HS laws

Homeschool Laws
in the
State of Tennessee

At first glance the homeschooling laws in Tennessee seem onerous and complicated. To a some degree that's true, especially in comparison with other states in the nation. But most of us have learned to live with and around the regulations. Here is the non-lawyer version which I hope will help you connect the dots as you read the law. Something I repeat often to folks is:

Print the law,
read the law,
highlight the law,
keep the law on your desk.

The State of Tennessee's Homeschool page is here: http://www.state.tn.us/education/homeschool/ . There are several items on their pages that are not correct, for example the law doesn't specifically ask for your phone number, or that you report when you move to another district. Again, I encourage you to read the law yourself and compare it to these pages. Recently, the state has redone their homeschool pages. You'll find a list of non-public schools there as well as the forms to register with them, if you're registering with the local education agency (school district), or a church-related school that reports their high schoolers to the LEA, (please note the incorrect usage of the word "satellite' on that form which was written before the Jeter memo redefined 'satellite') and a copy of the attendance form you must return to the LEA at the end of the school year when you are registered with them. The state still, however, incorrectly reports that church-related schools don't provide diplomas, most do and they are recognized by colleges and employers.

The truth of the matter is there are educational districts, judges, and even some lawyers in our state that don't understand the law. As a result YOU MUST be familiar with the laws.

In Tennessee you have 3 options for registering as a "homeschooler":

with the Local Education Agency as an "independent homeschooler"

with a Church Related School as a "homeschooler"

with a Church Related School that considers your home a satellite campus of their school. You're considered a "private schooler" as noted below.

Technically, this isn't homeschooling according to the Jeter Memorandum but enrollment in "private school". This is an important legal distinction you'll want to remember. But since it's done at home by the parents--most of us call it homeschooling.

This law section is broken down as follows:

Attendance is basically from 6-17 inclusive. Along with the attendance regulations you'll find truancy laws in this section.
Homeschool: here's that code along with a copy of the Department of Education's (DOE) form for Homeschoolers (those registered with the Local Education Agency [LEA]) and my comments.
CRS (Church Related School) Law: is in this section, along with the DOE form which may apply to you if you're a homeschooler, the Jeter memorandum which gives homeschoolers even more freedom and a link to the CRS Chart where the nearly 100 CRS's are listed along with contact information, fees and services offered.
Driver's License laws and a link to the Department of Safety.
Immunization laws are here which include religious and medical exemptions.
Testing is required for some homeschoolers in certain grades and there is some debate as to whether high schoolers must be tested. Many church-related schools don't require testing at all for their homeschoolers.
Sports are a big deal for some families. The state gives superintendents complete and final authority to decide this issue in their districts. There have been attempts to change this but to date none have succeeded.
Legal help is sometimes needed. Here you'll find some varied resources to give you a hand.
Chain of Authority. It is hoped this section, when finished, will help you understand where certain freedoms and rules come from starting with the US Constitution down to the local education agency.