NH Homeschool Curriculum: Best Options for New Hampshire Families

New Hampshire gives home-educating families more curriculum freedom than almost any other state. There's no required textbook list, no Common Core alignment mandate, and no district approval process for your curriculum choices. What you teach, how you teach it, and with what materials is almost entirely up to you.

This post covers what the state actually requires, the approaches that work well for NH families, and some specific programs worth knowing about — including VLACS, which is unique to NH residents.

What New Hampshire Law Requires

Before getting into curriculum options, it helps to understand exactly what you're required to cover. Under RSA 193-A, NH home educators must address these subjects over the course of a child's education:

• Mathematics
• Science
• Language (reading, writing, spelling, and grammar)
• Government
• History
• Health
• The United States Constitution
• The New Hampshire Constitution
• Art appreciation
• Music appreciation

Two things about this list are worth noting. First, these subjects are required over the course of the child's education — not necessarily every year. A family focused on a history-heavy year isn't required to have produced formal math work every week as long as math is addressed across the span of the child's education. Second, there is no mandated curriculum or materials. A poem by Frost counts as literature. Building a raised garden bed covers science and math. The state is not looking over your shoulder with a scope and sequence.

Annual assessment is required, but it evaluates progress generally rather than measuring against specific curricular standards. Options include standardized testing, portfolio review by a certified teacher, structured interview, or another method approved by the local school board.

Before Curriculum: Getting the Paperwork Done

Curriculum decisions come after the legal foundation is in place. If your child is currently enrolled in school, you need to complete the withdrawal and notification process before your first day of home education.

NH requires written notification to your district superintendent. Getting that letter right — correct format, correct recipient, correct information — is the step that determines whether your transition goes smoothly or generates unnecessary friction with the district. The New Hampshire Legal Withdrawal Blueprint provides editable letter templates and a full walkthrough of the process, including what to do if the district pushes back.

NH's Most Popular Curriculum Approaches

Classical Education

Classical homeschooling is well-represented in New Hampshire, particularly through Classical Conversations communities that meet in various regions of the state. The classical approach emphasizes the trivium — grammar, logic, rhetoric — and uses primary sources, Socratic discussion, and a Great Books orientation.

The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer is the foundational text for secular classical homeschoolers. It provides a four-year rotating history cycle covering ancient, medieval, early modern, and modern history, with integrated literature and writing.

The Classic Learning Test (CLT) is increasingly popular among classical homeschoolers as an alternative to the SAT/ACT for college admissions. Several colleges and universities accept CLT scores, and it aligns naturally with a classical curriculum's emphasis on close reading and logical reasoning.

Charlotte Mason

Charlotte Mason's method emphasizes living books (well-written narrative texts rather than dry textbooks), nature study, narration (having the child retell what they've learned), and short focused lessons. Ambleside Online is the most widely used free Charlotte Mason curriculum framework. Blossom & Root is a popular secular Charlotte Mason-inspired curriculum that works well for nature-focused families in NH's outdoor-rich environment.

Charlotte Mason is a strong fit for NH families who want to use the state's natural environment as a classroom — nature journaling, outdoor observation, and place-based learning are built into the method.

Secular Options

For families who want rigorous academics without a religious framework:

BookShark is an all-in-one secular curriculum using real books rather than textbooks. It covers history, science, language arts, and read-alouds in a structured package. It's popular with families who want clear structure without a faith-based orientation.

Blossom & Root (mentioned above) offers secular Charlotte Mason-inspired packages by grade level that are well-suited to younger children.

Singapore Math (now also sold under the name Math in Focus in some editions) is widely used as a math standalone across all curriculum styles. It's rigorous, uses a mastery approach, and is what most NH homeschoolers mean when they say "Singapore" as a shorthand for their math program.

Elemental Science is a popular secular science choice, particularly for elementary ages. It follows a four-year cycle (life science, earth science, classical science, and biology) and is well-organized for parent-led instruction.

Online and Hybrid Programs

VLACS (Virtual Learning Academy Charter School) deserves its own treatment because it's unique to New Hampshire. VLACS is a state-chartered online school that NH residents can access for free, taking individual courses rather than enrolling full-time. Homeschool families use VLACS to supplement their home education with courses in subjects they want expert instruction for — foreign languages, AP courses, upper-level math, or electives.

VLACS courses are taught by certified NH teachers, count as real coursework, and can appear on a high school transcript. For families approaching high school with a homeschooled student, VLACS is one of the most valuable and underutilized resources in the state. Full details in the dedicated post on VLACS homeschool New Hampshire.

Religious Curricula

For families wanting a faith-based approach, several options are widely used in NH:

Abeka Academy is a fully accredited video-based curriculum with a traditional, structured format and an evangelical Christian orientation. It includes video instruction, making it suitable for families who want a teacher-led approach without requiring the parent to be the instructor for every subject.

My Father's World integrates biblical worldview with classical and Charlotte Mason elements. It's unit-study-based with a missions-focused history spine.

Sonlight combines a literature-rich approach with a Christian perspective, built around the same read-aloud and living books methodology as secular Charlotte Mason curricula.

Choosing What Works for Your Family

The honest answer is that curriculum choice matters less than consistency. A child who works through a coherent, engaging curriculum — whatever it is — for five years will be well-educated. A child who cycles through expensive boxed sets without sticking to any of them won't be, regardless of how well-reviewed the materials are.

A few practical considerations for NH families:

For younger children (K-5): Almost any structured curriculum works. The main thing is building foundational skills in reading and math. Charlotte Mason, classical, and structured secular programs all accomplish this. Don't over-invest in a complete package before you know what works for your child.

For middle school (6-8): Subject specialization starts to matter more. A dedicated math program (Singapore, Art of Problem Solving for advanced students, Teaching Textbooks for families wanting self-directed instruction) and a writing program become important to have locked in.

For high school (9-12): Transcript-worthy coursework becomes a real consideration if college is in the picture. VLACS for individual courses, dual enrollment at a community college, or a structured high school program (Abeka, Sonlight, Well-Trained Mind's high school guides) all provide what admissions offices need to see.

NH's legal framework gives you the freedom to change approaches mid-stream, mix and match by subject, or design something entirely custom. Most homeschool families end up with a hybrid — a purchased curriculum for math, self-designed units for history, library books and co-op classes for science. That's normal and legal.

The starting point, as always, is getting the paperwork done first. The New Hampshire Legal Withdrawal Blueprint walks you through the notification and withdrawal process so you can start your first day of home education on solid legal footing.

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