Christian Light Education (CLE) is a Christian homeschool curriculum from a Mennonite organization. It features workbooks called LightUnits that help students learn various subjects without screens.
Research from the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) shows that homeschooled students typically score 15 to 25 percentile points higher than public school students on standardized academic achievement tests. A peer-reviewed study published in Peabody Journal of Education found that homeschooled children are typically well-adjusted socially and score above average on measures of social skills, emotional development, and daily living skills (Richard Medlin, 2013).
What is Christian light education?
Christian Light Education, or CLE, is a Christian homeschool curriculum created by a Mennonite group with over 50 years of experience. The program uses workbooks called LightUnits. Students complete these every two to three weeks. They cover subjects like Bible, Language Arts, Math, Reading, Science, and Social Studies. CLE focuses on small, manageable pieces of new information while regularly reviewing past lessons. It’s all print-based, so no screens are needed. This makes it popular among families wanting tech-free learning.
How the lightunit system works
Each LightUnit acts as a self-contained workbook, lasting about two to three weeks. Students work through it on their own, doing lessons, review exercises, and tests. Finishing a LightUnit gives a real sense of accomplishment—much more than just completing a chapter in a regular textbook. Parents introduce new ideas at the start, but most of the learning is done independently. This setup works great for families with multiple kids, letting older students handle their own work while parents assist younger ones.
Grade levels and independence
In Kindergarten and first grade, parents need to be hands-on. The Primer Books have pictures of Mennonite family life. By second grade, kids start doing more on their own. From third grade on, most can handle daily tasks after a quick parental introduction. High school has a wide range of electives, including Spanish, accounting, carpentry, and automotive mechanics. The Christian Light Academy also offers an accredited Homeschool Plus program for families wanting diplomas and official records.
Cost and value
CLE is known for being budget-friendly. A full year of high school materials costs between $400 and $500 per student, while many other programs charge over $2,000. Individual LightUnits are $22 for five-unit courses and $51 for ten-unit courses. Teacher's guides are under $20 each, and orders over $70 ship for free. The Homeschool Plus program costs $310 for families with two students. For larger families, the savings really add up over time.
What parents should know
The Mennonite influence is clear in the curriculum. Illustrations show families in plain dress, and the content reflects conservative Anabaptist beliefs. Some families love this, while others may not connect with it. The workbook style can feel repetitive for kids who prefer more creative or project-based learning. Parents moving older kids into CLE might find placement tricky since the spiral curriculum assumes they’ve learned certain concepts before. Starting fresh with kindergarten or first grade usually leads to the smoothest experience.
The bottom line
Christian Light Education offers great value for families looking for a structured, biblically-based curriculum that encourages independent learning. The LightUnit format allows for clear progress tracking while keeping costs low. Families comfortable with the Mennonite viewpoint and workbook style often find success with CLE across generations. However, those interested in Charlotte Mason, classical, or project-based methods might find it too rigid for their tastes.
