Last year my dd used the complete language arts program. I did follow the teacher guide with very little trimming, and imo it wasn't all that teacher intensive. It was basically go over the lesson instructions and grading on my part. This year she is using the A Beka DVD academy and simply loves it, and it's even even less work for me. Currently she is using the DVD classes for History, Grammar & Comp, Spelling Voc & Poetry Literature, and Science. (History is her absolute favorite.)
She tested very well after last year. Some feel A Beka is a bit of drill and kill, but my dd is doing very well. I will say that at the beginning of this year, she was overwhelmed with the sheer volume of work and homework. It took a tremendous amount of effort on her part to handle the work load. The result has been a student who is very organized and uses her time wisely.