![]() There are worse ways to deal with that than relegating a year of learning to a computer program. Other times, parents use programs like these to fill in the gaps when someone in the family, either the student or parent suffers from a chronic illness or is going through a rough year, perhaps with a major life change. Sometimes, you just need to check the box for a subject, especially for a student in high school who is busy with another subject or even a non-academic pursuit. I do think these online, software-based programs can have uses. Most families turning to software based solutions for homeschooling as their primary teaching method would be better off leaving their kids in school. Because they aren’t immersed in a homeschool community where parents talk about enriching ways to approach education, they come to think that choosing this self-paced, video-based, multiple choice program, they’ve done their duty. However, parents choosing Acellus are typically thinking of it as everything they’re doing for school. What’s the rest of the program? There’s no way to tell from their website materials. In actuality, Acellus quietly places a disclaimer that it’s meant to be “part” of a program. It makes no mention of doing any outside teaching, enriching, or even homework support. Under the section on parent responsibilities, it only lists that parents must follow state laws and “supervise” their students. They offer various “reports” such as attendance and progress reports, just like a school would. On the Power Homeschool site, they use the word “complete” to refer to their product in several places. They’re a private company, so I can’t say how much they make, but suffice it to say that it’s a great deal. From that beginning, and a lot of money spent on advertising, they have grown to become a huge company, providing credit recovery classes, homeschool “courses,” and other software based education services. I’ve been around long enough to remember when Acellus was an upstart provider getting banned from multiple homeschool groups for running sock puppet accounts to post fake testimonials about their product. Let’s look at one of the most popular options, Acellus, which is sold mostly through Power Homeschool. ![]() They promise that for a low monthly fee, you can have everything you need to homeschool or that for a monthly fee they can enrich your homeschool through digital learning. In the last several years, these programs have come to dominate the homeschool conversation and scene. ![]() Plus you likely see ads for math and individual learning programs such as Adventure Academy, Elephant Learning, IXL, ABC Mouse, and others. You probably also see ads for K-12, Connections, and other programs typically provided as part of online charter schools. Time4Learning, Acellus/Power Homeschool, Mia Academy, Calvert Homeschool, Monarch… and the list goes on. If you’re new to homeschooling, there’s a good chance you’re being bombarded with them too. My social media and search feeds are bombarded with ads for really bad homeschooling programs and well-meaning homeschoolers recommending those programs. ![]() If you need help with homeschooling, especially with planning high school with college acceptance in mind, you can find me there. I’m busy running things over at Simplify Homeschool. Mushroom and BalletBoy are working their way through homeschooling high school with some live online courses, some dual enrollment at a local community college, and some courses at home. Psst… I know I’m not around here very often. And if you really want to see the “research” maybe go read the excellently thorough investigative piece at OneZero, the journalist arm of Medium. Update 2020: Because this post continues to receive a ton of attention, I have written an addendum to it. Update and original post are still below. Acellus does not respect you or your kids. The founder of Acellus accused homeschoolers of being cheaters, removed access to coursework and records without notice, and set up a new business in a blatant cash grab. Update 2023: I have been a hater of Acellus for years, but even I was surprised to see the turn of events in the last week. ![]()
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