In the pursuit of quality Christian parenting, you do a number of things to foster appropriate child development. One of the most important things that you can do as a parent is to ensure that your child has a quality education. 

For many parents, homeschooling presents itself as the best choice for giving your child the freedom and attention they need to grow at their own pace. While homeschooling offers a great deal of creativity and autonomy over what is taught in traditional classrooms, outside curriculum may be a helpful resource for Christian families who choose to homeschool. 

Particularly as your children age and teaching materials becomes more specified, it may be helpful to use an online curriculum for homeschool resources. 

That being said, not all online curricula are created equal. How can you decide which will be the best for your child? Here are some of the top options in the marketplace for online Christian homeschool curriculum.  

1. Abeka 

Abeka homeschool curriculum has been a fixture in the world of homeschooling for many years. While their workbooks and other educational activities have been aiding homeschool parents for decades, many of their resources have shifted to an online platform, which makes implementing the activities simpler than ever. 

Pros: 

Abeka’s Christian homeschooling resources have a number of benefits. With the Abeka Academy, your students of all age levels can learn from a team of virtual teachers who engage students through their teaching. 

By using the Abeka Academy, you are no longer the only teacher in the room and their team of professionals can support your Christian homeschooling efforts. 

Abeka also has many (mobile friendly!) resources for online texts, digital teaching aids, and online assessments. These can be vital for navigating standardized testing depending on the homeschool requirements for your state. 

Cons: 

Depending on your comfort level with technology, Abeka Academy may be a bit more involved than some parents are prepared to deal with. Online calendars, downloadables, and digital platforms can be overwhelming for parents who don’t consider themselves tech-savvy. 

Furthermore, no curriculum comes for free. The ease associated with using Abeka can ring in at around $800 per package, which adds up quickly if you have multiple children. 

2. Alpha Omega Academy

One of Alpha Omega Academy’s most notable features is its unmatched flexibility. With multiple start dates every month for their online Christian school, your children won’t have to feel like they’re far behind in their coursework if your family calendar doesn’t perfectly align with a traditional school calendar.  

Pros:

A major worry of parents who homeschool is how their child’s college prospects may be affected. A major benefit of using AO Academy is its accreditation. 

According to their website, they are “accredited internationally by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and regionally by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), an accrediting division of AdvancED, the world’s most trusted and recognized accrediting organization, representing over 36,000 schools.” Transitions from homeschool to college can be incredibly smooth by choosing AO Academy. 

Cons:

Considering the global scale of Alpha Omega Academy, it makes sense that the cost would be higher than some other homeschool resources. Ranging from about $1500- $2400, the tuition costs for AO Academy may be a deterrent for some.  

3. NFC Academy

One of NFC Academy’s claims to fame is its approval by the NCAA. If you have a student who dedicates a great deal of their time playing for a local team sport, you may be delighted to know that there is a faith-based option for your online homeschooling curriculum. 

Pros:

NFC has worked alongside the NCAA to ensure that their courses meet the necessary requirements to encourage academic growth while allowing students to devote time to their athletic endeavors as well. That being said, NFC Academy is not just for students who homeschool to fit their athletic schedules. NFC Academy has a variety of programs ranging from kindergarten to twelfth grade, powered by a biblical worldview. 

Cons: 

NFC Academy offers a variety of programs that may be helpful or cumbersome, depending on your perspective. For instance, in their K-5th grade programs they offer print curriculum, and K-2nd grade only has a print offer, not an online option. 

While you may enjoy the variety of some print work for your younger kids, a parent who wants to shift into all online curriculum may struggle to serve their younger students. 

Understanding the learning management system and technical requirements used by NFC could also be difficult for some parents who struggle with technology. Even so, NFC does offer resources and webinars to aid your understanding of their programs. 

As the world shifts further and further into the digital era, we’ve learned more ways than ever to increase the efficiency of our everyday practices. As a homeschool parent with a lot on your plate, an online curriculum could be just what you need to free up your schedule for more family time. For your kids, access to more resources could be the key to helping them grow academically in ways they couldn’t on their own. 

Each online homeschool curriculum has its flaws and merits. The most important thing is that you choose the curriculum best suited to your child’s needs and that sets them on a trajectory for success. 

For more resources on Christian homeschooling, Christian parenting, and tools for Christian families, check out our online catalogue of engaging media and fun family activities!