Educating your child at home may appear to be a difficult task if you have never done so before. Fortunately, there are a variety of high-quality, interactive homeschool programs that you can access from your tablet, smartphone, or laptop without any trouble at all.
Our list of the best online homeschool programs on the market will help you no matter what your needs are: SAT prep for your high school student, ways to keep your toddlers engaged and educated, or hoping that your elementary-aged children won't fall behind in their studies. These selections are interactive, user-friendly, and cost-effective, among other characteristics.
1) K12.com
We chose it because it is a highly customizable homeschooling option that allows you to fully enroll your child in an online school curriculum or cherry-pick only the subjects you want to teach them.
PROS
- Comprehensive public school curricula are available.
- Individualized instruction from individual teachers and tutors
- Available for students in grades K-12, this course covers all subjects.
CONS
- It's possible that you live in a different state than the one where the school you want to attend is located.
- Some programs require you to spend a significant amount of time online in order to complete them.
- Some customers have expressed dissatisfaction with customer service and website issues.
K12.com is a one-stop-shop for online learners and their families that is distinguished by its comprehensive and highly customizable approach to education.
Tuition-free virtual public schools for students in grades K-12 are available through K12's online homeschooling options, which are taught by state-certified teachers. For children with special interests or subjects they'd like to brush up on, there are three different tuition-based private schools to choose from, as well as a variety of summer school, intensive, and standalone course offerings for children with a variety of special interests or subjects they'd like to brush up on.
Instead of enrolling in a full-time homeschool program, you can take advantage of resources such as K12 Digital Literacy Solutions (a free library of literacy tools and over 21,000 eBooks) to improve your child's reading ability, or you can enroll your teenagers in one of K12's several free camps centered around high-interest areas such as coding, marketing, or information technology.
K12's STRIDE program, which provides free, game-based learning for children in grades K-8, is available to them. And, if there are any subjects in which you are unsure about homeschooling your child, K12's state-certified teachers provide live, online tutoring sessions in math, world languages, English, science, and social studies, among other subjects.
2) ABCmouse.com
Because it is engaging, kids aged 2 to 8 will have no trouble remaining motivated to use this platform; engaging activities and an interactive learning map will encourage them to continue.
PROS
- Levels are determined by the age and grade level of the individual.
- Children can earn "tickets" that can be redeemed for virtual prizes through a rewards system.
- Curriculum in Art and Colors for the youngest of users
- Use of a computer or a tablet
CONS
- It is more effective as a curriculum companion.
- Children must be able to use a computer or a smartphone to navigate.
- Some children may not find it sufficiently challenging.
Purchasing a subscription to ABCmouse.com for your young child is the most cost-effective educational decision you can make for him or her. A subscription costs approximately $10 per month. Kids between the ages of 2 and 8 can follow the Step-By-Step Learning Path on ABCmouse.com, which can be accessed via tablet, smartphone, or computer.
In addition to a comprehensive reading system (ranging from letter recognition and phonics to reading full-length books), this award-winning curriculum also incorporates math, science, social studies, and even art into the learning process (including both drawing and painting).
Its extensive library of music, read-a-loud stories, puzzles, and educational games makes it a good choice for use as a supplement to an existing homeschool curriculum or as part of a comprehensive educational system.
ABCmouse.com is also gamified, which means that your children can interact with it in the same way they would with a video game, complete with a ticket system that rewards them for successfully completing levels.
Each time they improve their proficiency in a particular skill set, they will earn tickets that they can use to "purchase" virtual treats such as fish for the online classroom aquarium. Built-in incentives allow your children to progress at their own pace while also making the learning experience more enjoyable and engaging for everyone involved.
3) Time4Learning
Why We Selected It: For parents who want to completely homeschool their children online, Time4Learning is a fully-featured curriculum that eliminates all of the planning and guesswork involved in setting up your child's grade-level assignments.
PROS
- Complete homeschool curriculum available only online
- Grade levels that can be adjusted as well as self-pacing
- A wide range of approaches, including both online and offline activities, are available.
CONS
- If you close your account, you will no longer have access to your records.
- You must have continuous access to the internet.
- It is possible that your child will require additional instruction in certain subjects.
Time4Learning is a comprehensive online homeschool curriculum that is available through a subscription model. Priced at approximately $20 per month (plus approximately $15 per month for each additional child) for PreK-8 students and approximately $30.00 per month for high school students, it is a reasonable option for families. Even though your children are learning remotely, this is one of the best programs if you want to keep them in a more traditional educational setting while they are learning.
Your child's curriculum will include hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of animated lessons, activities, quizzes, worksheets, and full-length tests, all of which will be tailored to each student's grade level and the learning standards set forth by your state's education department. Time4Learning, in contrast to some of the other curriculum resources on this list, provides a combination of online and offline activities, printable worksheets, and other hands-on activities for students.
In addition, there are numerous lesson-planning tools and learning style guides that can be used to keep track of your children's progress, which makes Time4Learning stand out from the competition.
4) Connections Academy
Connections Academy is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering connections between people.
Why We Selected It: In addition to receiving positive feedback from parents, this tuition-free homeschool curriculum stresses socialization through a variety of online clubs and peer activities.
PROS
- Tuition-free public education through the internet
- Clubs and one-on-one counseling are available.
- The curriculum was created with online learning in mind.
CONS
- Only available in 29 states at this time.
- The majority of the time, attendance in live classes is required.
It's a great option for elementary, middle, and high school students who prefer to enroll in a full-fledged online school rather than teach them themselves.
Teachers who are certified in your state will instruct your children at this tuition-free online public school, which meets all of the requirements of your state's educational standards. Even textbooks and other instructional materials are provided at no cost to the students and faculty.
Connections Academy, which lives up to its name, may be one of the best online homeschool programs for your family if you're interested in building a connected community with other parents, students, and educators.
As Learning Coaches, the online school encourages you to be directly involved in your children's education as much as possible. Online live sessions with teachers and classmates, as well as extracurricular activities such as online clubs and activities, provide opportunities for children to form meaningful connections with their peers.
In addition, because Connections Academy provides many of the benefits of a traditional school, such as career counseling, one-on-one sessions with a guidance counselor, standardized test preparation, and college preparation advice, your children will not be missing out on many of the benefits of a traditional school.
5) Khan Academy
Our selection of Khan Academy was based on its extensive collection of free video lessons, quizzes, and tests that cover a wide range of subjects from Kindergarten through 12th grade (and beyond).
PROS
- Courses are available in either standard or Advanced Placement (AP) formats.
- Classes that are one-of-a-kind include storytelling, growth mindset, and coding.
- Parents can participate in learning alongside their children at their own pace.
CONS
- There is no community involvement or one-on-one attention.
- Some students are unable to learn through video instruction.
- The instruction is "flat," that is, it is not interactive.
Khan Academy, an award-winning nonprofit that provides free educational resources for students, parents, teachers, and homeschoolers, first gained international attention for its high-quality, completely free SAT prep materials, which were an attractive alternative to their much more expensive peers. Khan Academy has since grown to include a variety of other free educational resources. Khan Academy, on the other hand, has since grown to include curriculum pieces for children and teenagers of every age.
To get started, simply choose 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 improve—and send them off to earn "mastery points" as they progress through the program. Practice quizzes and unit tests are included with the video lessons, which make it simple to keep track of your children's progress.
This resource is noteworthy not only for the fact that it is completely free, but also for the sheer variety of content that is available. Khan Academy's materials cover a wide range of topics for adult learners and high school students that aren't covered by many other online learning programs, such as those offered by universities.
With subjects such as computer programming and animation, personal finance and entrepreneurship, art history, college admissions, and English as a second language included, the virtual academy has established itself as one of the best online homeschool programs available.
6) edX
edX is a website that offers college-level courses for teens that are hosted by top universities such as Harvard and MIT. Why We Selected It: There is a wide range of subjects to dive deep into at edX.
PROS
- Courses are offered by prestigious universities around the world.
- Many courses are offered for free or at a low cost.
- Some credits may be transferable to a four-year institution.
CONS
- Only suitable for teenagers and adults
- Students who want to learn about a variety of subjects at the same time should avoid this option.
- When it comes to at-home education, you might as well get it from Harvard, don't you think so?
To assist your teen with college preparation, consider enrolling them in one of the many classes available through edX, which partners with top-tier universities such as NYU, Harvard, and MIT (as well as international institutions such as Oxford and the Australian National University) to provide over 2,500 college-level courses. Some courses are self-paced and eligible for college transfer credit, whereas others are taught by qualified instructors, the majority of whom hold doctorates in their fields of specialization.
Individual courses in the arts and humanities, STEM fields, music, computer science, education, and other fields are available for you and your teen to choose from. The majority of courses, including those that are credit-eligible, are free, with completion certificates costing approximately $50 in most cases.
High school students who are particularly proactive and want to get a head start on their college careers while still at home can enroll in an edX MicroBachelors program in popular majors such as computer science for as little as $166 per credit. The Global Freshman Academy, offered in partnership with Arizona State University, provides common, foundational first-year courses such as English composition, pre-calculus, or college algebra and problem solving to students who want to start earning college credits right away.
7) CK-12 Foundation
CK-12 Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the cause of children with disabilities.
Why We Selected It: Although other subjects are available, CK-12 focuses its curriculum on STEM courses, which are enhanced through the use of games and other interactive activities.
PROS
- Interactive online textbooks make learning more interesting and enjoyable.
- Lessons that are comprehensive and in-depth
- All devices are capable of viewing the content.
CONS
- It is possible that you will need to add additional material.
- Some students may find it difficult to navigate the site on their own.
- Some students may find the presentation to be too advanced for them.
If you want your child to improve his or her math and science abilities, the CK-12 Foundation has a plethora of interactive learning tools that will help him or her do just that. This free resource provides one of the best online homeschool programs for STEM subjects available anywhere on the internet. As a result, it's one of the most technologically advanced resources available, making seamless use of technology while also employing cutting-edge approaches to learning.
Even though CK-12's creative curriculum covers a wide range of subjects such as writing, spelling, and social studies, it is in the math and science subjects (ranging from arithmetic and earth science to calculus and engineering) that the curriculum shines the brightest.
STEM concepts are taught through simulations and the PLIX series of interactive games that integrate graphics and games into lessons about STEM concepts. The FlexBooks from CK-12, on the other hand, are interactive online textbooks that allow students to learn while they play and play while they learn, distilling complex concepts into manageable chunks.
Check out your children's central Dashboard to keep track of their Adaptive Practice progress, which tracks the skills they need to improve on as well as those they have already mastered in order to tailor their upcoming lessons to their specific needs.
Finally, a decision has been reached.
K12.com is a hub of resources and opportunities where you can pick and choose how much—or how little—you learn online. For the majority of homeschooling options, K12.com is the place to go. A more focused program like Time4Learning may be more appropriate for you if the number of options available to you is overwhelming. Parents who are concerned about their children's socialization will appreciate Connections Academy's community-based approach, and teens who want to prepare for college can take advanced courses through edX.
Compare Providers
|
Online
Homeschool Program |
Price |
Grades |
Subjects |
|
K12.com |
Variable; tuition-free public
schools, fee-based private schools, and individual-cost courses all offered |
K-12 |
Standard |
|
ABCmouse.com |
$13 per month |
Preschool-2nd |
Reading, Math, Science, Art
& Colors |
|
Time4Learning |
$20 per month for K-8; $30 for
high school |
K-12 |
Language Arts, Science, Math,
Social Studies |
|
Connections Academy |
Free |
K-12 |
Standard |
|
Khan
Academy |
Free |
K-12 |
Standard, plus Test Prep,
Computing, Economics, and Life Skills |
|
edX |
Varies across subject tracks |
9-12 and above |
Standard, plus specialized
topics like Ethics, Food and Nutrition, and Philanthropy |
|
CK-12
Foundation |
Free |
K-12 |
Standard (though focus is on
STEM) |