Teaching Textbooks

Overview

Teaching Textbooks is a digital math curriculum covering Math 3 through Pre-Calculus. It suits homeschool families who want lessons and grading in a course students can work through independently, with parents able to monitor progress. Its strongest appeal is the combination of instruction, automatic grading and parent oversight; the separate enrollment for every student and grade makes it a less natural fit for families seeking shared or continuing access.

Key features

Interactive lectures introduce course material, and step-by-step video solutions explain how to work problems. Assessments are included, but lesson plans are not, so families get a structured instructional course rather than a complete planning package. Automatic grading records student work in a printable gradebook, reducing routine marking while giving parents a record to review.

The Parent Portal lets parents check gradebooks, change student settings and pause enrollments. Parents can also view or print answer keys and searchable eBooks included with each app. Those tools make it easier to supervise a student’s progress, though the parent portal does not change the one-student, one-grade enrollment rule.

Students can work offline for up to six lessons before reconnecting to the servers. That offers some flexibility during brief internet interruptions, but students who need extended offline access will have to plan around the reconnection limit. The company also says customers can schedule free one-on-one phone tutoring with a math tutor.

The free trial includes the full program through lesson 15, has no completion time limit, and carries completed grades into a purchased course. That gives families room to evaluate a course without a deadline and preserves progress if they buy. Student personal information is handled under FERPA and similar privacy laws, with information for children under 13 handled under COPPA; the privacy policy says passwords and personal information in transmission are encrypted and personal information is stored on a secure server.

Pricing

Teaching Textbooks is paid, with no free plan. Each digital enrollment covers one student and one grade for 12 months, with 90 days’ pause time. A student moving to the next grade needs a new enrollment, so the per-course price is only part of the budget for families planning several grades or enrolling siblings.

The lower-priced courses cover Math 3–5; later courses cost more, with Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus at the highest listed price. These are enrollments for an individual course rather than a multi-grade or sibling package. Schools can purchase enrollments, but each student needs a full-price enrollment; the company does not offer bulk pricing or site licensing.

Platforms

Teaching Textbooks supports Android, iOS, macOS, web and Windows. Course apps are provided for Windows, Mac and iOS, Chromebook and Android, and Kindle devices. The range accommodates several common devices, while offline work remains limited to six lessons before a server connection is needed.

Who it's for

This is a strong fit for homeschool families seeking math instruction from Math 3 through Pre-Calculus, automatic grading and parent access to grades and course materials. It is less suitable for families who need lesson plans, want one enrollment to cover multiple students or grades, or rely on extended offline study. Customer service is available by phone Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time, and by email.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Interactive lectures, worked video solutions and assessments keep instruction and evaluation within the course.
• Pro: Automatic grading and a printable gradebook reduce routine marking and make progress review possible through the Parent Portal.
• Pro: The trial reaches lesson 15 without a completion time limit, and completed grades carry into a purchased course.
• Con: Every student and grade requires a separate full-price enrollment, including for schools, which raises the cost of serving siblings or progressing through multiple grades.
• Con: Lesson plans are not included, so parents who want a course with planning materials will need to supply them separately.
• Con: Offline study stops after six lessons until the student reconnects to the servers.

Alternatives

For a broader set of homeschool choices, browse Homeschool Curriculum. Choose Math-U-See if a free account with samples of all program levels is preferable to Teaching Textbooks’ paid, per-student, per-grade enrollment. Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool is the alternative to consider when a free web curriculum spanning preschool through grade 8 is the priority.

Gather ’Round Homeschool offers an Academy Insider plan with live and on-demand classes for readers who want that format instead. Choose The Good and the Beautiful if a free plan or its Musical Multiplication app with unlimited access for up to six user profiles better fits the household. Abeka Homeschool is another paid curriculum option with a K4 full-grade video instruction plan.

Discovery K12 offers a free online student curriculum and a paid parent/teacher account for families who want that account structure. Consider Master Books for individual courses with 18 months of access, or Power Homeschool for an option with a plan allowing up to six courses at a time per student.

Verdict

Teaching Textbooks is best for homeschool families who want a focused math course with built-in instruction, automatic grading and practical parent oversight across a broad grade range. The trial and printable gradebook help families assess fit and follow progress, but the one-student, one-grade enrollment model is the key cost constraint. Look elsewhere if you need lesson plans, shared family access or a free curriculum.