PACE Homeschool Curriculum: What Canadian Families Should Know

You've seen PACE or PACES mentioned in homeschool groups and you're not sure what it is or whether it would work for a Canadian family. Here's a clear rundown — what the program actually is, how the learning model works, and the honest Canadian-specific considerations you need before buying.

What PACE Stands For

PACE stands for "Packet of Accelerated Christian Education." PACES is simply the plural. It's the core product of Accelerated Christian Education (ACE), a curriculum publisher founded in the United States in 1970.

The program consists of small, self-contained workbooks — called PACEs — that cover individual subjects and units sequentially. A student works through each PACE at their own pace (hence the name), completing activities and self-checking their answers before moving to the next packet.

A typical PACE is 30–40 pages and covers a single unit in one subject area. Students work through 12 PACEs per subject per year.

How the Learning Model Works

PACE's defining characteristic is its self-directed, mastery-based structure:

1. Student sets daily goals — each morning, the student records what they plan to accomplish in each subject
2. Independent seat work — students complete the PACE workbooks independently at their "office" (a study carrel or divided desk)
3. Self-checking — answer keys (called "score keys") allow students to check their own work
4. Testing before advancement — students must score 80% or higher on a PACE test before moving to the next unit
5. Teacher (or parent) oversight — the supervising adult monitors progress, checks that students are on target with goals, and helps with difficult material

The model was designed for small Christian schools with a single teacher managing multiple grade levels simultaneously — which is why it translates reasonably well to homeschool, where a parent is managing one or a few children across multiple subjects.

What Subjects Are Covered

PACE covers all core subjects: - Math (K–12) - Language Arts / English (K–12) - Social Studies / History (K–12) - Science (K–12) - Word Building (vocabulary/spelling) - Literature

Elective PACEs cover additional topics including Bible (which is central to the program), health, typing, and more.

The Canadian Considerations

Before buying PACE as a Canadian homeschooler, you need to be clear on four things:

1. It Is Explicitly Christian and Biblically Integrated

Every subject in PACE integrates a Christian worldview and biblical references. This is not subtle. Math problems reference scripture. Social studies content reflects a conservative Christian historical perspective. Science content reflects a young-earth creationist viewpoint.

If your family is secular, or not conservative evangelical in worldview, PACE is not a fit. This isn't a criticism — it's the program's stated purpose. But it should be the first filter you apply.

2. US-Centric History and Social Studies

Social studies PACEs are heavily American in content — US history, US government, US geography. For Canadian families, this means:

• Canadian history is not covered
• Canadian government and civics are not covered
• Canadian geography is minimal or absent

Families who use PACE in Canada typically either skip the social studies PACEs and substitute Canadian-specific resources, or accept that social studies will require significant supplementation.

3. Measurement and Math Conventions

PACE math uses Imperial measurement units in the US editions. Canadian families report needing to supplement with metric conversion practice or choose the Canadian edition where available (not all grade levels have a Canadian version). Verify before purchasing which edition you're getting.

4. Provincial Alignment

PACE's mastery-based approach doesn't align with provincial curriculum outcomes by design — it follows its own sequential scope and sequence. For provinces requiring an education plan that references provincial outcomes (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec), demonstrating how PACE covers provincial requirements takes extra effort. Alberta school authorities may not approve PACE for funding reimbursement given its religious worldview.

Cost and Availability in Canada

PACE is available from ACE directly (US-based; expect shipping and potential duties) and through Canadian distributors. The Christian Educators Association and some Canadian homeschool suppliers carry PACE materials.

Individual PACEs are inexpensive — typically $2–$4 USD each. However, a full year's curriculum across five core subjects (12 PACEs each) adds up to 60 PACEs, putting the annual material cost at $120–$240 USD plus shipping before score keys and parent guides.

Some Canadian families purchase PACE second-hand through homeschool resale groups, though PACEs are consumable workbooks (written in) so usability varies.

Who PACE Works Well For

• Christian families who want a structured, self-directed program with explicit faith integration
• Students who learn well independently and thrive with mastery checkpoints
• Families managing multiple children across multiple grades simultaneously
• Situations where a parent has limited time to teach directly each day

Who Should Look Elsewhere

• Secular families or families with non-evangelical worldviews
• Families who need provincial curriculum alignment for reporting or funding purposes
• Parents who want metric measurement instruction without supplementation
• Families prioritizing Canadian history and civics

Comparing PACE Against Other Structured Canadian Options

PACE occupies a specific niche: low-cost, self-directed, Christian, mastery-based. Canadian alternatives in different niches include Schoolio (secular, Canadian-made, flexible), Sonlight (Christian, literature-based, requires supplementation for Canadian content), and Math-U-See (mastery-based math only, metric-adaptable).

Choosing between these requires knowing what your child's learning style is, what your province requires, and what your worldview preferences are — before spending money on any of them.

The Canada Curriculum Matching Matrix includes PACE alongside 30+ other curricula with ratings for Canadian content, metric alignment, secular/faith worldview, funding eligibility by province, and realistic landed cost in CAD. If you're comparing PACE against other options, it's a useful reference to avoid buying and returning.

See more Canada homeschool guides →