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Two homeschool civics and economics programs, compared on what actually decides the fit: viewpoint, what you study, teaching style, and how much you'll teach.
Updated September 2026 · based on parent reviews and publisher information
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Compare for my child| BJU Press Gov & Econ | LIFEPAC Gov & Econ | |
|---|---|---|
| Grades | 11th–12th | 12th |
| Viewpoint | Conservative Christian; limited-government economics | Christian; includes a unit on the Christian and government and one on free enterprise |
| Approach | Full-color textbook with chapter questions, activity manual and tests; optional video course | Self-paced workbooks with self-tests and unit tests, built on mastery |
| Who teaches | The parent teaches from a scripted guide | The program does the teaching |
| Parent prep | Moderate (the teacher's edition holds the answers and notes you rely on) | Low (the teacher's guide has every answer and test) |
| Screen time | Mostly offline (books and paper) | Mostly offline (books and paper) |
| Video lessons | Available: an online/DVD video course is sold, but the print kit works on its own | None: print worktexts with no video lessons |
| Cost | $223: American Government homeschool kit, 4th edition ($222.95; Economics is a separate kit) | $108: Government and Economics box set (10 student worktexts plus teacher's guide) |
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Reviewers describe engaging, well-illustrated texts that ask real thinking questions, with Christian worldview sidebars. The teacher's edition does a lot of the work. It costs more than most options and assumes a Christian, limited-government outlook, and economics is a separate kit from government.
Publisher and retailer listings describe ten colorful worktexts of three to four weeks each, with self-tests and a teacher's guide holding all the answers. We found no independent parent reviews of this specific course, so what we know comes from the publisher's descriptions of the course content and format.
Neither is better for every child. BJU Press Gov & Econ is the stronger fit for video or online lessons; video lessons a big plus; plenty. LIFEPAC Gov & Econ is the stronger fit for minimal.
BJU Press Gov & Econ: conservative Christian; limited-government economics. LIFEPAC Gov & Econ: christian; includes a unit on the Christian and government and one on free enterprise.
BJU Press Gov & Econ: $223: American Government homeschool kit, 4th edition ($222.95; Economics is a separate kit). LIFEPAC Gov & Econ: $108: Government and Economics box set (10 student worktexts plus teacher's guide).
Summaries are in our own words.