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🚀 How to Start Homeschooling in Tennessee

The first steps for a Tennessee family starting to homeschool: what to file, how to leave a public school, and where to find co-ops, classes and help — drawn from our Tennessee guide and articles.

Which Tennessee program fits a homeschool family

Tennessee has three state-funded programs. The Education Freedom Scholarship ($7,530 for 2026–27) is statewide. The Education Savings Account (ESA) pilot pays about

0,100 to lower-income students zoned to Memphis-Shelby County, Metro Nashville or Hamilton County schools. Both require the student to enroll in a Category I, II or III private school. TDOE says plainly that enrolling in a Category IV or V school or an independent home school is not permitted under either one.

Read the full section in our Tennessee guide

Before you apply or buy

  • Decide on the school first. An EFS only works at an EFS-registered Category I, II or III private school in Tennessee. Admission is up to each school.
  • Apply when the window opens. Awards go by priority category, then in the order applications arrive. Priority information can't be added after you submit, and a resubmitted incomplete application loses its original timestamp.
  • Income documents matter. To claim Priority 2 or 3, upload the required pages of your federal tax return (Form 1040) with the application. Starting with the 2027–28 cycle, income limits also apply to Priority 4.
  • The Marketplace has deadlines. For 2026–27, technology and uniform orders close April 30, 2027 and all other orders close June 25, 2027. Confirm receipt of deliveries in the portal.
  • An EFS isn't taxable income, and no 1099 is issued.
  • Thinking about the IEA? Make sure your child's IEP is active and lists a qualifying disability before the window closes. Get TDOE pre-approval for any tutor or therapist before services begin.
  • Amounts, dates and rules change. Confirm anything important on TDOE's EFS, ESA and IEA pages.

Read the full section in our Tennessee guide

Homeschooling in Tennessee: the basics

  • Tennessee law defines a home school as a school conducted or directed by a parent or legal guardian for their own children. There are two ways to do it: an independent home school, or enrollment in a church-related "umbrella" school (Category IV). A third option, an accredited online school, is a Category III private school, not a home school. (T.C.A. 49-6-3050; TDOE Home School page)
  • Independent home school notice: file an Intent to Home School form with the school district where you live (some districts use an electronic form), with proof of the parent's education, and identify the curriculum you've chosen. You can register any time, including mid-year. A new notice is due before the start of each school year.
  • Parent education: a parent-teacher in an independent home school must have a high school diploma or a state-approved high school equivalency credential. Umbrella schools may require the same for parent-teachers of grades 9–12.
  • Attendance: independent home school students need at least 4 hours of instruction a day for 180 days a year. Attendance records go to the director of schools (usually the district's home school coordinator) at the end of each school year.
  • Testing: independent home school students in grades 5, 7 and 9 must take either a nationally normed standardized test chosen by the parent, covering English language arts and math and proctored by someone not related to the student, or the same state tests public school students take (the TCAP, free at the zoned public school). Results go to the parent, the director of schools and the State Board of Education.
  • Church-related umbrella schools: no district notice is needed, though the district may ask for proof of enrollment when you withdraw. The umbrella school sets requirements, keeps records, handles testing and issues the diploma. TDOE's Non-Public Schools list marks which Category IV schools offer umbrella programs.
  • Diplomas: independent home school graduates get their diploma and transcript from the parent-teacher. Students entering a public or approved private school may be tested for placement, and high schoolers may be tested for credit.

Read the full section in our Tennessee guide

Official sources

Summarized from our Tennessee guide (as of October 2026) and articles. Rules change — confirm on the official pages before you act.

More for Tennessee homeschool families

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