The Notgrass Bible Curriculum combines Bible study with history, geography, and civics. It allows homeschoolers to earn Bible credits while learning about various subjects in a thoughtful way.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), approximately 3.3 million students were homeschooled in the United States as of 2023, representing roughly 6% of the school-age population. 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.
What is the Notgrass Bible curriculum?
The Notgrass Bible Curriculum stands out. Unlike other publishers, it integrates meaningful Bible study into history, geography, and civics courses. This means homeschool students can earn a full Bible credit alongside their history and English credits. Ray Notgrass, the founder, has a strong background in ministry, which shapes the depth of the biblical content.
How Bible credit works
Each Notgrass high school course runs for 30 weeks, with five lessons each week. One lesson is all about Bible study. Students read Bible passages, study hymns, and do memory work. They also explore the context of biblical events. For example, the world history course has units on biblical periods like "God Chooses Israel." This makes Bible study a key part of the curriculum, not just an afterthought.
Denominational perspective
The Notgrass family goes to a Church of Christ in Tennessee, but Ray Notgrass makes it clear that the curriculum isn't tied to any denomination. It presents a conservative Christian view, seeing the Bible as God's Word and Jesus as Savior. Families from various backgrounds, including Catholics, Baptists, and non-denominational evangelicals, use Notgrass successfully. It focuses on shared beliefs instead of differences.
What's included
Notgrass high school packages come with two hardcover textbooks and a primary source collection. For U.S. history, it's called "American Voices," and for world history, it's "In Their Words." These collections, which are 370-420 pages long, include hymns, speeches, and religious texts alongside regular historical documents. There are optional student review books with Bible commentary and questions. Students can work independently without needing a separate teacher's guide.
The bottom line
Notgrass truly offers something unique. Bible study is woven into history, showing students the biblical roots of the Reformation, the faith of America's founders, and the historical context of biblical events. Families looking for a mix of faith and academics will find that Notgrass allows them to earn three credits from one well-structured curriculum. It's efficient without sacrificing academic quality or biblical depth.
