Church Related Schools may Enroll Home Schoolers 

About 95% of all home schoolers in Tennessee enroll in a church related school. These schools offer services to home schoolers. They keep a permanent record for each student. They offer graduation at the end of high school. Testing is made available for students as parents are ready to test their students. They help families without the fear of government intrusion.

Most home schoolers find that working through a church related school gives them the balance of services they want at an affordable price.

In Tennessee there are dozens of church relates schools that offer enrollment to home schoolers. You can find schools recommended by your local chapter of THEA by contacting that chapter.

Each church related school decides all of the requirements they will have. The grades for enrollment, the cost, questions about curriculum, all teacher requirements, testing requirements, reporting and transcript requirements, etc. Some schools require that you be a member of their church, but most do not. A few require that you live within a certain driving radius of their school.

This a free country and these schools make their decisions about how they will enroll students.

Church related schools have existed in Tennessee since the state was formed. In the 1970's the Church Related School law TCA 49-50-801 was passed.

Home education was hotly debated in the TN legislature in 1984 and 1985. During that time an option was added to the home school law permitting church related schools to offer enrollment to home schoolers.

The Department of Education coined the term "umbrella program" to describe these home schoolers. In fact the DOE does not describe these families as homeschooling families, even though TN law does and TN law does not mention "umbrella program".

This does cause confusion. As a result when someone calls the DOE or a superintendent's office and asks about home schooling, they probably won't hear about the "umbrella program" unless they specifically ask.  They will only be told about signing up with the local Superintendent of schools. 

Home schooling in Tennessee is stable. It is significantly regulated. 

THEA is not a lawyer group and does not offer legal advice.