Guide · Updated 2026-10-17 · By the CurriculumQuiz editorial team

How to Choose a Homeschool Curriculum

Short answer: Start with your state's legal requirements, then decide how much time you can teach each day, then choose a teaching style, and only then compare specific programs and prices.

1. Check what your state requires

Some states require notices, records, specific subjects or assessments; others require very little. Read the official page for your state in our state directory before buying anything.

2. Be honest about parent time

Print curricula usually need a parent to teach. Video and online programs reduce prep, and online schools shift most teaching to staff. Our quiz asks about this because it matters more than any single feature.

3. Pick a style

Traditional, classical, Charlotte Mason, literature-based, unit studies and online self-paced learning feel very different day to day. See homeschool styles explained.

4. Decide whether you need accreditation

Accreditation matters most for some high-school transcripts and transfers. Read accredited vs non-accredited.

5. Set a realistic budget

Published prices range from free to tens of thousands of dollars a year. See our cost guide, built from prices on official pages.

6. Try before committing

Use samples, placement tests, trials and refund windows. Many families mix programs, for example one math program plus a separate literature-based core. Head-to-head pages like Math-U-See vs Saxon help narrow choices.