Novare Science: A Rubric Review

Novare Science & Math publishes science textbooks. Its central distinguishing claim is that Christian science education does not require young-earth creationism, and the texts have been built accordingly.

Last updated: 2026-10-03 · Every Homeschool Editorial Team

At a glance

Method	Subject-specialist (science); textbook-driven with mastery-integration framework
Worldview	Christian-classical (open-earth-friendly; treats YEC, OEC, and theistic evolution as live options within Christian orthodoxy)
Grades	6-12 (middle-school general science through high-school physics, chemistry, biology)
Formats	Print textbooks; partner video instruction (Novare Academy and co-op providers)
Cost tier	Premium
Parent intensity	4 (without video) / 2 (with video)
ESA-common	Yes (approved on most state marketplaces that allow Christian curriculum)
Accredited	No (curriculum only)
Established	Centripetal Press began in 2015 as an imprint of Novare Science & Math, LLC (about page); acquired by Classical Academic Press (acquisition page)
Website	centripetalpress.com

Our scoreboard (1-5)

Criterion	Score	One-line reason
Academic rigor	5	Rigorous, mathematics-based Christian science program
Ease of teaching	2	Demanding without video; the texts assume a teacher or knowledgeable parent
Content quality	5	Mathematically honest, conceptually serious, retention-tested across chapters
Flexibility	3	Subject-modular; sequencing assumes a coherent classical-Christian science track
Value for money	3	Textbook, lab equipment, and optional video are separate costs; the rigor justifies the spend for the right student
Worldview scope	3	Christian-classical with open-earth posture; broader than YEC publishers, narrower than secular
Visual/design	4	Clean textbook layout
Support resources	3	Solutions manuals strong; video infrastructure improving; smaller convention presence than Apologia

Who the publisher is

Novare Science & Math, LLC grew out of the work of John D. Mays, a teacher and science department chairman in Austin, Texas, who was not satisfied with the textbooks then available and wrote his own for a freshman science class (centripetalpress.com/about). The Centripetal Press imprint began in 2015 as an imprint of Novare Science & Math and has since been acquired by Classical Academic Press.

The publisher's about page states that Centripetal Press and Novare Science & Math materials are used in over 200 schools and by thousands of homeschoolers.

Theologically, Novare does not teach young-earth creationism as scientific fact. The published position is that YEC, old-earth creationism, and theistic evolution are all live options within historic Christian orthodoxy, and that a Christian science textbook should present mainstream scientific dating (cosmological, geological, paleontological) without requiring the student to adopt a specific creationist position. The texts treat the science methodologically while maintaining a Christian philosophical framing of science as a discipline grounded in the intelligibility of creation. In our assessment, this positioning is the program's distinctive contribution for families seeking a Christian framework that respects mainstream-science conclusions on age-of-Earth and evolution. For families committed to YEC, the positioning is a genuine mismatch. Apologia or Berean Builders is the appropriate fit.

The core pedagogy

The pedagogical innovation Novare claims is the Mastery-Integration-Kingdom (MIK) framework, articulated across Mays's published work and built into the texts. Mastery means content retention, a student who finishes a Novare chapter is expected to retain the material in subsequent chapters, and the chapter tests are written cumulatively to enforce this. Integration means connecting current learning to prior chapters and to other disciplines (mathematics into chemistry, history of science into present concepts, physics into chemistry). Kingdom perspective situates science within a Christian framework, what does it mean to study creation as a Christian, how has science as a discipline developed historically, what philosophical commitments make science possible.

In our assessment, the structural commitment to mastery is the most operationally distinctive piece. Novare's chapter tests draw cumulatively from prior chapters, so a student studying chapter 8 of Introductory Chemistry still needs to know chapters 1-7 to score well on the chapter 8 test.

Three signature mechanics define how Novare differs in execution from competing Christian science programs. (1) Mathematical honesty. The texts expect students to show work, derive equations rather than memorize them, and explain reasoning. Algebra is required for Introductory Chemistry; trigonometry is required for Physics. (2) History-of-science integration. Concepts are introduced with their historical development, how Lavoisier's work changed chemistry, how Mendel's pea plants reframed biology, how Newton's Principia organized mechanics. (3) Open-earth posture in geology and biology. The texts present mainstream geological dating, mainstream evolutionary mechanism, and mainstream cosmological age, while maintaining a Christian philosophical framing.

The parent's role

The parent's role depends on whether the family uses video. Without video, the parent is expected to know or learn the material, a parent without a chemistry background should plan to read the chapter alongside the student or use the solutions manual systematically. With Novare Academy or partner-co-op video, the video instructor handles the primary teaching, and the parent's role drops to the standard accountability-and-grading layer. Novare without video remains a parent-intensive program.

What they do exceptionally well

Mathematical honesty in high-school sciences. Novare's Introductory Chemistry, Chemistry, and Physics are, in our assessment, among the strongest mathematically rigorous chemistry and physics options in the Christian homeschool market. The texts expect derivations, not just substitutions; explanations, not just answers.

The MIK framework in practice. In our assessment, the cumulative-mastery testing mechanism is the program's most operationally distinctive feature, and for households where retention rather than coverage is the priority, it is the strongest selling point.

Open-earth Christian framing. In our assessment, Novare is a strong fit for Christian families whose worldview accommodates mainstream-science dating without adopting young-earth creationism as a doctrinal commitment.

What they do poorly

Parent lift without video. The texts are written for classroom use with a teacher; running Novare at home without video instruction puts substantial weight on the parent. In our assessment, Chemistry and Physics are particularly demanding to teach without help for parents without a science background.

Cost stack with lab equipment and video. Beyond the textbook, the course calls for purchased lab equipment and, for families that use it, video or co-op instruction. The publisher's FAQ advises families to spend money on a few pieces of real lab equipment. Budget-conscious households may choose a lower-cost program as a result.

Pace for average students. Novare's rigor is appropriate and productive for college-prep-serious students, but in our assessment the pace may be punitive rather than productive for average or struggling students. The texts assume a student who can sustain dense reading and mathematical work; coasting students cannot coast through Novare the way they can through some competing programs.

Who it fits / who it doesn't

• Pick Novare if: you are a classical-Christian household whose worldview accommodates mainstream-science dating; you have a college-prep-serious student heading into a STEM major; the parent is a scientist or engineer or is willing to learn the material alongside the student; you are using a co-op or video provider for instruction; you want a mathematically rigorous Christian high-school science program.

• Skip Novare if: you are committed to young-earth creationism (Apologia or Berean Builders is the appropriate fit); you are secular and don't want a Christian philosophical framing (most secular science programs are the appropriate fit); you have a struggling student where the rigor will discourage rather than build; the parent is unable to teach the material and the family cannot afford the video add-on; budget is the binding constraint.

Cost honest assessment

As of October 2026, Classical Academic Press, which now sells Centripetal Press titles, lists the paperback Principles of Chemistry at $81.95 and the paperback Introductory Principles in Physics, 2nd Edition at $69.95. Lab work is a separate expense. The publisher's FAQ says it strives to keep lab expenses modest but that families should spend some money on a few pieces of real lab equipment, and its Principles of Chemistry page lists Chemistry Experiments for High School at Home and The Student Lab Report Handbook, 2nd Edition as related titles. Where a family adds video or co-op instruction, that provider sets its own fee.

Because lab equipment and any instruction fee vary by course and by what the family already owns, a family should total the textbook, lab equipment, and instruction cost for the specific course before purchase.

ESA eligibility notes

Novare Science is approved on most state ESA marketplaces that allow Christian curriculum, including Florida's Step Up For Students marketplace, Arizona's ClassWallet ESA implementation, and the Utah Fits All program. ESA-funded families should search the specific state marketplace by "Novare," "Centripetal Press," or specific course title before assuming eligibility, as smaller Christian publishers are sometimes listed under multiple imprint names. Novare Academy video subscriptions may be treated differently from textbook purchases by some state programs.

Alternatives

• Apologia Science, a young-earth-creationist Christian household would choose Apologia over Novare because Apologia is explicitly YEC across all high-school sciences; the trade is meaningfully less mathematical rigor and a different philosophical framing of science.
• Berean Builders / Discovering Design, a YEC household would choose Berean Builders over Novare; the trade is again the YEC-versus-open-earth difference.
• Real Science-4-Kids (Dr. Rebecca Woodbury, named on the publisher's site as creator of the product line), a religion-tolerant secular household would choose Real Science-4-Kids over Novare because the program presents mainstream science without any Christian philosophical framing, while remaining respectful of religious students; the trade is no Christian content at all and a less rigorous high-school ceiling.

How we verified this

Our editorial team reviewed Novare's textbook samples, scope-and-sequence documents, and the MIK-framework articles published by John D. Mays at centripetalpress.com, and Mays's published essays on the science-and-faith positioning of the program. We cross-referenced against Cathy Duffy's review of Novare Physical Science and discussions in Association of Classical Christian Schools member-school adoption documentation. Textbook prices checked October 2026.