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Homeschool laws in Tennessee

Checked Oct 11, 2026 against 3 sources · General information, not legal advice.

Your Tennessee to-do

For “Independent home school”. 1 other legal way below.

  1. Send the notice of intent First year
    Any time in the first year, even mid-year.
  2. Send a new notice of intent Every year after
    Before each new school year starts.
  3. Send attendance records to the district Every year
    At the end of each school year.

Homepen turns this into reminders and ready-to-send letters, and counts your days and hours.

Get early accessComing soon to iPhone, iPad and Android

What Tennessee asks

Tennessee parents can run an independent home school by filing a notice of intent with their school district every year, teaching at least 4 hours a day for 180 days, sending in attendance records at the end of each year, and testing in grades 5, 7 and 9; the teaching parent needs a high school diploma or equivalent. The other option is to enroll in an approved church-related "umbrella" school, which sets its own rules for parent-teachers and handles records and testing, with no notice of intent to the district.

School age: Ages 6–17. Ages 6 through 17, both inclusive; a student who is 18 is no longer subject to compulsory attendance.

Tennessee has 2 legal ways to homeschool. Pick the one that fits your family; Homepen asks you when you set up.

Independent home school

Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-3050 · Level 4: More involved

All the details, deadlines
Notice
Every year: First year: any time, including mid-year withdrawal from public school. Every later year: a new notice before the school year starts.
The state's form
Time
180 days a year, 4 hours a day
At least 4 hours of instruction a day on 180 days a school year.
Subjects
No subjects listed in the law
Assessment
Standardized test: 5, 7 and 9
Portfolio
Not required
Reports
A yearly report: Attendance records to the director of schools (or designee) at the end of each school year.
Records to keep
  • attendance records (sent to the district each year, open to inspection)
  • grades and transcripts
Teacher
High school diploma or high school equivalency credential (proof submitted with the notice).

Deadlines

  • Send the notice of intent: Any time in the first year, even mid-year.
  • Send a new notice of intent: Before each new school year starts.
  • Send attendance records to the district: At the end of each school year.

How Homepen helps

Homepen counts your days and hours as you tick lessons toward this goal, and makes: Notice-of-intent letter, filled in, Attendance & hours report, Report card, High-school transcript.

Another option: Church-related umbrella school (Category IV)

Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-3050; § 49-50-801 · Level 1: Very light

All the details and notes
Notice
No notice to file
Time
Set by your school or school district
Subjects
Set by your school or school district
Assessment
Set by your school or school district
Portfolio
Set by your school or school district
Reports
Set by your school or school district
Records to keep
Set by your school or school district
Teacher
Set by your school or school district
The church-related school may require parent-teachers of students in grades 9-12 to hold at least a high school diploma or equivalency credential (not a state requirement).

How Homepen helps

Homepen counts your days and hours as you tick lessons, and makes: Attendance & hours report, Report card, High-school transcript.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Laws change: we check every source at least every 6 months and before each school year. If something looks wrong, tell us. The state agency for homeschooling questions is the Tennessee Department of Education.

Keep your Tennessee records without the paperwork

Plan the week, tick lessons, and Homepen keeps the days, hours and portfolio Tennessee asks for.

Get early accessComing soon to iPhone, iPad and Android