Homeschooling can become expensive quickly if you’re not careful.
It usually doesn’t happen all at once—it builds slowly. A curriculum here, a supplement there, a program that promises structure, another that promises “enrichment.”
Before long, you can be spending a lot of money while still feeling unsure if you’re covering what you need.
The truth is this:
There are more than enough free, high-quality homeschool resources available online to fully support middle school and high school learning.
Not minimal. Not “just enough to get by.”
Actually enough.
This post is a curated breakdown of free educational resources I trust, use, or would confidently return to in our homeschool.
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A quick shift before we start
In middle school and high school, homeschooling starts to feel different.
It’s less about collecting curriculum and more about building structure.
Most families don’t need more resources. They need:
- Clear, repeatable structure
- Fewer but stronger tools
- A way to combine resources without overwhelm
These platforms are not meant to replace each other. They work best when layered together intentionally.
Core Free Homeschool Curriculum Resources
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is one of the most complete free learning platforms available.
It offers structured lessons across:
- Math (from basic through calculus)
- Science
- Economics
- History
- Test prep
It functions like a full curriculum pathway rather than disconnected videos, which is what makes it especially useful for older students.
OpenStax
OpenStax provides free, peer-reviewed textbooks written at the college level and adapted for high school use.
Subjects include:
- Algebra, geometry, calculus
- Biology, chemistry, physics
- Social sciences and economics
These are complete textbooks, not summaries or workbooks, and can serve as a full academic spine for high school coursework.
PBS LearningMedia
PBS LearningMedia offers a large collection of video-based lessons, documentaries, and classroom materials.
It’s especially helpful for:
- History and social studies
- Science explanations
- Visual and narrative learning support
It’s designed for real classroom use, which makes it reliable and structured.
OER Commons
OER Commons is a massive database of open educational resources.
It includes:
- Full lesson plans
- Curriculum units
- Worksheets and assessments
- Subject-specific teaching materials
It’s especially useful when you need to fill gaps or build custom learning paths.
Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg offers over 75,000 free public domain books.
This is one of the most valuable resources for literature studies, especially in middle and high school.
It includes classic literature that is often used in traditional English curricula.
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is a digital library of historical and educational content.
It includes:
- Out-of-print books
- Old textbooks
- Educational videos and lectures
- Historical media and documents
It’s especially helpful for deeper research, enrichment, or alternate perspectives on subjects.
How these resources work together
These platforms are not meant to replace one another. They complement each other.
A simple way to think about it:
Math: Khan Academy + optional textbook support from OpenStax
Science: OpenStax + PBS LearningMedia
History: PBS LearningMedia + Internet Archive + OER Commons
Literature: Project Gutenberg + supplemental materials from OER Commons
The strength is not in choosing one system.
It’s in combining a few strong, free tools into something consistent.
The bigger takeaway
One of the biggest shifts in homeschooling—especially in middle and high school—is realizing that cost does not determine quality.
A lot of what feels “necessary” is actually just familiar.
And familiar is not the same as required.
There are fully developed, structured, high-quality resources available for free—you just have to know where to look.
Free Resource
A simplified version of this list with even more resources, organized for easier planning, is available here:
http://makingeverydaymagic.com/product/free-secular-homeschool-curriculum-guide/
Closing thought
Homeschooling at this stage is less about accumulation and more about clarity.
You don’t need more systems.
You need the right ones used consistently.
And often, those are already available—without a price tag.
