Tennessee
• Compulsory Attendance Ages: Between 6 and 17. (§ 49-6-3001). A parent or guardian who believes that a child is not ready to attend school at age six may apply to the principal of the public school which the child would attend for a one semester or one year deferral in required attendance. Section 49-6-3001(c)(2) also exempts from the compulsory attendance law any child who has received a diploma or certificate of graduation from high school, is enrolled in an approved GED program or has received a GED certificate, or is enrolled in a home school and has reached the age of 17 years. The truancy laws of Tennessee are applicable to children and parents who enroll their child in a public school for more than six weeks, even though the child is less than six (6) years of age. § 49-6-3007(g).
• Required Days of Instruction: 180 days. (§ 49-6-3004, 3050)
• Required Subjects: No subjects specified in grades K-12 if associated with a church related school under options II and III below. Under option I, students in grades 9 through 12 must be taught either college preparatory or general course subjects.
• Home school parents have three options:
Option I: Home School Statute-Notify the Public School. (§ 49-6-3050) "A home school is a school conducted by parent(s) or legal guardians for their own children." Two of the three options fall under the home school statute.
1. Parents must submit a notice of intent to the local superintendent by August 1 of each school year "for the purpose of reporting only." The notice of intent must include the name, number, age and grade level of children involved, location of the school, curriculum to be offered (no particular subjects required in grades K-8) and the proposed hours of instruction and the qualifications of the parent-teacher. In grades 9-12, the notice must include whether a college preparatory or general course of education will be taught and a description of the courses to be taught in each year. (§ 49-6-3050(b)(1) and (8))
2. Parents must maintain attendance records, which are subject to inspection by the local superintendent. The records must be submitted to the superintendent at the end of each school year. (§ 49-6-3050(b)(2))
3. Instruction must be given 4 hours a day.
4. Parents must submit proof of vaccination as required by § 49-6-5001 or "a signed, written statement that such immunization and other preventive measures conflict with his religious tenets and practices." (§ 49-6-5001(b)(2))
5. "If notice is not given by August 1, but is given by September 1, it may be submitted upon payment by the parent of twenty dollars ($20.00) for each week or portion thereof by which notice is late. This penalty payment shall not exceed $80 and shall be charged per family regardless of the number of children attending the home school." The superintendent may waive the September 1 deadline "for good and
sufficient reasons." (§ 49-6-3050(b)(1)). The notice requirements do not apply to church related schools which cover home schools or to families who move into the state during the school year.
Option II: Home School Statute-Associate With a Church-Related School.
(§ 49-6-3050(a)(2)(A)). "Home schools who teach grades K-12, whose parents are associated with an organization that conducts church-related schools as defined by § 49-50-801 ... shall be exempt" from the home school requirements above. However, children in grades 9-12 must be registered with the local school district.
(§ 49-6-3050(a)(2)(C)(i))
Option III: Alternative Statute-Operate as a Satellite Campus of a Church-Related School. (§ 49-50-801) Parents may have their children attend a church-related school where the home is a satellite or extension of the church-related school. Unlike Option II, students in a satellite campus program are not considered home schoolers and need not register with the school district for grades 9-12. Furthermore, parents need not comply with the notice, registration, teacher qualifications, and standardized test requirements for home schools.
• Teacher Qualifications:
Option I: The parent-teacher must have a high school diploma or a GED to teach grades K-8 and have a baccalaureate degree to teach grades 9-12 or request an exemption from the Commissioner of Education. (§ 49-6-3050(b)(4), (7)). The Commissioner of Education arbitrarily rejects most exemption requests.
Option II: If parents conducting a home school are associated with a church-related school, there are no qualifications for teaching grades K-8, but parents must have a high school diploma or GED to teach grades 9-12. (§ 49-6-3050(a)(2)(B))
Options III: No qualifications required by statute.
• Standardized Tests:
Option I: Grades 5, 7 and 9 must take a standardized test administered by the commissioner of education or someone designated by him or by a professional testing service approved by the local education agency. Tests administered by the Commissioner must be without charge. The parent may be present when the home school student is in grade 5. If a home school child "falls 6 to 9 months behind his appropriate grade level in his reading, language arts, math or science test scores," the parent must "consult with a teacher licensed by the state. The parent and teacher shall design a remedial course." (§ 49-6-3050(b)(6))
Option II: Church-related schools must administer standardized achievement tests for home school students in grades K-12 if such tests are given in their regular day schools. (§ 49-6-3050(a)(2)(A)). Parents conducting a home school and associated with a church-related school must have students in grades 9-12 take an annual standardized achievement test or the Sanders Model of value-added assessment, whichever the local school district uses and is sanctioned by the State Board of Education. (§ 49-6-3050(a)(2)(B))
Options III: No testing required by statute.
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Tennessee State High School Graduation Requirements
- English units: 4
- Math units: 3. Must include at least 1 unit Algebra 1, Math for Technology II or Integrated Mathematics I (but not more than one of these). University Prep: "two credits in Algebra II, Geometry, or other advanced mathematics course or ... 2 credits in Integrated Mathematics II and Integrated Mathematics III." According to the Tennessee Department of Education Web site, the Class of 2009 "must also complete one of the following: Algebra II, Geometry, Integrated Math II, or Technical Geometry."
- Social studies units: 3. Must include U.S. history, world history/world geography, economics and government.
- Science units: 3. Must include 1 unit Biology I, Biology for Technology or the equivalent in an integrated curriculum. 1 unit must be "drawn from the physical sciences" and all sciences courses must "include laboratory experiences."
- P.E./Health units: 1
- Notes/Citation: 1 unit "wellness" must "integrate concepts from the areas of health and physical fitness."
- Arts: 1 unit "fine arts"; Technical Prep: 0
- Foreign language: University Prep: 2 in same language; Technical Prep: 0
- Electives units: University Prep: 3; Technical Prep: 2
- Other units: University Prep: 0; Technical Prep: 4 units of "program of study focusing on a particular technical area." Both University Prep and Technical Prep: Districts must verify "that all graduating seniors have had the equivalent of at least one year (180 hours) of computer education during their K-12 tenure. However, no units of computer education specified in 20 units required for high school graduation.
Other diploma options: State requires all students to complete 6 units in university prep or technical prep curriculum (requirements set forth under "standard" diploma provisions). State allows students completing either curriculum option to graduate with honors based on local requirements, including achieving an overall minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. State has policy on awarding proficiency-based credit.
Technical notes and citations: Students must complete 14 units of a core curriculum and choose to complete an additional 6 units in either the "University Preparation Curriculum" or the "Technical Preparation Curriculum."
TENN. CODE ANN. § 49-6-1010; TENN. COMP. R. & REGS. 0520-1-3-.05, 0520-1-3-.06
Important Note: State Graduation requirements are not necessarily the best guideline for homeschoolers to use. They have been included here as a guideline for what a typical public school student would need to complete in order to graduate.
A more important guideline may be the College Entrance requirements for where your student would like to attend college. While colleges have differing requirements, there are many colleges that publish requirements for homeschool graduates.
Related Pages:
Homeschool Support Groups in Tennessee
Colleges in Tennessee