As a result of COVID-19, homeschooling is on the rise. For some, this is a short-term arrangement, and others have discovered that homeschooling is perfect for their family. In case you don’t know, homeschooling is simply the practice of educating your kids from home. Some families choose to collaborate through homeschooling cooperatives and extracurricular leagues to enrich the home school experience.

Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, including the District of Columbia. When exploring the homeschooling route, please be aware that the laws and policies that govern homeschooling differ by state. If you wonder if homeschooling is a good fit for your family, you probably have questions about how to begin the process and what resources are available. Because of this, we created a series entitled, How to Start Homeschooling. In each installment, we will discuss homeschooling rules and resources for each state. In today’s installment, we will discuss homeschooling in Tennessee.

What you need to know:

• Tennessee Homeschool Law requires you to submit a Notice of Intent to Homeschool to your Director of Schools each year.
• If your kid needs to remove from school, submit your Notice of Intent and then contact your school to see if there are particular forms for you to complete to remove officially.
• Homeschool teachers must possess a high school diploma or GED.
• Homeschool learners must attend a minimum of 4 hours per day for 180/days per year of instruction.
• There are no required academic subjects.
• Tennessee requires you to record your kid’s attendance each year to submit to the Director of Schools.
• Homeschool learners are required to take a standardized assessment grades 5, 7, and 9. These scores must be submitted to the Director of Schools.
• If you re-enroll your kid in a public school, your school principal will assess to determine grade level placement.

Resources

Tennessee offers funding assistance for learners with special needs through the Special Needs Individualized Education Account Program.

You can learn more at the Tennessee Department of Education’s Homeschooling page, Home School Legal Defense Association – Tennessee, and the Tennessee Home Education Association.