ShillerMath

ShillerMath is the math line of ShillerLearning, a Montessori-based homeschool curriculum for ages 4 to 13. The kits pair manipulatives with scripted lessons, and the publisher states that no Montessori training is required to teach them.

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

At a glance

Method	Subject specialist (math) / Montessori-based
Worldview	Secular
Grades	Pre-K through pre-algebra: Math Kit I covers Pre-K through 3rd grade and Math Kit II covers 4th grade through pre-algebra
Formats	Physical kits with manipulatives and scripted lesson books; digital kits with printable materials
Cost tier	Premium ($399.95 for the full Math Kit I as of October 2026)
Parent intensity	3
ESA-common	Varies by state; confirm with your program
Accredited	No
Established	2002, founded by Larry Shiller
Website	shillerlearning.com

Our scoreboard (1-5)

Criterion	Score	One-line reason
Academic rigor	4	Covers Pre-K through pre-algebra, with a separate Fractions Kit for grades 1 through 8
Ease of teaching	4	The publisher states that scripted lessons need no lesson preparation
Content quality	4	Kits include physical manipulatives, lesson books, answer guides, and songs
Flexibility	4	Diagnostic tests place a child by gaps in knowledge rather than by age or grade
Value for money	3	High up-front kit cost; the publisher states one kit serves every child in a family
Worldview scope	5	Secular, used across all worldviews
Visual/design	3	Functional; the manipulatives are the design
Support resources	4	Diagnostic tests, songs, an FAQ page, a free Homeschool Coach subscription, and a 30-day money-back guarantee

Who the publisher is

ShillerLearning was founded in 2002 by Larry Shiller. The same page states that the curriculum was developed with input from PCTE (Princeton Center for Teacher Education), which it describes as an American Montessori Society teaching certification program, and that ShillerLearning is part of the non-profit Rising Stars Foundation. The page describes a Montessori-at-home math program for ages 4 to 13 and a language arts program for ages 3 to 10.

The current math catalog consists of Math Kit I (Pre-K through grade 3), Math Kit II (grade 4 through pre-algebra), and a Fractions Kit (grades 1 through 8). Supplementary materials include diagnostic tests and math songs sold as mp3 downloads. The same catalog includes language arts kits.

The core pedagogy

The publisher describes ShillerLearning as Montessori-based, hands-on, and multisensory: per the What is ShillerLearning page, every concept is introduced using visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic approaches. The FAQ defines Montessori-based as emphasizing hands-on, self-paced learning with physical manipulatives and sensory engagement.

The lessons are scripted. The FAQ states that a parent can open the book and read what is in quotes, with no lesson preparation, and that most families spend 20 to 45 minutes per session while children progress at their own pace.

Placement is test-driven. The FAQ says the diagnostic placement tests identify gaps and place a child where needed regardless of age or grade level, and the diagnostic tests page says each test diagnoses a student's holes and prescribes the lessons to fill them.

Signature mechanics: (1) Physical manipulatives. The Math Kit I page lists color-coded decimal material (unit cubes, ten rods, hundred flats, and thousand cubes), number cards and number tiles, a pan balance, a symmetry mirror, a geared clock, geometric shapes, and a work mat. The Math Kit II page lists decimal fraction chips, geometric shape nets, and see-through 3-D geometric shapes. (2) Scripted lessons. Lesson books are written so the parent reads aloud. (3) Diagnostic-driven placement. A child begins where the diagnostic places her. (4) Songs. Math Kit I includes 25 songs and Math Kit II includes 23, as mp3 files.

How a lesson runs

Per the publisher's FAQ, a lesson is read from the script in the lesson book, uses the kit's manipulatives, and typically takes 20 to 45 minutes. The Math Kit I page lists Lesson Books 1 through 3, answer guides, and a parent guide, and the Math Kit II page lists Lesson Books 4 through 6 with 12 diagnostic review tests, answer guides, and a parent guide. Kit II also calls for common household materials that the family supplies, such as crayons, scissors, playing cards, measuring cups, a kitchen scale, a protractor, and a calculator.

What they do exceptionally well

Montessori-based materials with scripted teaching. The publisher's stated aim is a Montessori-based program that requires no prior Montessori training from the parent, supported by physical manipulatives and scripted lessons.

Placement by gaps. The diagnostic tests are built to find where a child's understanding begins and ends, per the diagnostic tests page, rather than assigning a level by age.

One kit for the whole family. The FAQ states that one kit works for all children in the family, that consumable worksheets and activity pages are free downloads, and that many families find their per-child cost is under $29 per year. That figure is the publisher's own statement and depends on how many children use the kit.

What they do poorly

High up-front cost. The full Math Kit I is $399.95 and the full Math Kit II is $299.95 as of October 2026. A family budgeting for a single child for a single year will find this a large purchase; the cost is spread across children and years only if the family keeps using the kits. The publisher offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on physical kits.

Manipulative handling. The kits include many physical pieces, and the lessons are built around using them. Households that prefer a workbook-only program may find the format more demanding to manage than a script alone suggests.

Songs are part of the kits. Each kit includes mp3 songs, and the songs are also sold separately for $19.95 per kit. Families who do not want songs will be paying for kits that include them.

Who it fits / who it doesn't

• Pick ShillerMath if: the family can spread the kit cost across years and children; the parent is willing to use manipulatives and read scripted lessons; the child responds well to hands-on instruction and gap-based placement; the family wants a Montessori-based math program without Montessori-school enrollment.

• Skip ShillerMath if: the family wants a low-cost workbook-based math program (consider Math-U-See or Singapore Math Inc.); the family lacks the table space, time, or interest for daily manipulative work; the child would benefit more from problem-solving challenge than from hands-on representation (consider Beast Academy).

Cost honest assessment

As of October 2026, the publisher's product pages list Math Kit I at $399.95 for the full kit, $299.95 for the Basic kit (which the page says omits major items such as decimal beads, the balance, and basic supplies), and $179.95 for the digital version. Math Kit II is $299.95, or $149.95 as a digital kit. The Fractions Kit is $124.95, or $79.95 digital.

Diagnostic tests are $19.95 per kit level and $9.95 for Fractions; the page states that the cost of the tests is refunded after any kit order. The math songs are $19.95 per kit as separate mp3 downloads. Consumable pages are free downloads, so a second child does not require repurchasing workbooks.

A family using the full Math Kit I and Math Kit II for Pre-K through pre-algebra would spend $699.90 at these prices before shipping, and the publisher states that the same kits serve each additional child.

ESA eligibility notes

Eligibility depends on the state program and its approved-vendor list. This review has not verified ShillerLearning's listing on any state marketplace. Confirm with the program administrator before purchasing, and ask whether the digital or physical kit and the diagnostic tests are covered.

Alternatives

• Math-U-See, a family would pick Math-U-See over ShillerMath for a manipulative-based mastery approach that, per the publisher, builds each concept before moving on and includes video instruction in each lesson.
• Singapore Math Inc., a family would pick Singapore Math over ShillerMath for a program the publisher describes as the first to bring the Singapore math method to the U.S., which uses bar models for multi-step problems.
• Beast Academy, a family would pick Beast Academy over ShillerMath for a problem-solving-centered program for ages 6 to 13, which the publisher says uses comic-style stories and is created by Art of Problem Solving.

How we verified this

Our editorial team reviewed the ShillerLearning What is ShillerLearning, FAQ, kit, diagnostic test, and songs pages and the Math Kit I, Math Kit II, and Fractions Kit product pages in October 2026, along with the homepages of the three alternatives. Prices and program details verified October 2026.