Homeschool funding & ESAs in Tennessee

Can I get paid to homeschool in Tennessee?

Not as a salary. What Tennessee offers is an education savings account, for a student with a qualifying disability: the Individualized Education Account (IEA) puts an annual award into an account you spend on expenses the program approves, rather than paying you to teach. An ESA comes with conditions — what the money may be spent on, what has to be reported, and in some states whether the child is still counted as a homeschooler. The program details below set those out. Romeschool tracks and organizes what you spend, so a receipt is ready the moment a program asks for one — it never files or submits anything on your behalf. It runs the other way too: Tennessee's homeschool rules require a test or an evaluation in grades 5, 7, and 9. The accepted options, and who administers each, are in the testing line below. Which pathway you homeschool under changes that, so read the testing line before you plan around it. If the option you choose charges a fee, plan for it.

Tennessee ESA programs

What does Tennessee require of homeschoolers — and what should I plan for?

Tennessee requires a test or an evaluation in grades 5, 7, and 9. That is the part of the year a family arranges ahead of time. Which pathway you homeschool under changes this. Which options Tennessee accepts — and who administers each one — is in the testing line below, in the reviewed rules' own words. If the option you choose charges a fee, plan for it. What Tennessee asks for — notice, instruction time, testing and records — is set out below, straight from the reviewed rules.

Notice

Yes. Tennessee requires homeschooling families to file a notice. Where it goes: Independent: local Director of Schools. Church-related umbrella (Category IV): the umbrella school. How: Independent: annual Notice of Intent on the state form. Category IV: enroll with the umbrella school. When: Independent: by August 1 each year (or within 15 days of withdrawing mid-year). Independent files an annual NOI with the LEA; Category IV students enroll in and are supervised by the church-related umbrella and do not file separately with the LEA.

Testing or evaluation

Yes. Tennessee requires a test or another accepted form of evaluation. How often: At grades 5, 7, and 9 (independent pathway only). Who this applies to: independent (Category I, T.C.A. § 49-6-3050). What is accepted: TCAP (administered by the LEA or an approved testing service), or an equivalent nationally-normed test from an LEA-approved service — the parent cannot self-administer. Standardized testing at grades 5, 7, 9 is required only for independent (Category I) homeschoolers. Church-related-umbrella (Category IV) students are statutorily exempt from state testing (the child is treated as a private-school student); the umbrella may set its own policy. Many Tennessee families use Category IV partly to avoid this testing and the grade-9 credential escalation.

Days and hours

Tennessee's rule: 180 days/year; at least 4 hours/day. Independent parents submit attendance to the LEA by June 1.

Records

Tennessee requires these records: attendance register and assessment results (grades 5, 7, 9 — independent pathway). How long, or where they go: Attendance submitted to the LEA by June 1 (independent); test results kept on file. Independent parents submit attendance to the LEA; Category IV families keep records per the umbrella's rules.

Full Tennessee homeschool requirements →

Common questions about homeschool funding in Tennessee

Does Tennessee have an education savings account (ESA) for homeschoolers?

Yes, for a student with a qualifying disability. Tennessee offers the Individualized Education Account (IEA), which independent homeschooling families can use for approved education expenses. Tennessee also runs two programs that route through participating private or umbrella schools, which independent homeschoolers generally cannot use.

Nationwide grants

• ACT Today! Grant · Autism Care Today
  For U.S. families of a child with an autism diagnosis (priority to household income under $100k).
  Open to any family of a child with autism — not homeschool-specific, but useful for therapy costs.
• Dyslexia Services Foundation Grant · Dyslexia Services Foundation
  For low-income U.S. children with dyslexia who cannot otherwise afford treatment (need shown via free/reduced lunch, Medicaid, or SNAP).
  Typically identified through a teacher or provider; not homeschool-specific.
• HSLDA Compassion Curriculum Grant · Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA)
  For HSLDA members with significant financial need (legal custody of a child 6-19, homeschooling 3+ months).
  You must privately fund your homeschool (not receiving ESA or other public funds).
• HSLDA Disaster Relief Grant · Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA)
  For homeschooling families (child 6-19) with physical disaster damage in the past 18 months.
• MyGOAL Autism Grant · MyGOAL Inc.
  For the primary caregiver of a child under 18 with autism, with demonstrated financial need.
  Open to any family of a child with autism — not homeschool-specific.
• Our Military Kids Grant · Our Military Kids
  For children (1-18) of deployed National Guard/Reserve members (60+ days) or of post-9/11 combat-injured service members and veterans.
  Funds organized, provider-led activities (not parent-taught core instruction).
• UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation Grant · UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation
  For U.S. children aged 16 or under with commercial (non-public) health insurance, subject to income guidelines.
  Medical (not education) funding — useful for special-needs homeschoolers' therapy costs.

Full details, amounts and deadlines for every program →