7 Best Classical Homeschool Curriculum: Classical Education

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Hello, classical homeschoolers! If you’re embarking on the homeschooling journey using the classical method, you’re in the right place. In this article, I’ll introduce you to some fantastic curriculum options that emphasize critical thinking, logic, and strong language skills. I’ll even dive into my top pick—a conservative curriculum renowned for its rigorous approach to literature, theology, Latin, and analytical thinking. With so many classical homeschooling programs available, you might be wondering which one to choose.

Don’t worry—I’m here to help make your decision easier.

Thanks for using our affiliate links. This helps support my small homeschool family.

Here’s a quick summary of some of the curricula we’re going to cover in this article:

Veritas Press – online LIVE or self-paced classes – book a free consultation with them here.
Memoria Press – mailable program
Compass Classroom – affordable video-based classical program
Classical Conversations – homeschool co-op focus
Classical Academic Press – customize your curriculum with this one
and more…

Now, let’s take a closer look at each classical curriculum!

Veritas Press

Veritas Press offers a rigorous classical Christian education with two main paths: Veritas Scholars Academy (VSA), an accredited online school, and a homeschool curriculum that parents can teach themselves.

The homeschool option includes three curriculum tiers—Good, Better, and Best—each providing physical workbooks, teacher guides, and online resources.

For families looking for live, interactive classes, Veritas offers live online courses that must be purchased separately from the curriculum kits.

These classes feature real teachers, real classmates, and teacher-graded assignments, making them a premium but valuable option.

Pricing varies depending on the level of materials and whether you choose live online classes.

A full-year homeschool curriculum kit ranges from $750 to $1,500, while live courses cost around $700 per subject.

The Veritas Scholars Academy (VSA) is a fully accredited option, ideal for families who want structured education with college-prep benefits and diploma options.

The good news?

Many U.S. states offer Education Savings Account (ESA) programs, which can cover the cost of Veritas courses—including live lessons—if your state participates.

To find the best fit for your child and avoid overspending on unnecessary materials, Veritas offers a free consultation where their team helps tailor your curriculum choices.

Most families who book a consultation end up saving money by purchasing only what they need.

If you’re interested in seeing if your state’s ESA program will cover Veritas, or if you just need help selecting courses, book a free consultation!

Memoria Press

Memoria Press is a standout classical homeschooling curriculum that provides physical textbooks and workbooks delivered right to your door—perfect for families who prefer keeping things offline.

This conservative program is highly regarded for its thorough, time-tested materials and is especially appealing to homeschoolers in America as well as Australia (where the Australian Reformers Bookshop offers their curriculum organized by grade level).

In addition to covering a broad range of subjects, Memoria Press offers a wealth of preschool and kindergarten resources so you can start your child’s education early.

Their Latin program even earned the Homeschool Review Crew’s award for Best Foreign Language Curriculum in 2017—a true testament to its quality.

Rooted in a Christian perspective with contributions from educators like Southern Baptist Seminary graduates, this curriculum also extends into an online option through Memoria Academy, providing a versatile classical Christian education.

Pricing for their homeschool curriculum is competitive, with 3rd-grade kits ranging from about $750 to $1,000 and 9th-grade options between $980 and $1,400.

Plus, they offer consumable sets at roughly a quarter or a third of the cost, which is ideal if you’re homeschooling multiple children and want to avoid repurchasing textbooks (see the difference between the entire set and the consumable set here.

Compass Classroom

Compass Classroom is a new online classical program written from a Christian worldview and designed primarily for middle and high school classical homeschoolers.

It offers countless engaging video lessons on nearly every subject, and you can purchase courses individually for lifetime access or subscribe to the entire platform.

With a subscription, you gain access to everything they offer—except mathematics.

A subscription provides lessons in Latin, Art & Music, Economics, Filmmaking, History, Languages and Vocabulary, Literature and Poetry, Philosophy, Science & Creation, and Writing & Grammar, among other subjects.

Compass Classroom blends the classical method with some Charlotte Mason elements, offering a well-rounded, engaging curriculum created by homeschool parents for homeschool families.

In addition, it provides support services with advice from trained educators and consultants to help parents along the way.

One of the best parts is that you can try Compass Classroom risk-free with a 2-week FREE trial.

It’s also one of the most affordable homeschool curriculum options available today.

A Bronze subscription starts at $39/month or $390/year, giving you full access to all courses, while the Silver ($69/month) and Gold ($99/month) plans include extra perks like live lessons and record-keeping tools.

Check out Compass Classroom using the link above!

Classical Academic Press

Classical Academic Press (CAP) is dedicated to teaching a rigorous form of classical education by blending online videos with colorful, hands-on workbooks and textbooks.

Their mission is to revive the liberal arts tradition in both schools and homeschools, creating an enriching educational experience that stands out from the rest.

CAP offers a wide range of subjects—including Latin, Greek, Writing and Rhetoric, Poetry, and Literature Guides—and they’re particularly well known for their Latin for Children curriculum, which I’ve used myself and absolutely love.

In fact, many homeschoolers, including those using Veritas, benefit from CAP materials integrated into their curriculum, highlighting the strong reputation and reliability of CAP’s approach.

The curriculum is organized into three key sections:

Lower Grammar (Pre K–Grade 3),
Upper Grammar (Grades 4–6), and
Logic and Rhetoric (Grades 7–12).

You can choose to purchase full grade kits or select individual subjects—for example, Latin for Children A is about $160, while a grade kit for 3rd/4th or 5th grade typically costs between $350 and $450 (though these kits may not cover every subject, such as math and science).

Classical Conversations

Classical Conversations garners strong responses—some people love it, others hate it.

Classical Conversations is a classical curriculum designed for homeschooling families, typically implemented in a co-op format.

(But it’s not a co-op. It’s a private business.)

Families meet for a few hours each week, giving children the opportunity to socialize, engage in discussions, and participate in debates with their peers—all of which are key for developing strong critical thinking skills.

The program spans grades K-12 and is divided into three distinct stages.

In the Primary (Grammar) stage, children aged 4-8 start with the Foundations course; in the Middle (Logic) stage, students aged 9-12 work through the Essentials course; and in High School (Rhetoric), students aged 12+ tackle the Challenge course.

Depending on the age group and subjects studied, costs can range anywhere from $450 to $2,500.

While Classical Conversations can function as a mailable curriculum, it’s primarily designed for co-op settings where group interaction is essential.

Additionally, this curriculum is available internationally, with communities in Asia, Australia, Canada, Chile, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

True North Homeschool Academy

True North Homeschool Academy provides an exceptional (if not expensive) classical PLUS Charlotte Mason program that also incorporates a dash of unit studies to keep students engaged.

The program is committed to maintaining small class sizes with LIVE lessons over Zoom, offering immediate teacher assistance and real-time socialization with peers.

It delivers a highly personalized learning experience that caters to individual needs, and consistently earns outstanding reviews from families (I’ve only ever seen positive feedback on this one).

Students can interact with teachers and classmates, making the learning experience as enriching as working with a private tutor. (Although for extra one-on-one help, additional tutoring options are available.)

The Academy places a strong emphasis on real-world applications, focusing on truth and the development of independent, critical thinking skills.

Its curriculum includes both formal and informal logic courses, providing depth and rigor to the educational experience.

In addition, the academy offers self-paced courses, allowing students to progress at their own rate.

Rooted in a Judeo-Christian worldview, True North Homeschool Academy weaves foundational values into every facet of learning, ensuring that students are well-prepared for high school and college.

This is a truly premium curriculum, and its price reflects the quality of instruction and the intimate class sizes.

Costs are structured on a per-class basis, ranging from $600 to $6,000 (with a mega bundle option available), making it a good choice for families whose children may be struggling with a subject.

A Tapestry of Grace

Tapestry of Grace is an eclectic Christian curriculum that artfully blends classical, Charlotte Mason, and unit studies approaches.

Serving kindergarten through twelfth grade, it covers a wide range of subjects including history, writing, literature, fine arts, geography, church history, missions, and the Bible.

The cost of this curriculum varies dramatically—you can purchase the full set directly from Tapestry with all the bells and whistles for over $1,600, or you can dramatically reduce your expenses to as little as $200–$300 by opting for library books or second-hand copies.

Organized chronologically and following the classical Trivium stages of learning, Tapestry of Grace enables all children to study the same subjects simultaneously while progressing at their own level.

The program features four-year plans that gradually increase in difficulty, with instruction and activities divided into four distinct levels of learning.

Additionally, students benefit from a range of recommended readings and multi-sensory learning options designed to address different learning styles and interests.

Available in both digital and print editions, Tapestry of Grace offers flexible options to suit different students’ needs.

A Well-Trained Mind Classical Curriculum

A Well Trained Mind is a homeschool curriculum that offers a classical education with a Christian influence, but it takes a more secular approach.

It’s designed to help students develop a well-rounded education based on classical values and principles.

The program has options for every age group—whether you’re in elementary, middle school, high school, or preparing for college.

Even though it’s more secular, the curriculum still includes Bible study and faith-based topics in the core classes.

There are also electives like world religions and apologetics.

On top of that, it covers all the traditional academic subjects such as math, science, and language arts to ensure students build a strong foundation.

To make learning even richer, A Well Trained Mind also provides extra support materials like reading lists, research projects, and writing assignments.

These resources are designed to enhance the overall learning experience and help students succeed in their studies.

Gentle and Classical Press – Preschool

Gentle and Classical Press is a homeschool curriculum that blends the gentle, play-based approach of Charlotte Mason with the structure of classical education.

Unlike many classical programs, it offers a dedicated curriculum for preschoolers aged 2-4, making it a great choice for families with young children.

In addition to its preschool program, Gentle and Classical Press also creates curricula for children up to 12 years old.

The preschool program, in particular, encourages children to learn through play, helping them build essential skills while nurturing a love of learning.

Classical Liberal Arts Academy

The Classical Liberal Arts Academy offers maybe the best classical Catholic homeschool curriculum.

It is based on the seven liberal arts:

Grammar,
Reasoning,
Rhetoric,
Arithmetic,
Geometry,
Music, and
Astronomy.

The curriculum follows the ancient tradition of education, focusing on cultivating wisdom and virtuous living.

The Classical Trivium encompasses language, reasoning, and communication skills, teaching proper reading, writing, and speaking.

The Classical Quadrivium emphasizes mathematics and natural sciences, covering numbers, magnitudes, ratios, and celestial bodies.

Additionally, the curriculum includes the study of classical philosophy and exploration of rational, moral, and natural philosophy.

While Catholic theology is not strictly part of the curriculum, it is encouraged to complement the pursuit of wisdom.

Secular Classical Homeschool Curriculum

A Well Trained Mind Academy is one of the only secular classical homeschool programs I know of.

The best classical learning curriculum for secular homeschoolers would otherwise be:

Memoria Press or
Classical Academic Press.

These are not secular, but they’re probably less overt on the religious front than other non-secular classical homeschool curriculum programs.

Other Classical Homeschool Curriculums – Eclectic and Free

Free Classical Education Curriculum

Love classical education but don’t want to pay the expensive fees?

You can get a classical education curriculum for free at this link. This is what the makers of this program said about it:

The following is a high-brow, high-IQ curriculum, which has been adopted by homeschoolers and schools. The creators of this free online curriculum have sought to address the lack of any sound online classical curriculum. Based upon the 19th-century German-Latin method and following the great-books model, this curriculum often attempts to be highbrow, emphasizing the best of occidental traditions while avoiding the anti-Western political correctness one finds in public schools. The following materials list can be used as a stand-alone curriculum or as a supplement to another curriculum. Many parents have said that this book list served as an outstanding supplement to other curricula. Our outline for classical languages, literature, and history is one of the best on the internet…The following curriculum can serve as a [secular] curriculum or a Christian [program]. While the following curriculum is non-religious per se and devoid of an explicit fundamentalist Christian worldview, it includes an implicit Christian perspective in that much of post-classical literature consists of a Christian worldview (e.g., Dante, Shakespeare, etc.)…

But, this ‘classical curriculum’ seems more like a book list than a full classical homeschool curriculum.

It also has links to CDs, video games, and flashcards.

Because you have to buy all these resources, the cost would seem just as high as if you were buying one of the other classical curricula above.

If you could gather all these resources online or in libraries for free, your costs would be lessened.

However, you would probably have difficulty getting some recommended texts.

An Eclectic Curriculum – My Father’s World

If you don’t want a full-blown classical curriculum but want some of what a classical education offers, plus a conservative Christian homeschool curriculum, you might consider something like My Father’s World.

This program combines different homeschooling methods with a classical education.

Specifically, it combines classical schooling with the Charlotte Mason elements, Unit Study, and Bible (see picture below from MFW website).

Combining Classical and Charlotte Mason

Some people consider Classical homeschooling methods a little too rigorous and seek to soften them somewhat with the Charlotte Mason method.

Charlotte Mason was a classical educator who developed her education theory around the 1800-1900s.

Her method used a lot of classical education theory but somewhat softened it to reduce the memorization components and rote learning.

Instead, Mason said we should use more exciting books to teach children (called living books) and get children out into nature more.

She also said we should use more gentle ways of testing students, called narration.

If you buy the My Father’s World curriculum, you’ll get different elements from both these theories.

If you’re interested in knowing more about Charlotte Mason curriculum options, you can check some out here.

A Program that can Supplement Your Custom Classical Education

When parents homeschool, they often don’t want to commit to a boxed curriculum.

However, they may like a little bit of help or access to custom classes.

This is where the Well-Trained Mind Academy comes in.

They offer certain classical education classes online for students.

most of the lessons at the Well-Trained Mind Academy are online.

Students can interact with the teacher in real time.

They can also write things on the virtual blackboard and talk to other students.

Because lessons are done in real-time in America, if you were a homeschooler in Australia or other countries that didn’t share similar time zones, you might struggle to tune in to live lessons.

However, the Academy offers delayed lectures.

Students can also talk to the instructors by email or virtual classrooms.

The Well-Trained Mind Academy is also fairly popular, with the term ‘well-trained mind academy reviews’ being googled about 40 times a month.

This curriculum sprung up as a result of the book’s success (below), which is an excellent guide if you’re seeking to understand Classical education from a homeschooling parent’s perspective.

FAQs

Here are some common FAQs people ask about Classical curriculum.

What is a Classical Curriculum?

A classical curriculum uses the grammar, logic, and rhetoric stages of classical education in primary and secondary education. Tertiary studies expand to include the other 7 liberal arts.

What is the Best Classical Curriculum?

For a top classical curriculum, consider Veritas Press, Memorial Press, and Classical Academic Press, each renowned for their rigorous and well-structured programs. The best choice depends on your specific educational goals and preferences.

What is the Best Online Classical Curriculum?

Veritas Press is a strong option for the best online classical curriculum, known for offering an accredited program.

What is a Classical Homeschooling Curriculum?

There are many different types of homeschooling curriculum programs available today.

A classical homeschool curriculum is a program you can use to teach your children classical education at home.

A program like this will teach students in three stages:

The grammar stage – where children acquire the tools they need to learn the intricacies in the Classics later on. Children aged around 5-9 do the grammar stage. They do plenty of memorization of basic facts they will benefit from recalling later.
The logic or dialectic stage is where children sort through facts they learned and analyze them logically. Then, they start to form arguments with these facts. Children aged around 9 to 12 do the logic stage. Students do plenty of reading and ‘compare & contrast’ exercises. They also talk with other classical students to solidify arguments.
The rhetoric stage is where teenagers synthesize the facts they learned and analyzed in the previous two stages and learn how to apply them to their lives. Students debate and learn how to deliver a speech convincingly and persuasively.

So what are the benefits of using this method?

Classical Curriculum Homeschool: Why You Should Use One

Some benefits of a classical education curriculum are that students:

will know their facts well and relate them to principles in their lives
can express themselves eloquently with sound arguments
can write with structure and understanding
find learning the intricacies of English easier with Latin as a background language
will be able to learn new languages with more ease as they will have learned Latin
are encouraged to think independently and critically and
acquire principles for life (instead of just acquiring facts and skills).

Classical curriculum programs are once again being implemented in many schools, especially in many homeschools.

This educational method is now widespread among Christian educators in America.

What About Other Curriculum Options?

There are so many curriculum packages on offer today. But, if you’re not quite decided on the classical method, you can look at some different options below, including:

Or you can just check out the entire list of all homeschool programs available today here!

I hope that’s helpful 🙂

Want to Learn How to Homeschool?

There are two great ways to learn more about homeschooling: one is free, and the other is a $67 fundamentals course.

The $67 Course

Looking to take your homeschooling to the next level? Join Rebecca Devitt’s online Homeschool Parenting Program and learn the strategies and techniques needed to make homeschooling a success!

Learn more about the HPP here.

The Free YouTube channel

Also, make sure you join the How to Homeschool Youtube channel, which will give you a fun and exciting look into the homeschool world and help homeschool your children. Check out the channel here, and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE.

If you’re not sure where to start, start with the following playlists:

Starting homeschool playlist
Homeschool Methods playlist
Homeschool Curriculum playlist
FAQs on Homeschooling playlist

You’ll love it and find it helpful and entertaining! Discover the channel here.

Conclusion

Some of the best classical homeschooling curriculum programs today include Classical Conversations, Veritas Press, Memoria Press, and Classical Academic Press. Classical Conversations is a program usually done in a co-op near you. Veritas Press is a curriculum you can do online and by material mailed to you. Memoria Press dispatches your chosen classical homeschool curriculum to your door (you can mix and match subjects yourself). Classical Academic Press also allows you to customize your curriculum. There is also the option of doing classical Unit Studies with The Well-Trained Mind Academy or getting a free classical homeschool curriculum (although purchasing the books is not free). These curricula are slightly different, so you can look through them closely to see which works best for your family. But I love that all the programs are fairly conservative homeschool curriculum options for battling in an unconservative world!