In Tennessee, families have several educational opportunities for their children in grades K-12, including home schooling or home education. Tennessee state law (Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-3050(a)(1)) identifies a home school as a “school conducted or directed by a parent or parents or a legal guardian or guardians for their own children.”

The law identifies two ways parents or legal guardians may choose to home school their children: independent home school or enrollment in an approved church-related non-public school as defined by Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-50-801.

Sometimes parents or legal guardians can choose a third option for managing their child’s education from home by enrolling their child in an approved accredited online school. This option does not meet the definition of a home school as defined in Tennessee state law; however, it provides an alternative to a traditional brick-and-mortar school by allowing the student to attend their online school from home.

More information on home schooling in Tennessee can be found on the TN Department of Education website.