About
The Bill of Rights Institute was founded in 1999 and describes itself as a non-partisan, non-profit educational organization. It publishes free lesson plans, essays, videos, and primary sources for elementary school (BRI Jr., grades K-5), middle school, and high school, and says every resource is scholar reviewed. Its high school course Government and Politics: Civics for the American Experiment lists 99 lessons, and each high school resource includes full lesson plans, essays, activities, teacher support materials, and student comprehension questions. The Institute also lists civic engagement contests for students ages 13 to 19.
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Free civics and U.S. history lessons for kindergarten through grade 12 from a nonprofit founded in 1999 that describes itself as non-partisan. The high school government course lists 99 lessons, and the Institute also runs student contests and a debate and leadership institute.
Last updated: 2026-10-04 · Every Homeschool Editorial Team
At a glance
| Method | Free digital lessons; subject specialist |
| Worldview | Faith-neutral (the publisher states no worldview; it describes itself as non-partisan) |
| Grades | K-12 |
| Formats | Web-based lesson plans, essays, videos, primary sources |
| Cost tier | Free |
| Parent intensity | 3 |
| ESA-common | Not applicable (free; nothing to purchase) |
| Accredited | Not applicable (resources, not a school or credit program) |
| Established | 1999 |
| Website | billofrightsinstitute.org |
Our scoreboard (1-5)
| Criterion | Score | One-line reason |
|---|---|---|
| Academic rigor | 4 | A scholar and teacher review process is described, and lessons use primary sources and inquiry |
| Ease of teaching | 3 | Classroom materials with teacher support; the pages read name no homeschool-specific edition, so a parent adapts them |
| Content quality | 4 | Each high school resource includes full lesson plans, essays, activities, and comprehension questions |
| Flexibility | 4 | Elementary, middle, and high school sets that can be browsed by subject, grade level, era, or term |
| Value for money | 5 | Free |
| Worldview scope | 4 | No religious statement on the pages read; the FAQ says the resources are animated by the ideas of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, the publisher's own founding-centered framing |
| Visual/design | 3 | Not assessed beyond the publisher's own description |
| Support resources | 3 | Teacher-facing support materials and professional development are listed; no family-specific support was read |
Who the publisher is
The Bill of Rights Institute was founded in 1999 and describes itself as a non-partisan, non-profit educational organization. Its FAQ says its content team is made up of educators with advanced degrees and that scholars with advanced degrees review its core historical and civic content. The same FAQ says the Institute takes no partisan positions and that its resources are animated by the ideas of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and are not aligned to the dictates of any external entity.
The core pedagogy
The FAQ describes lessons built around inquiry-based, standards-informed civic education that emphasizes primary and secondary source analysis and informed civic action. The high school course Government and Politics: Civics for the American Experiment lists 99 lessons. BRI Jr. covers kindergarten through grade 5: the K-3 units each contain a week-long lesson plan, and the 3-5 lessons use Lexile-leveled readings and videos.
A day in the life
Each high school resource contains full lesson plans, essays, activities, teacher support materials, and student comprehension questions. The pages read give no suggested daily schedule for a home setting.
What they do exceptionally well
The materials are free and scholar reviewed for every grade band. The Institute also lists civic engagement contests for ages 13 to 19 and a five-day Debate & Leadership Institute for students in grade 10 and up, run with Founding Forward.
What they do poorly
- The pages read describe classroom-ready materials and name no homeschool-specific edition.
- The Statement of Academic Integrity describes a review process and reports no outcome data.
- The FAQ says the resources are standards-informed but may not fully align with every state's standards.
Who it fits / who it doesn't
The materials are free, come from a nonprofit that describes itself as non-partisan, and follow a classroom structure that a parent adapts. A family that wants a single bound course with a pacing chart can compare the alternatives below.
Cost honest assessment
Free. The About page says each resource is free, and no paid resource appears on the pages read (retrieved October 2026). Its FAQ says the Institute's work is supported by donors, grant-making foundations, and corporate sponsors.
ESA eligibility notes
Free resources have no purchase to reimburse. ESA rules differ by state; see the ESA by state guide.
Alternatives
- iCivics: free civics games and lessons for kindergarten through grade 12, listed in the EH directory as faith-neutral.
- Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum: a free K-12 curriculum published by Hillsdale College, listed in the EH directory as faith-neutral.
- We the People (Center for Civic Education): a constitutional-democracy textbook series that ends in a simulated congressional hearing.
- Khan Academy: a free online platform with video lessons and practice exercises across several subjects.
Signature products
- Government and Politics: Civics for the American Experiment
- BRI Jr. elementary resources
- Student civic engagement contests
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