Homeschool Curriculum in California: What You're Required to Teach and What to Buy

California has a reputation for being a complicated homeschool state. In one sense that is true — the legal structure is unusual (there is no dedicated homeschool statute; most families file a Private School Affidavit to operate as a private school). But on curriculum, California is actually one of the more permissive states in the country.

Private school affidavit (PSA) filers choose their own curriculum. No approval. No submission. No review. The state requires that certain subjects be taught, but says almost nothing about how, in what order, using which materials, or to what depth.

Here is what the law actually requires and how families navigate the curriculum decision in practice.

What California Law Requires PSA Filers to Teach

Under California Education Code §48222, private schools (which includes PSA homeschools) must offer instruction in:

• English (reading, writing, grammar, composition)
• Mathematics
• Social sciences (history, civics, geography)
• Science
• Fine arts (art, music, or drama)
• Health (including substance abuse prevention at the high school level)
• Physical education

At the high school level, there are additional requirements around California and U.S. history and government. But the law does not prescribe a sequence, a particular curriculum provider, a textbook series, or a method of instruction.

You are the principal of your private school. Within the subject list, you make every other decision.

The Main Curriculum Categories

California homeschool families use every type of curriculum available. The right fit depends heavily on your teaching style, your child's learning style, your schedule, and your budget. Here is how the major categories break down.

All-in-One Box Curriculum

These are complete, packaged programs that cover all subjects in an integrated way. You order a grade-level package and receive a teacher's guide, student workbooks, and sometimes manipulatives or readers.

Sonlight — literature-based, heavy on read-alouds and real books rather than textbooks. Strong for families who want rich humanities content. Can be secular or Christian-leaning depending on the catalog you choose.

My Father's World — integrates history, science, and Bible. Popular with faith-based families who want cohesive thematic instruction across subjects.

Oak Meadow — Waldorf-inspired, gentle approach, emphasizes creativity and hands-on projects. Works well for certain learning styles; not highly structured.

Timberdoodle — curates packages from multiple publishers into grade-level kits. Strong on STEM, puzzles, and critical thinking materials.

All-in-one programs reduce decision fatigue. The downside is that no single program is usually ideal in every subject — families often find one subject in the package underwhelming and supplement or swap it.

Subject-by-Subject Approach

Many California homeschool families assemble their own curriculum by choosing the best program for each subject independently. This takes more research upfront but allows you to match strength-of-fit per subject rather than accepting one publisher's approach across the board.

Common subject choices among California families:

Math:

• Saxon Math — traditional, incremental, heavily reviewed. Works well for students who benefit from repetition and linear skill building.
• Math-U-See — manipulative-based, conceptual approach. Strong for visual and kinesthetic learners, particularly in the elementary years.
• Singapore Math — bar model approach, strong number sense development. Rigorous, used by many high-achieving families.
• RightStart Math — game-based and manipulative-heavy for K–3, transitions to a more traditional format.
• Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) — for advanced or mathematically gifted students, particularly in middle and high school. Challenging by design.

Language Arts / Writing:

• All About Reading / All About Spelling — Orton-Gillingham based phonics and spelling. Widely recommended for struggling readers and as a solid foundation for all students.
• Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) — structured writing program focused on the structural model of writing. Popular with classical educators and families who want explicit writing instruction.
• Writing with Skill (Susan Wise Bauer) — part of the Well-Trained Mind Press catalog. Rigorous, grammar-and-rhetoric focused. Best for students who are already decent writers wanting to improve.
• Fix It! Grammar (IEW) — grammar integrated into reading and editing exercises. Lighter than a traditional grammar textbook.

History:

• Story of the World (Susan Wise Bauer) — four-volume narrative history from ancient to modern. The most widely used history curriculum in the homeschool community. Designed for a four-year cycle.
• Mystery of History — similar four-year approach with a Biblical integration. Popular with Christian classical families.
• Notgrass History — high school level, integrates primary sources and literature with American and world history.

Science:

• Apologia — the dominant faith-based science curriculum. Designed for middle and high school; rigorous within a young-earth framework. Very popular in California homeschool co-ops.
• Real Science Odyssey — secular, inquiry-based, appropriate for elementary through middle school.
• Noeo Science — literature-based science using real books rather than textbooks.
• DIVE Science — video-based high school science, aligned with Saxon Math pacing for integrated families.

Online and Virtual Programs

California has a large market for online curriculum providers, partly because of the charter ISP infrastructure and partly because the population density supports a lot of co-ops and hybrid schools.

Time4Learning — subscription-based, covers K–12, self-paced. Popular as a primary or supplemental program. Not accredited, but widely used as documentation for student work.

Connections Academy California / CAVA — these are charter school ISP programs, not independent curriculum purchases. Enrolling in them means enrolling in a public school, which changes your legal status from PSA filer to public school student.

Khan Academy — free, excellent for math and test prep. Many families use it as their primary math program or as supplemental review.

Acellus — video-based, covers core subjects, moderate price. Sometimes used by families who want structured, teacher-delivered content at home.

Classical Education

California has a strong classical homeschool community. Classical education follows a three-stage model (grammar, logic, rhetoric) aligned to child development stages and emphasizes Latin, great books, formal logic, and rhetoric.

The Well-Trained Mind (Susan Wise Bauer) — the most widely used classical homeschool guide. Also the basis for Story of the World and Writing with Skill curricula.

Classical Conversations — a co-op-based classical program with weekly classes taught by parent-educators. Very active in California, with communities in most metro areas. Emphasizes memory work, Socratic discussion, and community learning.

Memoria Press — comprehensive classical curriculum with Latin, logic, and literature-based courses. Popular for families doing classical education independently without a co-op.

How to Make the Curriculum Decision Without Overthinking It

The decision paralysis around curriculum is real. There are hundreds of options, and most of them are fine. A few practical frames:

Start with your child's learning style, not the curriculum's reputation. A program that works brilliantly for one student may not work for another. Auditory learners do better with video or read-aloud approaches. Visual learners often do better with visual math programs. Kinesthetic learners need hands-on materials. Start there.

Pick something and teach it. The most common homeschool curriculum mistake is switching programs mid-year because the grass looks greener. Most programs work if you actually work through them. Commit to a full year before evaluating.

Math is the most consequential single-subject choice. Reading and writing are built into almost everything; history and science have natural flexibility. But math skill builds sequentially, and gaps are hard to recover. Spend the most time choosing your math program and be consistent year-to-year.

You do not need to match California's public school standards exactly. PSA filers are not required to follow the state's academic content standards. You must teach the listed subjects — but you define the scope, sequence, and depth. Many California homeschool families teach above, below, or entirely differently from grade-level expectations.

Budget honestly. A complete curriculum for one child typically runs $400–$1,200 per year depending on the subjects and publishers you choose. All-in-one programs often cost more upfront but reduce the time spent researching and coordinating. Subject-by-subject approaches can be cheaper if you purchase used or digital editions.

Charter ISP Curriculum: Different Rules Apply

If you are enrolled in a California charter school ISP instead of filing a PSA, your curriculum choices work differently. The ISP assigns or approves curriculum, and your teacher of record must sign off on your education plan. Many ISPs have approved vendor lists for spending stipend funds.

Some ISPs are quite flexible — Sky Mountain Charter, for example, approves a wide range of vendors and allows significant latitude in curriculum choices. Others are more structured. Before enrolling in an ISP, ask specifically: which curriculum providers are approved for stipend spending, and what does the teacher approval process look like in practice?

Curriculum After Withdrawal

If you are in the process of withdrawing your child from a public school in California, curriculum is step two. Step one is the withdrawal itself — which involves submitting a proper withdrawal letter, filing the PSA at the right time, and navigating any pushback from the school administration.

Many families underestimate that step. California schools sometimes resist withdrawal attempts, question parents' legal rights, or create administrative friction that delays the process. The California Legal Withdrawal Blueprint at /us/california/withdrawal/ covers the withdrawal process start to finish: the exact letter language to use, timing of the PSA filing, how to respond to administrators who push back, and what your rights are under California law.

Once the withdrawal is handled correctly, you have complete legal standing to make every curriculum decision discussed here entirely on your own terms.

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