What is Home Education and where did it start?

What are the benefits of home education & won't my children miss socialization?

Is home education legal in Tennessee & can I protect my family from intrusion?

How do I get started home schooling?

THEA was formed for the purpose of preserving & defending the rights of parents to direct the education of their children & to provide a statewide network of support, encouragement, & assistance to home schooling families. Below are some of the comon questions encountered by us reguarding homeschooling in the state of Tennessee.

What is HOME EDUCATION and where did it start?

Home education is a tutorial method of education in which one or both parents assume the entire responsibility of schooling their own children. While many people think of home education as a relatively new concept, in truth, it has been the predominant form of education during 6,000 years of recorded history. Famous home schoolers include Benjamin Franklin, Daniel Webster, Winston Churchill, Alexander Graham Bell, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Pearl Buck, Agatha Christie, C. S. Lewis, Franklin D. Roosevelt... to name only a few!

What are the benefits of HOME EDUCATION & won't my children miss socialization?

One major benefit of home education is its academic superiority. Research shows that while the average score of public high school students is at the 50th percentile home educated children score at about the 85th percentile on nationally recognized achievement tests. This can be attributed in part to the fact that in the home, the quality of learning is held constant (until mastered) & the lesson time varied as needed from child to child. Also, the home educator can specifically design a program of study that will meet the learning style of each student allowing for individual strengths & weaknesses. Auditory, visual, & kinesthetic learners can learn in their preferred manner. Each student can work at his or her own pace without wasting time waiting for other students to finish their work. Due to this economy of time, sensitivity to learning style, the extremely low student teacher ratio, & an environment that is relatively free from distraction, home schooling is a very efficient & productive form of education.

The second major benefit of home education is in the area of character development. The home schooled child is frequently educated in a multi-age group setting which is a more accurate reflection of the world in which we live. Home schooling also encourages the adoption of parental values as opposed to peer group values, & teaches the student to relate to people of all ages. A loving home environment builds a child's self esteem, thus enabling him or her to make decisions based on mature parental values rather than those of his age group only.

Socialization can be positive or negative. Home educated children typically have plenty of positive social interaction through their family, church, support group, neighborhoods & friends.

Is HOME EDUCATION legal in Tennessee? Can I protect my family from unwelcome intrusion?

Yes. In 1985, primarily as a result of home educators across the state coordinated by the Tennessee Home Education Association or THEA, Tennessee enacted its current home schooling law (T. C. A. 49-6-3050).

In grades K-8, in order to be in compliance with the law home schoolers have two options, which are offered in layman's terms in summary form, as follows:

1) Register with the local superintendent of public schools. In part you must register by August 1 or pay a fine, maintain attendance records, and instruct 4 hours per day for 180 days. The teaching parent must have a high school diploma or GED and students must be tested when public school students are tested in grades 5, 7 and 9.

2) Register with a Church Related School (CRS) that offers services to home schoolers. You must meet the requirements of that particular school and have your child tested whenever they test their full-time students. For a copy of the law and a listing of CRSs, please contact your local area coordinator. If you have other questions please write THEA; P.O. Box 681652, Franklin, TN 37068.

In the years since the law went into effect, we have seen several changes. In 1994, the law changed to allow CRSs to register students in grades K-12, but this change came with a setback. Testing and registration with the State is required. In early 1999 a very positive change came about as a result of an interpretation of the law. This change recognizes the home school as an extension of the CRS, the parent-teacher as an employee of the CRS & the student as an enrollee of the CRS. This method does not require testing by or registration with the State, but sees the parent-teacher & the student entirely under the authority of the CRS.Another change has to do with the Compulsory Attendance law. Compulsory Attendance age was changed from 7-16 to 6-17 for all students, except for the home schoolers. Additionally, in order for a 16 or 17 year old to get a driver's license a school official must complete a form which goes to the Department of Safety. This can be done by your CRS. Attempts have been made to allow home schoolers to play against TSSAA member schools or on their teams & to date this has been unsuccessful.

THEA encourages all home schoolers to join the Home School Legal Defense Association. While prosecution of home schoolers in Tennessee is relatively infrequent, it does happen. HSLDA provides Tennessee specific experienced legal counsel and representation by highly qualified attorneys to every member family who is challenged in the area of home schooling. Attorney's fees are paid in full by HSLDA.. For information write or call: HSLDA, PO Box 3000, Purcellville, Virginia 20134 or call (540) 338-5600. THEA and most of the chapters can supply group numbers to members for the group discount of $85 annually rather than $100.

How do I get started home schooling?

1) Register your student(s) with either the local superintendent or the CRS of your choice.

2) Research and select curriculum for each child, or enroll in a specific home study course.

3) Inform yourself as to the educational, historical, political, and legal aspects of home education so that you may adequately explain (or defend) your home school to anyone who questions what your are doing.

4) To facilitate numbers 2 and 3 above, and to make your home school experience easier and more pleasant, then join THEA!