To register an independent home school in Tennessee, download the Tennessee Intent to Homeschool form (officially the Notice of Intent to Home School) from the Tennessee Department of Education, fill in your child’s information, your proposed curriculum and instruction hours, and attach proof of your high school diploma or equivalency, then submit it to the Director of Schools in your public school district before the school year begins.1Tennessee Department of Education. Intent to Home School Form You file a new one every year.
Where to Get the Form
The Tennessee Department of Education publishes the official two-page Notice of Intent to Home School as a downloadable PDF on its website.1Tennessee Department of Education. Intent to Home School Form Many local school district offices also keep printed copies on hand if you prefer to pick one up in person.
Before you start filling it in, confirm this is the right form for your situation. It applies only to parents running an independent home school under T.C.A. ยง 49-6-3050. If your child is enrolled in a church-related umbrella school (a Category IV non-public school), that school handles its own reporting and you do not file separately.2Tennessee Department of Education. Home School Accredited online schools are classified as Category III private schools, so their students skip this form entirely.3U.S. Department of Education. Tennessee State Regulation of Private and Home Schools
What the Form Asks For
The statute lists exactly what you need to provide. For each child you intend to homeschool, give the name, age, and grade level, and state the total number of children covered by the notice. You then provide the physical address where instruction will take place and a description of the subjects you plan to teach during the upcoming school year. An outline of subject areas is enough; you do not need to list every textbook.4Justia. Tennessee Code 49-6-3050 – Home Schools
The form also asks for your proposed hours of instruction. Tennessee requires at least four hours of instruction per day for the same number of school days required of public schools, which is 180 days, so your schedule should reflect that minimum.4Justia. Tennessee Code 49-6-3050 – Home Schools This field is easy to overlook.
Finally, you must attach proof that you hold a high school diploma or a high school equivalency credential approved by the state board of education. This is a hard requirement. There is no alternative pathway for parents without one of these credentials to run an independent home school.4Justia. Tennessee Code 49-6-3050 – Home Schools
Fill out both pages completely. The two most common reasons a notice gets held up are a blank hours-of-instruction field and a missing diploma or GED attachment. Match your child’s name to official records like a birth certificate so the district has no reason to query the entry.
Where and When to Submit
Send the completed form to the Director of Schools (sometimes called the superintendent) for the public school district where your family lives. Both the form and the statute say to submit it “before the start of each school year” or “prior to each school year,” without naming a specific calendar date.1Tennessee Department of Education. Intent to Home School Form4Justia. Tennessee Code 49-6-3050 – Home Schools In practice, most districts tie the deadline to their own first day of school, so call the district office if you need the exact cutoff.
If you are pulling your child out of public school mid-year, you do not have to wait until the following August. The Tennessee Department of Education confirms that parents may withdraw a child to independent homeschool at any point during the school year.2Tennessee Department of Education. Home School File the Notice of Intent promptly upon withdrawal so there is no gap in attendance.
You can hand-deliver the form or mail it. Certified mail with a return receipt gives you a dated record that the district received it, which matters if timing is ever questioned. Keep a complete copy of the form and your proof of delivery.
File a New Notice Every Year
The Notice of Intent is not a one-time filing. You submit a new form before the start of each school year to continue operating your home school, and the new form captures any changes to your curriculum, number of students, or address.2Tennessee Department of Education. Home School
What You Have to Do After You File
Once your notice is on file, your home school must deliver at least four hours of instruction per day for 180 days each school year.5Tennessee Department of Education. Independent Home School Requirements The four-hour minimum covers actual teaching time, not breaks or lunch. Scheduling is up to you, as long as the totals are met.
Independent homeschool students also take standardized tests in grades five, seven, and nine. The statute requires the same state-approved secure tests given to public school students, or an equivalent test administered by a professional testing service approved by the local education agency.4Justia. Tennessee Code 49-6-3050 – Home Schools Testing can be arranged through the commissioner of education or a designee, or through one of those approved services. Scores go to you, the local Director of Schools, and the Tennessee State Board of Education; the testing service distributes them, so you do not need to forward results yourself.6Tennessee Code. Tennessee Code 49-6-3050 – Home Schools
What Happens If You Don’t File
Tennessee’s compulsory attendance law covers children between the ages of six and seventeen.7Tennessee State Board of Education. State Enrollment Attendance Guidelines Rule 0520-01-02-.17 A child in that range who is not enrolled in a public school, private school, or properly registered home school is considered truant, which can trigger contact from the district, a referral to juvenile court, or other legal proceedings against the parent. If you are already homeschooling without having filed, submit the form as soon as possible. Districts generally want compliance, not confrontation.