Teaching Textbooks
Nearly hands-off math — video lectures, automated grading, and step-by-step solutions do the heavy lifting.
Teaching Textbooks vs CTCMath
Both hand math instruction almost entirely to video lessons with automatic grading, but they price it differently. Teaching Textbooks (B) charges per course with a flat family plan option; CTCMath (B) is a single family-wide subscription covering every child at every level, which is why it scores highest on cost value of any math program here. Teaching Textbooks has a longer US homeschool track record and community; CTCMath's shorter lessons suit families who want brisk pacing over Teaching Textbooks' more patient, worked-solution style.
CTCMath
An affordable, video-based online math subscription covering the full K-12 range with short, focused lessons and automatic grading.
Scorecard
| Grade and dimension | Teaching TextbooksB | CTCMathB |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Rigor | 3/5 Reviewers consistently note the pace runs slower and lighter than Saxon or Math-U-See, which trades some rigor for accessibility. | 3/5 Solid full K-12 coverage with diagnostic placement, though some reviewers find the drill volume lighter than Saxon or Singapore for advanced students. |
| Ease of Use | 5/5 Everything — instruction, grading, and worked solutions — is built into the platform, leaving essentially nothing for a parent to set up. | 5/5 Video lessons, automatic grading, and diagnostic placement tests mean a parent can set a child up and step back almost entirely. |
| Parent Time Required | 5/5 Automatic grading and video walkthroughs mean a parent can go days without touching the math lesson at all. | 5/5 Automated grading and short video lessons make this one of the lowest-parent-involvement math options on the list. |
| Cost Value | 4/5 The $217 Family Plan covers every child at every level, which is a strong deal for households with more than one student. | 5/5 One flat family subscription (~$120-200/yr) covering every child at every level is an excellent deal for multi-kid households. |
| Engagement | 3/5 The patient, low-pressure instruction style suits math-anxious kids, though it's not built to be exciting for kids who are already confident. | 3/5 Short, brisk video lessons keep pacing reasonable, though the format is functional rather than especially exciting. |
| Flexibility | 4/5 Subscription-based courses let a family jump a student to a different level without buying new physical materials. | 4/5 Diagnostic placement and full K-12 access let a family jump a student to whatever level actually fits, regardless of grade. |
| Independent Learning | 5/5 Purpose-built for a student to watch, work, and get instant feedback with no adult in the loop. | 5/5 Built entirely for independent video-and-practice use with automated feedback, minimal adult involvement needed. |
| Support & Community | 3/5 Official help resources are solid, but the community presence is smaller than the legacy math programs it competes with. | 2/5 Smaller, newer community presence in the US homeschool market relative to Teaching Textbooks or the legacy textbook programs. |
| Special Needs Support | 4/5 The self-paced, no-pressure video format is frequently recommended for math-anxious kids and some processing differences, though it lacks multi-sensory options. | 3/5 Self-paced, low-pressure video lessons can help some learners, though there's no multi-sensory or specialized accommodation layer. |