The Good and the Beautiful
Colorful, open-and-go homeschool curriculum for preschool through high school, best known for language arts courses that combine phonics, reading, spelling, grammar, writing, geography and art. Language arts K–8 is offered as free PDFs; printed course sets and math are paid.
What is The Good and the Beautiful?
The Good and the Beautiful is a homeschool curriculum publisher founded by Jenny Phillips in 2015. It sells colorful, scripted courses for preschool through high school. Its best-known product is language arts: one course book per level that blends phonics, reading, spelling, grammar, writing, literature, geography and art.
The big draw is cost. The full Language Arts K–8 course sets are free PDF downloads, so a family can try a whole year before buying anything printed.
How it works
Each lesson is written to the parent, with the child's work on the same page. There is no separate teacher's guide to read ahead and no daily prep. In the early levels you sit with your child for every lesson. From about Level 4, spelling moves to the free Simply Spelling online program and students do more on their own.
Science and history come as units meant for the whole family, so siblings of different ages can learn together. Math is a separate program, Simply Good and Beautiful Math, which uses a spiral that keeps reviewing earlier skills.
What it covers
| Subject | Levels | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Language arts | Preschool, K Prep, K, 1–8, High School 1–3 | Print sets or free PDFs for K–8 |
| Math | Math K through Pre-Algebra (Math 8) | Print, paid |
| Science | Family-style units, plus preschool to grade 2 units | Print, some free samples |
| History | Family-style years for grades 3–8 | Print, three free sample lessons |
| Electives | Handwriting, typing, art and more | Print and online |
Free placement tests help you pick a language arts, reading, spelling and math level. Levels 4 through 7 were rewritten in 2026, so older reviews may describe the previous editions.
Who it's best for
It suits new homeschoolers, families who want a calm, pretty program, and parents who like having every word scripted. It is a common starting point for kindergarten homeschool curriculum and early elementary.
Look elsewhere if you need accreditation, want a rigorous mastery math program, or want either a secular course or one with explicit gospel teaching. The founder's Latter-day Saint membership is the source of the much-discussed controversy; the company says the curriculum contains no church-specific doctrine, and families land on both sides.
Pricing at a glance
As of October 2026, printed language arts sets run about $70 to $80 for Levels K through 4 and about $123 for High School 1. Each child needs their own course book. Math is paid. Returns are strict, so download the free PDF or sample pages first.
Can a scholarship or ESA pay for it?
Often, yes, when a program allows curriculum. Arizona's ESA and Florida's scholarships commonly cover curriculum, and Step Up For Students lists The Good and the Beautiful in its vendor pages. Each program decides, so read the rules on Arizona ESA or Florida scholarships. You can save it to your wishlist and apply once through Edulist scholarships.
How it compares
Families most often weigh it against Abeka, which is more traditional and drill-heavy; see Abeka vs The Good and the Beautiful. Families who leave often move to Christian Light or Master Books. For a literature-rich option with more books, look at Sonlight. Browse more Christian homeschool curriculum, open-and-go curriculum, or our best homeschool curriculum picks.
Who The Good and the Beautiful is for (and who it isn’t)
Best for
- First-year homeschool families who want open-and-go lessons with no prep
- Families on a tight budget who can print the free Language Arts K–8 PDFs
- Parents teaching several children science and history together
- Kids who respond to bright, visually appealing pages
Look elsewhere if
- Families who need an accredited program or official transcripts
- Parents who want a mastery-based or advanced math program
- Families who want a secular curriculum or explicitly gospel-centered doctrine
The Good and the Beautiful pros and cons
Pros
- Language Arts K–8 is free as full PDF course sets, not just samples
- Open-and-go: the parent script and child work sit in one book
- Combines phonics, spelling, grammar, writing, literature, geography and art in one course
- Free placement tests for language arts, reading, spelling and math
- Strong visual design that many children enjoy
Cons
- Not accredited; publisher says high school courses are non-accredited
- Spiral math jumps between topics and some reviewers find it light
- Parent-led throughout the early levels, so it takes daily parent time
- Strict returns: PDFs are final sale and opened items lose most of their value
- Religious content is a concern for some Christian families because of the founder's church
What’s included
- Language arts course sets from Preschool and Level K through High School 3
- Free PDF downloads of Language Arts K–8
- Simply Good and Beautiful Math, a spiral program from Math K through Pre-Algebra (Math 8)
- Science and history units designed for teaching several ages together
- Free placement tests for language arts, reading, spelling and math
- Simply Spelling, a free online spelling program for levels 4–8
- Handwriting, typing, art and other electives
The Good and the Beautiful levels
| Level | Grades | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool and Kindergarten Prep | Pre-K | Letter names and sounds, then a 30-lesson blending course the publisher strongly recommends before Level K. |
| Level K | Kindergarten | 120 parent-led lessons with Reading Booster cards and 20 small readers. Covers reading, phonics, writing, spelling, grammar, geography and art. |
| Levels 1–3 | 1–3 | Course book plus phonics readers; Level 3 adds a spelling practice book. |
| Levels 4–8 | 4–8 | Newly updated editions for levels 4–7 in 2026, with spelling moved to the free Simply Spelling online program. A Grammar Prep Unit helps students new to grammar. |
| High School 1–3 | 9–12 | Course sets with a reusable Grammar and Writing Guide shared across all three high school levels. |
Free PDF placement tests for language arts, reading, spelling and math. The publisher suggests starting language arts at the child's grade unless extra reading help is needed.
Official The Good and the Beautiful placement test ↗How much does The Good and the Beautiful cost?
As of October 2026, printed language arts course sets cost $69.97 for Level K, $72.97 for Level 3, $79.94 for the new Level 4 and $122.92 for High School 1. Each child needs their own course book. Math is not free; a July 2026 independent review listed Math K at $49.98 and Pre-Algebra (Math 8) at $89.95. The full Language Arts K–8 course sets can be downloaded as free PDFs and printed at home.
| Plan | Price | Billed | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level K Language Arts Course Set | $69.97 | One-time | — |
| Level 3 Language Arts Course Set | $72.97 | One-time | — |
| Level 4 Language Arts Course Set (new edition) | $79.94 | One-time | — |
| High School 1 Language Arts Course Set | $122.92 | One-time | — |
| Language Arts K–8 PDF download | Free | One-time | Free |
Free trial: No trial is needed for language arts because the K–8 course sets are free PDFs. Typing offers a 10-day free trial and the Musical Multiplication app a 7-day free trial.
Prices from the provider, checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site.
Future opening updates
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View wishlistWhat parents say
A summary of public parent feedback we read on forums, app stores and review sites. It is not a set of Edulist family reviews.
Public reviews praise the look, the ease of use and the free language arts. The most common academic complaint is math pacing. A long-running debate centers on the founder's Latter-day Saint membership: the company says the curriculum contains no doctrine specific to that church, some Christian reviewers object to what is left out or to occasional quotes, and others report using it for years without concern.
Common praise
- Visually appealing and enjoyable for children
- Open-and-go with no separate teacher's guide
- Free Language Arts K–8 lowers the cost of starting
- Thorough phonics and decoding practice
Common complaints
- Spiral math with filler that some families supplement or replace
- Worldview concerns tied to the founder's church
- Slow, gentle pace at the kindergarten level
- Strict return policy
Sources: everyhomeschool.com · the good and the beautiful review 2026 · homeschoolcurriculum101.com · the good and the beautiful christian mormon · foundationworldview.com · should christians use the good and the beautiful curriculum
The Good and the Beautiful family reviews
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The Good and the Beautiful FAQs
Is The Good and the Beautiful accredited?
No. It is a curriculum publisher, not a school, and its high school courses are described by the publisher as non-accredited. If you need an accredited transcript, pair it with an accredited umbrella or online school that accepts outside curriculum.
What is The Good and the Beautiful controversy?
Founder Jenny Phillips is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The company says the curriculum has no doctrine specific to any denomination. Some Christian reviewers object to occasional quotes or to the lack of a gospel focus, while others say they have used it for years without meeting church-specific teaching.
Is The Good and the Beautiful really free?
Partly. The full Language Arts K–8 course sets are free PDF downloads, and Simply Spelling for levels 4–8 is free online. Printed books, math, most science and history units, and high school courses cost money.
Is there a Good and the Beautiful discount code?
The company does not publish standing coupon codes. It runs limited-time offers such as free shipping over a set amount, listed on its Specials page. Be careful with third-party sites that copy its branding; buy from goodandbeautiful.com.
Can I return Good and the Beautiful books?
Unused physical items postmarked within 30 days of receipt can be returned for a refund, minus shipping and any downloaded PDFs. Items that are opened, damaged or written in get partial or no credit, and PDF purchases are final sale.
What grade levels does it cover?
Language arts runs from Preschool through High School 3, and math runs from Math K through Pre-Algebra (Math 8). There is no high school math course, though the publisher offers a planning chart for high school math tracks.
Can an ESA or scholarship pay for The Good and the Beautiful?
Often, when the program allows curriculum purchases. Florida's Step Up For Students includes it in its vendor information, and orders through that marketplace must be returned as complete bundles. Each program sets its own rules, so check yours first.
Sources and last checked
Checked 2026-10-13 against these sources:
- goodandbeautiful.com · level k language arts course set
- goodandbeautiful.com · level 3 language arts course set
- goodandbeautiful.com · level 4 language arts course set
- goodandbeautiful.com · high school 1 language arts course set
- goodandbeautiful.com · free
- goodandbeautiful.com · placement
- goodandbeautiful.com · shipping returns
- stepupforstudents.org · the good and the beautiful
- everyhomeschool.com · the good and the beautiful review 2026
- homeschoolcurriculum101.com · the good and the beautiful christian mormon
- foundationworldview.com · should christians use the good and the beautiful curriculum