All curriculum reviews

    Lincoln Learning

    A nonprofit curriculum publisher that sells individual online K-12 courses a la carte to homeschool families, in two very different versions: a cheap version where a computer…

    A teacher reads the workVisit site
    As a full curriculum
    3.6/5
    As a supplement
    3.6/5
    How this is scored

    How it scored

    Nine dimensions, each scored 0 to 4 by a reviewer working from the programme's own published materials.

    4
    Standards, Accuracy & Content Scope

    Is the content accurate, at the right level, and does it cover what it claims?

    3
    Focus, Coherence & Cognitive Rigor

    Does it build in a sensible order and make a student actually think?

    3
    Research-Consistent Instructional Design

    Is it taught in a way the research supports, with honest claims?

    3
    Assessment, Feedback & Demonstrable Mastery

    Can you actually see what your child learned, not just what they finished?

    3
    Accountability & Feedback Loop

    Does a qualified adult read your child's work and respond to it?

    3
    Adult Usability & Implementation Support

    How much work is this for you, and does it help you do that work?

    2
    Differentiation, Access & Learner Fit

    Does it flex for a struggling learner, an advanced one, or a different kind of learner?

    2
    Practical Feasibility & Transparency

    What does it truly cost, in money and time, and will it work where you live?

    2
    Academic Demand & College Readiness

    Is this preparing a student for college, or just for a diploma?

    The practical details

    Grades
    Early Kindergarten (EK) through grade 12. Individual course pages list a primary grade plus a grade range (for example Algebra I: primary…
    Subjects
    Full core plus a wide elective bench: English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies (all EK-12), plus Art (Art K through Art 8, Art Appreciation), Music and Music Appreciation, Physical Education, World Languages (Spanish, French, Mandarin Chinese, at multiple levels), plus specialty courses (Astronomy,…
    How it runs
    Fully asynchronous and self-paced. No live scheduled classes are documented. Courses run 24/7 inside Lincoln's learning platform (their own portal; districts may use Buzz by Agilix or Canvas). Structure is fixed and predictable: a 1-credit course is about 180…
    Who teaches
    The course itself teaches, through recorded video, audio, and interactive digital lessons built by Lincoln's curriculum staff. There is no live instruction. If you buy the "Course with Teacher Services" version, a certified subject-area teacher is attached to the course and is reachable by email, office hours, and…
    Who grades
    This is the fork in the road and it is entirely determined by which version you buy, at a $200-per-semester-per-course price difference. AUTO-GRADED VERSION ($65 per semester): no human ever reads the student's work. Lincoln's own help documentation states the courses contain "purely auto-graded assessments that are scored by the learning management system (LMS)," with "pre-curated feedback" delivered instantly on…
    What the parent does
    The parent is the teacher of record and the legally responsible party. Lincoln states the parent must ensure the content is actually implemented with the child, must verify that state requirements are met and documented, and must submit documentation to the proper authorities. Lincoln does not report to anyone on your behalf. Concretely, on the AUTO-GRADED track the parent must: choose the correct course and grade…
    Credit and records
    Lincoln Learning Solutions is accredited by Cognia and by WASC, and it holds Quality Matters course certification, ISTE Seal (2025-2027), ESSA Level III and IV evidence ratings via LearnPlatform, and 1EdTech Trusted Apps certification. Read that carefully: the accreditation attaches to the organization and its courseware, not to a school that enrolls your child. For a…
    Cost
    Priced per semester course, paid once at checkout in the online store (no subscription, no monthly billing, no family plan documented). - Standard semester course, Auto-Graded: $65.00 (0.5 credit). Full-year 1-credit subject requires buying Semester I and Semester II separately = $130.00. - Same standard semester course with Teacher Services: $265.00 (0.5 credit). Full year = $530.00. - Honors courses: Teacher…
    Alaska notes
    Bandwidth is the main risk. Courses are video, audio, interactive activity, and simulation heavy, there is no offline mode, and Lincoln publishes no minimum bandwidth number. Their own docs already flag video buffering on Chromebooks, which is a warning sign for any constrained connection. On satellite or metered rural service, expect trouble streaming a 45 to 60 minute lesson…

    Strengths

    • Honest, unusually explicit documentation about what auto-graded actually means. Lincoln's own help center says it in writing: LMS-scored assessments, pre-curated instant feedback, no teacher…
    • Genuine a la carte purchasing at a real price. $65 for a semester of a full standards-aligned course with video, interactives, and built-in assessment is cheap enough to fill one gap (Algebra I,…
    • Deep catalog with a real elective and Honors bench, including 1-credit NCAA-eligible Honors courses with certified teachers, plus Credit Recovery, plus world languages at multiple levels. Very few…

    Weaknesses

    • No credits, no transcript, no diploma. Lincoln says outright it is a curriculum vendor and not a school. The parent builds the transcript and defends the credit. Accreditation by Cognia and WASC does…
    • The gap between the two versions is enormous in both price and substance: $65 versus $265 per semester course. The affordable version has zero human evaluation of student work, which means written…
    • Refund terms conflict across Lincoln's own published documents (digital products non-refundable in the store policy, 15-day full refund in the client policy, a third source citing 30 days less a $25…
    Good fitA family that already owns the record-keeping side of homeschooling and needs specific courses filled, on a Windows or Mac laptop with reliable internet. Two clean cases: (1) a parent who can teach and grade but cannot teach Algebra II or Spanish III, buying one or two $65 auto-graded semester courses as content…
    Poor fitA family that wants a parent-free full core and expects the program to run the school day: on the auto-graded track nobody but you is watching, and Lincoln says so. A family that needs an accredited transcript or diploma issued for them, or that assumed "Cognia accredited" means Lincoln will award credit; it will not.…

    Reviewed from the programme's own published materials. Pricing and features change without notice, so confirm details with the publisher before buying. How FrostBoard rates curriculum