Tennessee Homeschool Requirements Checklist

Teacher qualifications: what applies to you

If the parent-teacher is ill, or at the parent-teacher's discretion, a tutor with the same qualifications may be employed (T.C.A. 49-6-3050(c)). The statute requires the qualifications to be reported in the annual notice; it does not say a copy of the diploma must be attached.

Deadline: Before you start

Review curriculum requirements

Check the cited source for curriculum requirements that may be described without a subject-by-subject list. Conditions: No subjects are set by statute. The annual notice must describe the proposed curriculum (T.C.A. 49-6-3050(b)(1)).

Meet instructional time requirements

Minimum: 180 days/year, 4 hours/day. You must track and document hours. Conditions: Home schools must instruct for the same number of days state law requires of public schools (T.C.A. 49-6-3050(b)(3)); that is 180 days of classroom instruction (T.C.A. 49-6-3004(a)(1)).

Show your child's progress

Standardized test — at specific grade levels. At grades: 5, 7. Conditions: Testing is required in grades 5 and 7 (T.C.A. 49-6-3050(b)(5)(A)). Choose either (i) a nationally normed test in English language arts and mathematics selected by the parent-teacher, proctored by someone not related to the student and recorded by the test developer, at the parent's expense; or (ii) the state board-approved tests given to public school students in the same grade (T.C.A. 49-6-3050(b)(5)(A)). The statute sets no passing score. Results must be provided to the parent-teacher, the director of schools and the state board of education (T.C.A. 49-6-3050(b)(5)(B)(iii)).

Keep basic records

You must maintain: attendance records. Records may be reviewed by the district.

Renew each year

You must renew your homeschool notice each year by Before the start of each school year. Conditions: The notice must report the children's names, number, ages and grade levels, the school location, the proposed curriculum, the proposed hours of instruction and the parent-teacher's qualifications, for reporting purposes only (T.C.A. 49-6-3050(b)(1)). The statute lists what the annual notice must contain (the children's names, number, ages and grade levels, the school location, proposed curriculum, proposed hours of instruction, and the parent-teacher's qualifications) but prescribes no form. The Department of Education says parents may use its Intent to Home School Form, or the district may request an electronic form containing the same information.