| TENNESSEE HOMESCHOOL LAW
Compulsory School Age: 6 - 17 Tennessee state law offers three legal homeschooling options: 1) establish and operate a homeschool, 2) establish and operate a homeschool as an affiliate of a church school, or 3) operate a homeschool as a satellite program of a church school. -
The first option is to establish and operate a homeschool. Parents wishing to homeschool their children under this option must annually submit a notice of intent to the local school superintendent by August 1. Homeschool students are required to attend 4 hours of instruction a day for 180 days a year. Students in grades 9 - 12 are required to participate in a college preparatory course of study or a general course of study and parents must submit in writing which course of study the student plans to follow. There are no required subjects for grades K - 8. Parents must meet minimum teacher qualifications set by the state. Parents with children in grades K - 8 must hold a high school diploma or GED. Parents with students in grades 9 - 12 must hold a bachelor's degree or request an exemption by the Department of Education. Attendance records must be maintained and made available to the local school superintendent at the end of each year. Standardized tests are administered to students in grades 5, 7, and 9. -
The second option is to establish and operate a homeschool as an affiliate of a church school. Students in grades 9 - 12 must be registered with the local school district annually. No school board notification requirements exist for students in grades K - 8 under this option. Attendance is required for 180 days per year. The church school will determine which subjects are required. Parents of children in grades K - 8 are not required to meet minimum teacher qualifications. Parents of students in grades 9 - 12, however, must hold at least a high school diploma or GED. Required testing is limited to students in grades 9 - 12 and must be the same standardized test used by the local school district. There are no regulations requiring recordkeeping. -
The third and final option is to operate a homeschool as a satellite program of a church school. Students schooling under this option must attend 180 days of instruction each year. Required subjects and testing are determined by the church school. Parent/teacher qualifications, school board notification, and recordkeeping are not required for this option. Find a homeschool group in Tennessee. View these websites for more information about Tennessee homeschool laws: Please note: This is a brief summary of Tennessee homeschool law and is presented for informative purposes only and not as legal advice. |
