Adjustable grade levels and self-pacing

Wide variety of approaches, including online and offline activities

You lose access to your records if you close your account

You need constant internet access

Your child may need supplemental lessons on certain topics

Time4Learning is a comprehensive, subscription-based online homeschool curriculum. It’s reasonably priced, at around $24.95 per month (and about $14.95 per month for each additional child) for preK-8 students and approximately $34.95 per month for high school students. This is one of the best programs if you want to keep your kids in a more traditional educational setting, even when they’re learning remotely.

Your child’s curriculum will include hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of animated lessons, activities, quizzes, worksheets, and full-length tests, all suited to each student’s grade level and your particular state’s learning standards. In contrast to some of the other curriculum resources on this list, Time4Learning offers a combination of online and offline, printable worksheets and other hands-on activities.

Additional resources that make Time4Learning stand out are the many lesson-planning tools and learning style guides that can help you track your kids’ progress.

Best for Community : Connections Academy

Connections Academy

Price : Free

This tuition-free homeschool curriculum gets high reviews from parents, plus it emphasizes socialization through a variety of online clubs and peer activities.

Tuition-free, online public school

Offers one-on-one counseling and clubs

Curriculum designed for online learning

Only available in 31 states

Usually requires attendance in live classes

If you’d rather enroll your child in a full-fledged online school than teach them yourself, Connections Academy is a great option for elementary, middle school, and high school students.

At this tuition-free, online public school, your children will be taught according to your state’s educational standards by certified teachers. Even textbooks and other instructional materials are provided free of charge.

True to its name, Connections Academy might be one of the best online homeschool programs for your family if you’re interested in building a connected community with fellow parents, students, and educators.

The online school encourages you to be directly involved with your kids’ education as a "Learning Coach." Online live sessions with teachers and classmates, in addition to extracurriculars like online clubs and activities, allow kids to foster meaningful connections with peers.

What’s more, your kids don’t have to miss out on many of the perks of a brick-and-mortar school, like career counseling, one-on-one sessions with a guidance counselor, standardized test prep, and college prep advising . These resources are all offered at Connections Academy.

Best Free : Khan Academy

Khan Academy

Subjects : Standard, advanced placement (AP) classes, test prep, computing, economics, and life skills

Khan Academy stands out for its free video lessons, quizzes, and tests that cover a massive variety of subjects, from kindergarten through 12th grade (and beyond).

Standard or advanced placement (AP) courses available

Unique classes like storytelling, growth mindset, and coding

Parents can learn alongside kids at their own level

No community or one-on-one attention

Some students can’t learn via video instruction

Interactive instruction unavailable for all ages

Khan Academy, an award-winning nonprofit that offers free educational resources for students, parents, teachers, and homeschoolers, first garnered international attention for its high-quality, completely free SAT prep materials—an attractive alternative to its much pricier peers. But Khan Academy has since expanded to include curriculum pieces for children and teens of all ages.

Simply select your child’s grade level and subject—the advanced placement (AP) or standardized test they’re preparing for, or the specific skills they need to boost—and send them off to gain “mastery points” as they progress. Easy-to-follow video lessons accompany practice quizzes and unit tests that help you track your kids’ progress.

This resource is notable not only because it’s free, but also because of the sheer variety of the content available. Khan Academy’s materials include many niche topics for adult learners and high school students that aren’t offered by many other online learning programs.

The virtual academy’s unique subjects—like computer programming and animation, personal finance and entrepreneurship, art history, college admissions, and English as a second language—solidifies it as one of the best online homeschool programs.

Best for College Prep : edX

Price : Most courses are free; completion certificates vary in price
Grades : 9-12 and above
Subjects : Standard, plus specialized college-level courses

There is a broad range of subjects to dive deep into at edX, a site offering college-level courses for teens hosted by top universities like Harvard and MIT.

Courses offered by prestigious worldwide universities

Many courses are free or low-cost

Some credits may transfer to college

Only for teens and adults

Not the right choice for students wanting to explore many subjects at once

If you’re going to get an at-home education, you might as well get it from Harvard, right?

If you're looking to help with your teen’s college prep, consider enrolling them in one of the many classes at edX , a platform that partners with high-ranking institutions such as NYU, Harvard, and MIT (as well as international universities, including Oxford and Australian National University) to offer over 3,600 college-level courses. Some are self-paced and available for college transfer credit, while others are taught by qualified instructors—most of whom have doctorates in their fields.

You and your teen can choose from a variety of standalone courses across the arts and humanities, STEM fields, music, computer science, education, and more. Most courses, even credit-eligible ones, are free, with completion certificates that have a wide price range from $50 to $300.

Particularly proactive high school students looking to get a head start on their college career while at home can enroll in an edX MicroBachelors program in popular majors like computer science, for just $166 per credit. Or, they can start earning college credits by attending the Global Freshman Academy . It offers common, foundational first-year courses like pre-calculus, or college algebra and problem-solving through edX’s partnership with Arizona State University.

Best for Math and Science : CK-12 Foundation

CK-12 Foundation

Subjects : Standard, with a focus on STEM

Although other subjects are offered, CK-12 focuses its curriculum on STEM courses, using games and interactive activities to boost learning.

Interactive online textbooks make learning engaging

Comprehensive, deep-dive lessons

You may need to supplement with other material

Some students could struggle with navigating the site alone

May be too advanced in presentation for some students

If you’d like your child to beef up their math and science skills, look no further than the wealth of interactive learning tools at the CK-12 Foundation . This free resource offers one of the best online homeschool programs for STEM subjects. It’s also one of the most advanced resources available in terms of its seamless use of technology and cutting-edge approaches to learning.

While writing, spelling, and social studies are available, math and science topics (from arithmetic and earth science to calculus and engineering) are where CK-12’s creative curriculum really shines.

Simulations and the Play, Learn, Interact, Explore (PLIX) series integrate graphics and games into lessons about STEM concepts. Meanwhile, CK-12’s FlexBooks—interactive online textbooks that allow students to learn as they play and play as they learn—distill complex concepts into digestible pieces.

Check out your kids’ central dashboard to follow along with their adaptive practice progress, which tracks the skills they need to boost and those they’ve already mastered in order to tailor their upcoming lessons.

For the most homeschooling options, K12.com is a hub of resources and opportunities where you can pick and choose how much—or how little—you learn online. If all those choices are overwhelming for you, a more focused program like Time4Learning may be a better fit. Parents concerned with socialization will like the community approach of Connections Academy , and teens looking to prep for college can take advanced classes through edX .

Compare the Best Online Homeschooling Programs

Frequently asked questions, what is homeschooling.

Homeschooling is an educational option in which parents educate their children at home rather than sending them to a traditional school. Most homeschooling families cover subjects that are taught in traditional schools, but they may also include independent study programs, college or co-op classes, volunteering opportunities, and more.

What Are Some Pros and Cons of Homeschooling?

Pros of homeschooling include getting to decide how and what your kids learn, ample one-on-one attention for the student, and flexible scheduling. Cons include the high level of parental commitment and the potential loss of income that may result from it. Some parents also deal with stress and lack of confidence about being responsible for their child’s education.

How Much Does Online Homeschooling Cost?

The cost of homeschooling varies depending on the curriculum, interactivity, and level of support. Some online homeschooling programs are completely free. Others require a paid monthly or yearly subscription or tuition, or charge a flat rate per class. Prices can range anywhere from $10 a month for a subscription to $7,000 for yearly tuition at a private online academy.

How Do Homeschoolers Socialize?

Homeschool support groups, co-ops, field-trip groups, public library programs, and park playdates all offer opportunities for kids to socialize and make friends. The local public school may also be another option for activities, as some states require public schools to allow homeschooled students to participate in extracurriculars at the school they would have attended.

Is Homeschool Best for ADHD?

Homeschooling is a personal decision for every family, and children with ADHD can potentially benefit from the flexible homeschool program and untraditional learning environment. With homeschooling, parents are able to set a curriculum that best matches the interests and learning style of the student, and kids can learn at a more flexible pace and in a creative format.

Choosing a homeschool program that’s right for your family is a process as unique as your family itself, but we think all online homeschooling programs should have some things in common. We searched for programs that were highly customizable, allowing you to choose your coursework and grade level, as well as programs that were no- or low-cost. Lastly, we made sure all the programs listed here feature the full range of subjects your child would have access to in a traditional school setting.

Verywell / Illustration by Madelyn Goodnight

By Sarah Bradley Sarah Bradley has been writing parenting content since 2017, after her third son was born. Since then, she has expanded her expertise to write about pregnancy and postpartum, childhood ages and stages, and general health conditions, including commerce articles for health products. Because she has been homeschooling her sons for seven years, she is also frequently asked to share homeschooling tips, tricks, and advice for parenting sites.