Tennessee offers three legal pathways for homeschooling. School attendance is required for children ages 6–17. You must submit notification to begin homeschooling, and parents need to meet certain teacher qualifications. The state does not mandate specific subjects. Standardized testing is required only under Options 1 and 2a. Immunizations are not required for homeschool students.
As a general rule, you must provide instruction for at least 180 days per school year. The instruction must be provided by a parent or legal guardian. You may also employ a tutor who meets the same educational qualifications required of parents to teach some or all of the coursework.
Option 1: Independent Home School
- Teacher Qualifications
You must have at least a high school diploma or GED to homeschool independently. - Notice of Intent
Before the school year begins, file a notice of intent with your local school district superintendent. If you move to Tennessee during the school year, file within a reasonable time after establishing residency. Your notice should include:- Names, ages, and grade levels of the children you’re homeschooling
- Location of your homeschool
- Curriculum you plan to use (no specific subjects are mandated)
- Proposed hours of instruction
- Your educational qualifications
- The Tennessee Department of Education provides a notice of intent form on its website.
- Instruction Time
You must teach at least four hours per school day for 180 days each academic year. - Attendance Records
Keep daily attendance records. These must be available for inspection by your local superintendent and submitted to the superintendent at the end of each school year. An attendance reporting form is available on the Tennessee Department of Education’s website. - Standardized Testing
Students in grades 5, 7, and 9 must take a nationally normed standardized test in English language arts and math. The test must be proctored by someone who is not related to the child. You may also choose to have the test administered by the commissioner of education, the commissioner’s designee, or an LEA-approved professional testing service. If you choose this route, you may be present with your child during 5th-grade testing.
Option 2: Church-Related School (CRS)
A church-related school is operated by a denominational, parochial, or other bona fide church organization and accredited by one of several approved accrediting bodies in Tennessee.
- Enrollment and Supervision
Enroll your child in the CRS. Your homeschooling must be supervised by the director of the CRS. - Follow CRS Policies
You must meet any teacher qualification, recordkeeping, and testing requirements set by the CRS. These requirements vary by school. Families should review the specific policies of any CRS they are considering, as standards differ between schools. You can find CRS options through local chapters of the Tennessee Home Education Association or through the Tennessee Department of Education’s listing of non-public schools. Schools listed under Accreditation Category 4 are CRSs.
Option 3: Category III Distance-Learning School
Category III schools are non-public schools accredited by recognized regional or national accrediting organizations.
Category III schools are required to report student attendance information to the director of the public school system where the student resides.
Families interested in this option should thoroughly review the requirements of individual schools, as policies and expectations vary by school.
