Parents/guardians who choose to teach their child on their own may register with their local school district for the Independent Home School option.

Requirements:

• Copy of Parent High School Diploma or GED
• Complete the Tennessee Intent to Home School Form. This form must be completed annually.
• Keep account of attendance and turn in the Home School Student Attendance Form to the Home School Coordinator at the end of the school year. Put a check, X, or highlight to indicate you have taught for 4 hours that particular day.
• Choose a curriculum. There are no costs up front. Your expenses will come from your choice of curriculum used to teach your child (from textbooks, to websites, to workbooks, etc).

Resources

• Tennessee Academic Standards

Parents/guardians can use any Tennessee private school, that offers home school, as your "umbrella" school.

A Current List of Non-public Schools is available on the Tennessee Department of Education's website.

Parents/guardians can register their child with an accredited online school approved by the state of Tennessee.

Once you have registered your child with an online school, you must provide a letter of attendance from the online school to the school that your child had been attending.

Acceptable online schools for students who reside in Tennessee must be accredited by one of the regional accrediting agencies listed below:

• AdvancED
• SACS CASI - Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement
• NCA CASI - North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement
• NWAC - Northwest Accreditation Commission
• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA)
• MSCES – Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools
• MSCSS – Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
• National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and affiliates (e.g., SAIS)
• National Council of Private School Accreditation (NCPSA)

If you have just moved to Sevier County and are already home schooling your child, please contact the Home School Coordinator.

The choices are the same for high school students; however, the end result may help in determining which path you and your child pursue.
 

Option 1:  Independent

• You can still teach your child independently; however, they will not graduate with a Tennessee High School Diploma. They will graduate with a home school diploma that you create for them.
• Your child can still attend college with a home schooled diploma. They will have to follow the college admittance requirements per school.
• Your child can enter the military with a home school diploma.

Option 2:  Non-public School

• Ask the non-public school their policy on providing a diploma.

Option 3:  Online School

• Ask the online school about their policy on providing a state diploma. Students who use an accredited online school are still eligible for the Hope Scholarship and the Tennessee Promise.