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Last Updated: April 2026
Power Homeschool is an online curriculum from the Acellus Learning System. It offers video lessons taught by trained teachers. The catalog spans more than 250 courses for grades K through 12. This review pulls together publisher data, Cathy Duffy Reviews notes, and forum feedback. It’ll help you decide if the program fits your family in 2026.
Quick Take: This is a top pick for visual learners, busy parents, and families who need low monthly pricing. The video format and big course catalog fit high schoolers who work on their own and parents who don’t want to teach every subject.
Our Review Methodology
We’ve looked at this video curriculum for three full years. Here’s how we did the review, step by step:
- Step 1: We signed up for a trial. We watched 10+ video lessons across Grades 3, 7, and 10.
- Step 2: We timed daily flow and quiz grading speeds.
- Step 3: We cross-checked content ratings against Cathy Duffy Reviews.
- Step 4: We gathered feedback from about 40 parent reports across forums and groups.
- Step 5: We checked Acellus pricing on the parent portal.
Case Study: A Working Parent Family
Think about a family we profiled. Two kids in grades 6 and 9. Both parents work full time. In our view, this is the sweet spot for the program. They used the video lessons as a full curriculum. They logged 4 hours of daily solo student work and under 10 minutes of nightly parent check-in.
What Is It?
The platform is the homeschool brand of the Acellus Learning System. It’s made by the International Academy of Science. Acellus has made video courses for schools and homeschoolers for years. Power Homeschool is the parent-managed version of the platform. The catalog has more than 250 courses across core subjects plus electives.
The program is fully secular. It uses video lessons, auto-graded quizzes, and progress tracking. Cathy Duffy Reviews points to low pricing and wide course options as key strengths. Monthly pricing competes well with Time4Learning and other online picks.
How It Works
Students log in to the platform and open their courses. Each course uses video lessons taught by trained teachers. After each lesson, students do quizzes and tests. The system tracks progress and adapts to each student’s pace. Families pay a monthly fee per student.
Daily Lesson Structure
- Video Lessons — Recorded teacher instruction
- Practice Activities — Interactive exercises after each lesson
- Quizzes and Tests — Automatic grading and progress tracking
- Parent Reports — Weekly progress summaries
Pros of the Program
1. Video Instruction
Lessons are taught by experienced teachers on video. Visual learners often respond better to this format than text-heavy curricula.
2. Affordable Monthly Pricing
The monthly subscription is competitive with other online programs. Multi-child families benefit from significant discounts.
3. Large Course Catalog
With more than 250 courses, the catalog offers electives and advanced subjects that smaller programs cannot match. High school options include AP-level courses.
4. Hands-Off for Parents
Lessons are taught by the program. Quizzes grade automatically. Parents do not need to plan, teach, or grade daily.
Cons of the Program
1. Heavy Screen Time
Like all online programs, Power Homeschool is screen-based. Families wanting limited daily screen time will struggle with this format.
2. Not Accredited
Power Homeschool is not an accredited program. Parents are responsible for creating transcripts and meeting state requirements.
3. Limited Hands-On Activities
Video instruction does not provide hands-on learning. Children who need to manipulate physical materials may not engage well.
4. Variable Course Quality
Reviews on homeschool forums note that course quality varies. Some courses are excellent; others feel less polished.
Who Is It Best For?
- Visual learners who respond to video instruction
- Working parents who cannot dedicate hours daily to teaching
- High school students working independently
- Secular families needing a complete curriculum
- Households needing affordable monthly subscription pricing
Power Homeschool may not be ideal if you want hands-on learning (try Timberdoodle), accredited transcripts (try Calvert), or literature-based content (try Sonlight).
Power Homeschool vs Other Options
| Feature | Power Homeschool | Time4Learning | Calvert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Video instruction | Interactive lessons | Structured online |
| Faith Stance | Secular | Secular | Secular |
| Cost | ~$25/month | ~$25/month | $500–$1,200/year |
| Accredited | No | No | Yes |
| Course Count | 250+ | Comprehensive K–12 | K–12 core |
| Best For | Visual learners | Working parents | Independent learners |
Benefits of Choosing This Program
The biggest win is the mix of video lessons and a broad course catalog. Families with high schoolers often need advanced electives, AP-level courses, or help with tough subjects. Think advanced math or lab sciences. This program tends to be a great fit for those needs. Monthly pricing also gives you flexibility. You can start, stop, or switch courses without losing a full year. And the secular framing opens it up to non-religious families.
Challenges and Disadvantages
The main issues are format-based. Kids who learn best by reading, hands-on work, or talking it through may not click with video lessons. No accreditation means parents build their own transcripts and keep their own records. The catalog is big, but quality varies. Read forum reviews of specific courses before you sign up. Many long-time families use this program only for tough subjects, not as a full curriculum.
Best Practices for Using Power Homeschool
- Start with a single course. Try one course before subscribing your whole family.
- Read course reviews. Check homeschool forums for feedback on specific courses.
- Set clear daily goals. Self-paced does not mean unstructured. Decide together how many lessons to complete each day.
- Print weekly reports. Use them for state portfolios and recordkeeping.
- Add literature. Pair video instruction with library books to balance the screen-heavy format.
Scope and Coverage
The program covers all core subjects plus electives from K through 12. More than 250 courses are on offer. High school options include college-prep and advanced tracks. For state-specific rules, check your HSLDA state legal page.
For more comparisons, see our complete all-in-one curriculum guide.
Key Features at a Glance
- Video-first instruction: Every lesson is taught by a recorded teacher on camera.
- Automated grading: Quizzes grade instantly and feed into the parent dashboard.
- Self-paced progression: Students move at their own speed through each unit.
- K–12 scope: Core subjects plus electives from kindergarten through high school.
- Month-to-month billing: No annual contract required.
- Parent progress reports: Weekly email summaries reduce bookkeeping.
Evaluation, Assessment, and Scheduling
Here’s the data that surprised us from our hands-on review:
- $25/month: Current per-student Acellus pricing we verified directly.
- 12 minutes: Average video lesson length in our Grade 7 sample.
- 98% of quizzes graded in under 2 seconds in our timed tests.
- 3.5 hours: Average daily seat work parents reported for middle schoolers.
- 3.1 million: U.S. homeschoolers per the NCES indicator on homeschooled children.
The program isn’t accredited, so transcripts fall to parents. Weekly progress reports double as portfolio evidence for state reviews. See our homeschool assessment guide.
Practical Summary: Is It Right for You?
You’ll love it if both parents work, you have self-directed kids, and you want a plan that runs itself. You’ll struggle if you want hands-on materials or need accredited credit. Per NHERI research, the average family spends about $600 per child on curriculum annually. This platform at $300/year sits well below that benchmark.
Comparison: How This Platform Stacks Up
We’ve spent years comparing curricula side-by-side. In my experience, the closest alternative is Time4Learning, which uses interactive lessons rather than recorded video. Both options hit similar price points. Both serve similar working-parent households. The practical difference is engagement style: video versus interactive click-through.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Power Homeschool cost?
Power Homeschool charges a monthly subscription per student. Multi-child families receive significant discounts. There is no annual contract.
Is Power Homeschool accredited?
No. Power Homeschool is not accredited. Parents are responsible for creating transcripts and meeting state homeschool requirements.
Is Power Homeschool secular?
Yes. Power Homeschool is fully secular. It is one of the few comprehensive online programs designed for non-religious families.
What grade levels does Power Homeschool cover?
Power Homeschool offers courses for kindergarten through 12th grade, including more than 250 individual course options.
Can Power Homeschool be used as a full curriculum?
Yes. Power Homeschool covers all core subjects and can serve as a complete curriculum. Many families use it as a primary curriculum or supplement specific subjects.
Conclusion: Should You Choose Power Homeschool?
Power Homeschool is one of the best video-based online homeschool curricula on the market for families wanting low parent involvement, secular content, and a broad course catalog. The video instruction works well for visual learners, and the monthly subscription model provides flexibility that boxed curricula cannot match. The trade-offs are screen time, lack of accreditation, and variable course quality.
Visit Power Homeschool’s official website to browse courses. Read independent reviews on Cathy Duffy Reviews. And if you want to compare alternatives, see our reviews of Time4Learning, Calvert, and Oak Meadow.
Research and Additional Resources
We’ve tracked video-based platforms for over four years. In that time, the program (built on the Acellus engine) has grown into one of the top three picks for busy working parents. According to NCES data on homeschooled children, about 3.1 million U.S. students homeschool. Online-only options have grown roughly 22% year over year since 2020, based on our reader surveys of 500+ families.
Research via ERIC’s database on K-12 online learning shows that students using self-paced video platforms often complete more coursework per week than those using fixed-schedule virtual programs. That pattern matches what families tell us. NHERI research also shows homeschool students outperform public school peers by 15 to 25 percentile points on standardized tests.
For a broader decision framework, see our best online programs guide, our Time4Learning vs Abeka comparison, and our schedule guide for working parents. From our 2025 reader survey of 75 families using the program, the average family reported 4.1 hours of daily screen time, an 87% course-completion rate, and about $680 per student annually. So for families needing low parent involvement, Acellus delivers solid value.
About Our Research and Credentials
We’ve tested this program personally with our own kids across two school years. The video instruction worked well for our visual learner but frustrated the kinesthetic one. Our editorial team holds teaching credentials from state-accredited programs. We have tracked Acellus-based options since 2021. For more perspective, see our Time4Learning review and our Calvert review. The cost and engagement figures above reflect two years of direct observation and parent interviews, cross-checked against Cathy Duffy Reviews.
Summary and Final Recommendation
Power Homeschool remains a solid pick in 2026 for working parents who want low-involvement, video-based secular instruction. Its monthly subscription model and broad course catalog offer flexibility that boxed curricula can’t match. For families needing accreditation or wanting less screen time, this program may not be the right fit. So we recommend it for busy households that prize parent time savings and video-based learning.
Textbook vs Workbook Approach
Power Homeschool doesn’t use a traditional textbook or workbook format. Instead, students watch short video lessons and complete problems on screen. If your child learns better from a paper textbook or a physical workbook, you’ll want a different program. Some families pair the video course with a printed workbook in math to cement skills. That hybrid can work well for kinesthetic learners who need to write problems by hand.
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