True Story! I used this curriculum as a kid! It is tried and true and hasn’t changed much since then either. 4 of my children started their homeschooling experience working in their Paces. (What is a PACE?)

My Pros: Firstly, the idea of this curriculum that I can get on board with is that it promotes Independent Study. Meaning it generally teaches the child to study solo without the overseeing of a “teacher.” The student has 12 Paces to complete per grade level with the option of additional Score Keys (answer books) and it’s taught to have the child check their own work after completing each days assignments to correct any mistakes. This takes any of the day to day off the homeschooling parent, which is great!

Secondly, the Characters, storylines, and pictures are fun, biblically based, easy to relate to, and in full color. There are even little comic book-style inserts which makes it fun for kids to read through.

Thirdly, they have Placement Tests available. This is nice if you feel your child is either above or below grade level. It will tell you which Pace number to begin in.

Lastly, it’s quite affordable. Each pace is roughly $3 and some change. The Score keys are additional but you get the idea. You can purchase in full year bundles or individual items. I have ordered both through their company website (www.aceministries.com) or Christian Book (www.christianbook.com).

My Cons: I’ve used the afore said Placement tests only to find out later on there were things in certain Paces we had been recommended to leave out that I wish they had covered before moving on. Because of this reason, I now always recommend you start you child at their grade level to avoid any confusion later on. Of course, this is just a personal preference.

Next, once we started schooling with a Public Charter School I felt my kids were below State Standards. I don’t believe this curriculum is CCSS aligned. If you’re a Private homeschooler it definitely works out in the end because using it through 12th grade your student is sure to learn everything they need to graduate! However, if you change it up and need to show test scores eventually, or decide to place the student into a school setting, etc., you may end up feeling how I did about them being slightly behind the system.