Your state guide · 2026
Tennessee homeschool laws
Last verified · View official sources
The short answer
Tennessee parents can run an independent home school by filing a notice of intent with their local school district before each school year, or enroll their child in a church-related umbrella school.
Editorial category; see the guide.
Any time for the first year; before the start of each school year after that.
See requirements for options and exceptions.
See the full guide for age exceptions.
Regulation level
H · HighView regulation data
| State | Category |
|---|---|
| Tennessee | High |
Your requirements
A practical checklist
“Not specified” means a single yes/no requirement is not explicit in the supplied information. Read each detail for options and exceptions.
Notice
RequiredAn Intent to Home School form with proof of the parent's high school diploma or equivalency credential. The district also asks which curriculum will be used. Legal guardians show proof of guardianship.
Subjects
RequiredNo set list for independent home schools. Parents choose and buy the curriculum, and the district asks which one will be used.
Hours / days
RequiredAt least 4 hours of instruction a day for the same number of days public schools must hold, which the Department of Education gives as 180 days a school year.
Testing / evaluation
Not specifiedIndependent home school students in grades 5, 7 and 9 take either a nationally normed test in English language arts and math chosen by the parent, proctored by someone not related to the student, or the same state tests public school students take in that grade (the grade 9 test is not an end-of-course exam). Results go to the parent, the director of schools and the State Board of Education. This testing rule was rewritten by Public Chapter 912 of 2026.
Teacher qualifications
Not specifiedAn independent home school parent must hold a high school diploma or a state-approved high school equivalency credential. Umbrella schools set their own rules and may require a diploma or equivalency for grades 9-12.
Records / portfolio
Not specifiedAttendance records are turned in to the district at the end of each school year and may be inspected by the director of schools at any time.
Immunizations
Not specifiedNot required to register an independent home school. A 2023 law (Public Chapter 296) removed the rule that home school parents give the district proof of immunizations and health services. If a home school student joins a district-sponsored interscholastic or extracurricular activity, the district may ask for proof of any health exam its own students need for that activity.
At a glance
- Notice of intent to the district before each school year
- Parent needs a diploma or equivalency
- 4 hours a day, 180 days a year
- Tests in grades 5, 7 and 9
- Umbrella school is an alternative route
- Zoned home school students can play public school sports
Requirements at a glance
Read the details for your chosen homeschooling option below.
Open the full requirements table
| Requirement | What to know |
|---|---|
| Compulsory school ages | 6–17 |
| Notice required | Yes |
| Filing deadline | Any time for the first year; before the start of each school year after that. |
| Required subjects | No set list for independent home schools. Parents choose and buy the curriculum, and the district asks which one will be used. |
| Instruction time | At least 4 hours of instruction a day for the same number of days public schools must hold, which the Department of Education gives as 180 days a school year. |
| Parent qualifications | An independent home school parent must hold a high school diploma or a state-approved high school equivalency credential. Umbrella schools set their own rules and may require a diploma or equivalency for grades 9-12. |
| Tests & assessments | Independent home school students in grades 5, 7 and 9 take either a nationally normed test in English language arts and math chosen by the parent, proctored by someone not related to the student, or the same state tests public school students take in that grade (the grade 9 test is not an end-of-course exam). Results go to the parent, the director of schools and the State Board of Education. This testing rule was rewritten by Public Chapter 912 of 2026. |
| Records to keep | Attendance records are turned in to the district at the end of each school year and may be inspected by the director of schools at any time. |
| Immunizations | Not required to register an independent home school. A 2023 law (Public Chapter 296) removed the rule that home school parents give the district proof of immunizations and health services. If a home school student joins a district-sponsored interscholastic or extracurricular activity, the district may ask for proof of any health exam its own students need for that activity. |
How to start homeschooling in Tennessee
Independent home school parents must hold a high school diploma or equivalency credential, teach at least four hours a day for 180 days, turn in attendance records each year, and have the child tested in grades 5, 7 and 9. School attendance is required from age 6 through 17, but a child enrolled in a home school is exempt once they turn 17.
Choose your homeschooling option
Independent home school. The parent or legal guardian is the teacher of record, files a yearly notice of intent with the district and meets the state's diploma, attendance and testing rules.
Church-related umbrella school. The child enrolls in a state-approved Category IV church-related school that supervises the parent-teacher. No notice of intent is filed with the district; the umbrella school handles records and testing.
Accredited online school. An accredited Category III online private school. The state treats this as private school, not home school.
Prepare your notice
An Intent to Home School form with proof of the parent's high school diploma or equivalency credential. The district also asks which curriculum will be used. Legal guardians show proof of guardianship.
Open the official notice resource ↗Check when and where to file
When: Any time for the first year; before the start of each school year after that.
Where: The local school district where the family lives (usually its home school coordinator).
View steps as a table
| Step | Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Choose your homeschooling option | Independent home school. The parent or legal guardian is the teacher of record, files a yearly notice of intent with the district and meets the state's diploma, attendance and testing rules. Church-related umbrella school. The child enrolls in a state-approved Category IV church-related school that supervises the parent-teacher. No notice of intent is filed with the district; the umbrella school handles records and testing. Accredited online school. An accredited Category III online private school. The state treats this as private school, not home school. |
| 2. Prepare your notice | An Intent to Home School form with proof of the parent's high school diploma or equivalency credential. The district also asks which curriculum will be used. Legal guardians show proof of guardianship. |
| 3. Check when and where to file | Any time for the first year; before the start of each school year after that. The local school district where the family lives (usually its home school coordinator). |
Subjects to teach
- No set list for independent home schools. Parents choose and buy the curriculum, and the district asks which one will be used.
Sports & extracurricular activities
Home school students can take part in public school interscholastic athletics, subject to the rules of the athletic association the school belongs to. Since the 2024-25 school year, if a public school offers interscholastic athletics without belonging to such an association, the district must let home school students zoned to that school take part (Public Chapter 658 of 2024). Since 2026, a public school must let home school students take its advanced courses and preparatory college entrance exams (such as the PSAT) when space is available.
Official forms & law
Tennessee Department of Education ↗
Forms & guidance
- Intent to Home School Form (PDF) ↗
- Independent Home School Requirements, Grades K-12 (PDF) ↗
- Home School FAQ (PDF) ↗
Statutes
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-3001(c)(1) and (c)(2)(D) (compulsory attendance ages 6 through 17; home school students exempt at 17), as quoted by the Department of Education ↗
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-3050(a) and (b)(1)-(4) (notice, attendance records, 4 hours a day, parent diploma), (b)(1) and (b)(4) as amended by Public Chapter 499 (2011, HB 1631) ↗
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-3050(b)(5) and (f), as amended by Public Chapter 912 (2026, HB 1729) ↗
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-3050(e)(1), as amended by Public Chapter 658 (2024, SB 1979) ↗
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-3050(b)(7), as amended by Public Chapter 296 (2023, HB 252) ↗
Questions, answered.
What do I file to homeschool in Tennessee?
An Intent to Home School form with proof of the parent's high school diploma or equivalency credential. The district also asks which curriculum will be used. Legal guardians show proof of guardianship.
When do I file in Tennessee?
Any time for the first year; before the start of each school year after that.
What assessments are required in Tennessee?
Independent home school students in grades 5, 7 and 9 take either a nationally normed test in English language arts and math chosen by the parent, proctored by someone not related to the student, or the same state tests public school students take in that grade (the grade 9 test is not an end-of-course exam). Results go to the parent, the director of schools and the State Board of Education. This testing rule was rewritten by Public Chapter 912 of 2026.
Check the original
Sources and last checked
- Home School ↗Tennessee Department of Education
- Back to School Legal FAQ (revised July 2023), quoting § 49-6-3001(c)(1) and (c)(2)(D) ↗Tennessee Department of Education
- Independent Home School Requirements: Grades K-12 (revised June 2026) ↗Tennessee Department of Education
- HB 1729 (Public Chapter 912), House Amendment 1 (HA0714) as adopted ↗Tennessee General Assembly
- SB 1979 / HB 1861 (Public Chapter 658), House Amendment 1 (HA0719) as adopted ↗Tennessee General Assembly
- HB 252 (Public Chapter 296) bill text ↗Tennessee General Assembly
- HB 1631 (Public Chapter 499, 2011), House Amendment 1 (HA0393) as adopted ↗Tennessee General Assembly
- HB 1631 (2011) bill as filed, restating § 49-6-3050 including (b)(2) and (b)(3) ↗Tennessee General Assembly
Last verified .