Torchlight is a secular, literature-based homeschool curriculum designed for kids ages 4 to 13+. It emphasizes critical thinking and inclusivity while covering core subjects except math and formal reading.
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. 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.
What is torchlight curriculum?
Torchlight is a literature-based, secular homeschool program for kids from Pre-K to Level 6+ (ages 4-13+). Tiffany Petty, a certified teacher and homeschooling mom, created it to fill gaps in the market for inclusive and secular resources. The curriculum comes digitally as PDF files, with daily and weekly lesson plans for 36 weeks per level. It covers all core subjects except math and formal reading, which families can add as needed.
Philosophy and approach
Torchlight takes a clear secular stance, teaching topics like climate change and evolution directly. It uses Socratic questioning to help kids find answers on their own instead of just lecturing them. The core values are kindness, exploration, scientific thinking, logic, equality, and empathy. It blends ideas from Charlotte Mason, classical education, and unit studies, without sticking to one specific style.
Inclusivity and book selection
Torchlight is designed for all families, including LGBTQ+ households and neurodivergent learners. It selects books from authentic voices—like Native authors discussing Native history. The booklists are regularly updated to include current inclusive literature. Each book choice comes with an alternative suggestion if families can't find or prefer not to use the primary option.
What's included (and what's not)
Torchlight covers language arts (literature, writing, poetry), social studies (history, geography, cultural studies using Curiosity Chronicles), science (with hands-on projects), and art and music (integrated into other subjects). It doesn’t include math or formal reading, so families need to add these. Expect to budget for about 100 books per year, most of which can be borrowed from libraries. Curriculum guides cost between $30 and $45 per level.
The bottom line
Torchlight is a great option for secular homeschool families looking for a literature-based, inclusive curriculum. It saves you from having to filter out religious content while also embracing diversity. Its Socratic method and focus on critical thinking help students engage with complex ideas. Just be ready for a book-heavy program—library access or finding used books can help with costs. If you share its values, Torchlight offers a well-curated learning experience.
