Enroll in the #1 Best Homeschool Math Curriculum for 7 Years: Designed for All Learning Levels

If math time at your house comes with tears, slammed books, or a quiet "I’m just not a math person," you are not alone. As homeschool parents ourselves, we’ve been there too.

Here’s the good news: every child is a math person. They just need the right key.

Unlock Math is a complete, award-winning homeschool math curriculum for Grades 6–12. Every lesson is taught by Alesia Blackwood, a math teacher with over 25 years of experience teaching everything from special education to AP Calculus. Automated grading handles the checking, and your student gets the confidence that comes from finally getting it. And you? You get to relax and leave teaching math to us as we’re dedicated to making sure no child is left behind in their education, especially when it comes to math.

Give your student a fresh start in math this week. Try Unlock Math free for 14 days by clicking the link below and filling out your information.

Real families, real results. These are the students behind the scores — from filling early gaps to entering college ahead of schedule.

Seven courses covering homeschool math take your student from filling gaps all the way to an introduction to Calculus. High school courses include full honors-level coverage for transcript credit.

Every course combines the best of Mastery and Spiral learning. Students build deep understanding first, then keep it sharp with StaySharp™ Infinite Review, our daily, customizable review. Need to catch up or jump ahead? Move between courses at no extra cost.

Not sure where your student should start? Take our readiness test and find the right course before you begin.

Homeschool Math That Makes Sense: Learning Through Connections

For many students, math feels like a list of formulas to memorize: rules that don’t relate to anything they already know. When a formula doesn’t make sense, it’s hard to remember and even harder to use on a new problem. Alesia has spent her career figuring out how to make math make sense.

Instead of just handing students a formula, she shows where it comes from and how it connects to what they already know. A few examples:

Fact families

Even the basics are taught as connections. Instead of memorizing 3 + 4 = 7 and 7 − 4 = 3 as separate facts, students see that 3, 4, and 7 belong to one family. The same idea links multiplication and division, so knowing 3 × 4 = 12 also tells you 12 ÷ 4 = 3.

The area of a trapezoid

Put two identical trapezoids together and they form a parallelogram. A parallelogram’s area is its base times its height, so one trapezoid is simply half of that. The formula stops being something to memorize and starts making sense.

The area of a circle

Cut a circle into thin wedges and line them up, and they form a shape that’s nearly a parallelogram. Its base is half the circle’s circumference and its height is the radius. That’s where πr² comes from, and it builds on the same idea as the trapezoid.

When students understand why a formula works, they remember it longer, apply it to new problems with confidence, and carry that understanding into every course that follows.

See how Alesia makes math click. Free for 14 days by clicking the link below and filling out your information to start your child’s 14-day free trial.

Middle school is where many students either build confidence in math or start to fall behind. Unlock Math’s middle school path starts with Foundations for students in Grade 6 and up who need to fill gaps in earlier skills, then moves into Pre-Algebra, which is the bridge from arithmetic to algebra.

Pre-Algebra covers topics such as equations and inequalities, the coordinate plane, decimals and percents, polynomials, geometry, data analysis, and probability and statistics. Each lesson follows the same simple routine: a warm-up, a short video lesson with Alesia, practice problems, StaySharp™ review, and an optional challenge question that earns extra credit without counting against students who miss it.

Ready to give your middle schooler a strong start? Unlock Math, free for 14 days by clicking the link below and filling out your information to start your child’s 14-day free trial.

From a Student: The Whole World Needs to Know About the Unlock Math Homeschool Program

Brad Benjamins, former student from Brantford, ON when we asked if he would be a "reference" for us.

"Absolutely!! I would love to talk to them about how amazing you guys are! The whole world needs to know about your Math Program!!! I’ll do all I can to help spread the word about you guys! Thanks for checking with me." "Oh, and YOU ARE THAT GOOD"

High school is where math starts to count toward transcripts, college admissions, and future careers. Unlock Math’s high school path takes students from Algebra 1 through Pre-Calculus, and every course is taught at an honors level.

Algebra 1: linear equations, functions, and quadratics

Geometry: Euclidean geometry, proofs, trigonometry foundations, and spatial reasoning

Algebra 2: complex functions, trigonometry, and advanced equations

Pre-Calculus: higher-level math plus an introduction to Calculus

Financial Literacy: a Grades 11–12 elective covering budgeting, taxes, investing, and debt management

Every quiz, assignment, and test is graded and saved in your parent gradebook, and progress and grade reports can be printed for your high school transcript records. Each unit also includes a printable assignment for families who need to turn in work samples to a charter school, umbrella school, or ESA program.

Planning your student’s high school math credits? Unlock Math, free for 14 days by clicking the link below and filling out your information to start your child’s 14-day free trial.

Taking the Stress Out of Algebra for Mother and Daughter

"My daughter absolutely loves UnLock Math! We’ve tried a variety of math curriculum over the last year and a half of homeschooling, but none of them seemed to be just the right fit. This curriculum has taken the stress out of Algebra for both of us!" — Lindsey

In over 25 years of teaching, Alesia has noticed a clear pattern. Around 6th grade, when students are about 10 or 11, many pick up new math concepts quickly. Then around 11th grade, when students are 16 or 17, many of those same students suddenly hit a wall, often right as they reach Algebra 2.

Brain research helps explain why. A 2021 University of Oxford study led by Professor Roi Cohen Kadosh, published in PLOS Biology, measured two key brain chemicals, GABA and glutamate, in a part of the brain tied to math in 255 students ranging from age 6 to university. The researchers found that the brain chemistry linked to strong math skills in younger students was the opposite of the chemistry linked to strong math skills in older students. In other words, the way the brain supports math learning appears to shift during the teen years.

That fits with the work of Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore of the University of Cambridge, one of the world’s leading experts on the teenage brain. Her research shows that the brain goes through major remodeling during adolescence and continues developing into the 20s. She describes adolescence as a sensitive period, a time of both challenge and opportunity for learning.

Together, this research suggests why a course like Algebra 2 can feel so hard. It asks students to handle abstract, multi-step reasoning at the same time their brains are reorganizing how they learn. Struggling doesn’t mean a student is "bad at math." It means they need instruction that works with how their brain is learning right now.

That’s why Unlock Math is built the way it is: bite-sized lessons that don’t overload working memory, one problem at a time, instant step-by-step feedback, and StaySharp™ review that keeps earlier skills strong while new ones are built.

Help your student get through the toughest years of math with confidence. Unlock Math, free for 14 days by clicking the link below and filling out your information to start your child’s 14-day free trial.

Math anxiety is quite real. It often starts when a student starts to fall behind in math class and begins to believe they are "bad at math." The good news is that confidence can be rebuilt with the right approach.

Struggling, as debilitating as it may be for a student, doesn’t have to be bad. There’s actually a type of struggle that helps students grow. It’s called productive struggle, which is the kind of struggling that happens while a student works through a clear explanation, which builds understanding that lasts. The harmful kind of struggle comes from instruction that is confusing or unclear. Unlock Math keeps struggle productive with short video lessons students can replay, instant feedback on every problem, step-by-step solutions, and an optional challenge question that never counts against them.

At home, we recommend praising effort over speed, celebrating small wins, and avoiding saying you were "bad at math" too, because students pick up on those words.

Give your student a confidence boost that starts on day one. Unlock Math, free for 14 days by clicking the link below and filling out your information to start your child’s 14-day free trial.

Unlock Math has been voted the #1 Homeschool Math Curriculum for 7 years by readers of Practical Homeschooling Magazine, and it is a Cathy Duffy 103 Top Pick. Here is how it compares with what families often find in other homeschool math programs:

Don’t take our word for it. Try Unlock Math side by side with your current program, free for 14 days by clicking the link below and filling out your information.

Unlock Math was born from the teaching passion of Alesia Blackwood, a certified math teacher and homeschool mom of five. She brings over 25 years of experience teaching students of every ability, from special education classes to AP Calculus.

A math teacher who once struggled with math. Surprisingly, math was one of the most challenging subjects Alesia faced growing up. Some people can look at 55 × 29 and see the answer instantly, but most of us aren’t built like that, and someone who never had to work for an answer often struggles to explain it to anyone else. Because math didn’t come easily, Alesia had to work through the fundamentals of every problem to reach the answer. That deep understanding of how math really works stayed with her for life, and it is exactly what makes her such a clear teacher today.

Leaving no student behind. In the classroom, Alesia discovered she could pair those fundamentals with fun, real-world examples, so students could see how to start even the hardest problems while staying excited about the work. She was so committed to leaving no student behind that she tutored students on her breaks, at lunch, after school, and even at home on weekends. Her students reached milestones they never thought possible and passed some of the hardest classes they had ever taken. That pace took a real toll, though. She even started losing her hair.

Alesia holds degrees in math, computer science, and education. She is certified by the Ontario College of Teachers in Intermediate and Senior Mathematics and Computer Science, and by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission to teach Mathematics in Grades 7–12. She was homeschooled herself starting in 4th grade, so she understands homeschool families from both sides of the kitchen table.

From the classroom to Unlock Math. When Alesia was asked to turn her course digital, recreating what she did in the classroom in a self-paced online format took enormous work. But it worked. Students and parents started raving about the program, students earned higher math grades than ever before, and referrals came in from across the country. At the same time, Alesia and her husband, Matthew, second-generation homeschoolers themselves, were searching for an online math curriculum for their own children. Together, they built the program they had been looking for and launched Unlock Math in 2014. Today it guides homeschool students around the world through exactly what they need to succeed in math, no matter their background or learning differences.

Every lesson is taught the way Alesia would teach it in a real classroom: warm, encouraging, and broken into bite-sized chunks that make concepts click. Plus, she makes it fun, engaging, and educational so her students want to continue learning, sometimes even on weekends. The passion, dedication, and teaching methods from our math teacher Alesia is something your student can see, hear, pause, and replay as many times as they need. And when your student needs more help, live chat with real math teachers is right there. Alesia believes every child is a “math person.” They just need the right key to unlock their potential.

Alesia would love to welcome your family to try Unlock Math free for 14 days and see why so many families call it life-changing. We look forward to seeing your student in our classroom!

Why Did I Get into Teaching?

In high school, I took every class I could take so that I didn’t close any doors for myself until I had committed to a career. It was in a class called “Peer-Tutoring” that I discovered I loved helping kids learn and understand.

I worked with special needs students and saw that I could impact a child’s life beyond academics. I had always wanted to be a teacher, but working with those students really put me on the path.

I also discovered how much I loved high school math! It seemed a natural combination to become a math teacher. After 3 teachers told me that I would make a good teacher, I decided that was what I wanted to do and I committed.

My Most Memorable Teaching Experiences in the Classroom Before I Started Teaching a Homeschool Math Curriculum

T – Grade Nine and an Emotional Girl

T – grade nine and an emotional girl. She had struggles at home and that translated into trouble at school. She was a typical student who was convinced she couldn’t do math and so she wasn't going to try.

I taught math even then with the belief that if I did my job correctly and the student was willing to put in the effort, they could learn math, which would help them in many areas of life. I remember one morning she had come in before me and was sitting on the floor crying.

I do not remember what she was crying over, but I sat beside her and talked her through it and got her to a place where she could set her emotions aside for the day and get through the class, and the day.

C – A Senior Who Needed Algebra 2 to Graduate

C - A senior who needed my Algebra 2 class to graduate. She was a very angry teenager. Her dad had died when she was 12 and then she was in a car accident that left her significantly behind in school and she felt that her other teachers weren’t willing to help and didn’t care about her. She figured I would be the same.

She had a very big attitude hiding a whole lotta hurt. I refused to accept her excuses and I was willing to spend any time she needed so that she understood that math. She was very resistant at first, but over time she began to understand and she could see that I was trying to help and eventually she graduated.

Years later, she sent me a message on Facebook and thanked me for helping her and never giving up. It wasn’t the math she remembered, but she remembered that I cared and she doesn’t believe she would have graduated without my help.

J – A Football Star with a Huge Attitude

J - Football star with a huge angry attitude who did not like women or authority! He was disruptive, and I constantly had to have him removed from class.

I worked with the adults who had made it their mission to help him out of his circumstances and get a scholarship to college. He needed my class and I refused to give any student something they did not work for. He tried many times to intimidate me and told me I wasn’t trying to help him.

It wasn’t until another girl in the class began to change her attitude toward me that he finally saw that I WAS trying to help him.

He would have to do the work but I would walk with him through it. He ended up bringing his grade up and graduating with a full ride scholarship to college. He was very capable academically but his attitude got in his way.

Why Did I Choose to Teach Unlock Math’s Homeschool Math Curriculum? Bubbles and Nemo Had Something to Do With It

My personality was always my biggest asset in the classroom. I love people, I love to help when there is a need and I wasn’t afraid to put the work in to help someone. In one school, another teacher called me “Bubbles”, and the students said I was Dory from Finding Nemo. I was fun and I cared and for most of my students, that was enough.

When I took time off to start a family and we decided to homeschool, we were looking at curriculums and it became apparent that there were not a lot of options for high school math.

I said to my husband, “Why can’t we do this? We have the skills.” I was joking, but he took me serious and said, “Why not?”

And that is what began our journey. We saw the need and then came the task of how to accomplish that. We were able to secure some funding to get started and my first office was a desk at the local library that I took a laptop and books to, to begin creating courses.

It was a monumental task, but I was excited because I could teach what I wanted, how I wanted to teach it and I had the time to create from start to finish!

I still held (and hold today) that students are capable of learning the math if they are willing to put the effort in. I do not have the same contact as I did when I was in the classroom with the students, but I believe teaching the kids how to think using math is the best way I could still have an impact.

Our students from Unlock Math have proven that belief correct!

Every family’s math story is different, but these share a common thread: a student who was struggling or stuck, and a turning point that came with the right approach.

From failing Algebra 1 to college at 16. Luke, a student on the autism spectrum, started Unlock Math after failing Algebra 1. Less than two years later, he entered college at 16 with an honors placement in College Algebra.

From the 50th to the 90th percentile in one year. One homeschool mom shared that after a single year of Unlock Math, two of her children jumped from the 50th percentile to the 90th percentile on their standardized tests.

Proud of herself in math. Kathleen’s daughter Katie has dyscalculia. After a year with Unlock Math, Kathleen called it their best year of math ever, and Katie even said she was proud of herself in math.

Independence for a neurodivergent learner. A Florida homeschool mom turned to Unlock Math for her neurodivergent son. In her words, Unlock Math "gave him the independence he needed and the success he deserved."

Your student could be our next success story. Unlock Math, free for 14 days by clicking the link below and filling out your information to start your child’s 14-day free trial.

With so many options, choosing a homeschool math curriculum can feel overwhelming. These questions help you compare programs side by side:

Who does the teaching? A textbook leaves the teaching to you. With Unlock Math, every lesson is taught by Alesia Blackwood, a homeschool mom of five with over 25 years of experience teaching everything from special education to AP Calculus. She breaks every concept into bite-sized, easy-to-follow lessons, so the weight of teaching math comes off your shoulders.

Mastery or spiral? Mastery programs go deep on one topic at a time, while spiral programs keep revisiting old topics. Unlock Math combines both, so students master each concept and keep it fresh.

Who grades the work? Automated grading with step-by-step solutions gives your student instant feedback and saves you hours each week.

Does it fit your learner? Students with ADHD, dyslexia, or math anxiety need a clean, one-problem-at-a-time screen. Gifted students need room to move ahead.

Can you change levels easily? Look for a program that lets your student step back or jump ahead without buying a new course.

Can you try it first? A free trial is the best way to see how your student responds before you commit.

See how Unlock Math checks every box. Free for 14 days by clicking the link below and filling out your information to start your child’s 14-day free trial.

Textbook programs can work for students who learn well from reading and for parents who enjoy teaching math. But they put the teaching, grading, and explaining on the parent, and a worked example on a page cannot respond when a student gets stuck.

An online homeschool math curriculum like Unlock Math adds what a textbook cannot: Alesia teaching every lesson on video, explaining each concept the way she would in a real classroom. Add instant feedback, freshly generated practice problems, automated grading, and progress tracking you can check anytime. Printable reference notes are still included for students who like to work with paper.

See the difference an online course makes. Free for 14 days by clicking the link below and filling out your information to start your child’s 14-day free trial.

Unlock Math offers flexible monthly and annual plans so you can choose what fits your homeschool budget. Plans start at $29.90 per month, and the annual plan at $299 per year gives the best value for a full school year.

Every plan includes the complete course: video lessons with Alesia, Infinite Practice™, StaySharp™ review, quizzes and tests, automated grading, printable reference notes, live chat with real math teachers, and the freedom to switch courses at no extra cost. For less than many families spend on a few hours of private tutoring, your student gets a full year of expert instruction.

Save more with a 50% sibling discount on each additional student enrolled at the same time, plus discounts for military, first responder, and missionary families. Direct purchases are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Purchases made with ESA or school choice funds are non-refundable.

Compare plans and find the right fit for your family.

Many states now offer Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) and school choice scholarships that families can put toward approved curriculum. Unlock Math is an approved ESA vendor in 17 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Unlock Math is also an approved vendor for many charter schools, and the parent gradebook, printable progress reports, and printable unit assignments make it easy to share records and work samples with your program.

Check whether your state program covers Unlock Math.

Still have questions? Start a free trial and see how your student responds — there is nothing to lose.