Homeschool Options in Tennessee
Overviews of Legal Homeschool Options In Tennessee.
If you are just beginning your homeschool journey and reside in Tennessee, here are the legal options available to you with an overview of each type.
Independent Homeschool: Under this option, you will be required to register with the TN Board of Education, and state testing IS required. A letter of intent to homeschool is also required. I NEVER recommend this option for many reasons.
Online School: You can register with an online school. Here is a list of approved accredited schools:TN Approved Schools List Under this option, parents are required to provide proof of enrollment. Again, I DO NOT recommend this option. This is not homeschooling; this is simply virtual school at home, and accreditation also comes with strings. Virtual school at home options are often frustrating for children, and with these options the freedom and flexibility of homeschooling does not exist. Additionally, some of these options can be expensive.
Umbrella Schools: Under this option, parents register with a Category IV - Church Related school. This option provides the most autonomy, is utilized by the majority of homeschool families in Tennessee, and comes with the least amount of government oversight. However, all umbrella schools ARE NOT created equal. I encourage you to do your research and determine if they accept government funding in any location they operate, including IDEA funding, or if they are actively involved in advocating for educational freedoms and parental rights. If they accept government funding of any type, Free YOUR Children would not recommend them as a resource. Free YOUR Children believes that parents have the God-given, fundamental, Constitutional right to educate their own children as they deem appropriate for their family. We do not believe that we should be REQUIRED to register under any of these options in Tennessee. We believe that is a violation of our rights, and we are currently working and advocating for true educational freedoms.
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