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🏠 Home Schooling in Nashville
The legal pathways, how to register with MNPS, and where to find local support
🏠 Home school is a pathway you choose — not a school you browse
Unlike public, charter, and private schools, there is no list of "home schools" to compare, because a home school isn't an institution — Tennessee law defines it as a school conducted by a parent or guardian for their own children. That's why home schooling has its own tab here instead of appearing in the school directory.
What families actually need is not a ranking but a clear map of the three legal ways to home school in Tennessee, how to register in Davidson County, and where to find local community. This is a neutral explainer — the guide does not rank or endorse any pathway, program, or group.
The three legal pathways
Under Tennessee state law (T.C.A. § 49-6-3050), families have three options. The first two are true home schools; the third is legally a private school you attend from home.
Option 1 · Home school
Independent home school
You are the teacher of record. You register directly with your school district (MNPS in Davidson County), teach at least 4 hours a day for 180 days, and keep an attendance record.
The teaching parent must hold a high school diploma or GED. Students take the state TCAP test in grades 5, 7, and 9. You issue your child's diploma and transcript.
Best for: families who want full control and are comfortable filing annual paperwork with the district.
Option 2 · Home school
Church-related umbrella school
You enroll your child in a state-approved Category IV church-related school that supervises home educators. The umbrella school handles registration, records, testing policy, and issues the diploma.
No district Intent form is required. Testing follows the umbrella school's policy (often no mandatory TCAP). For grades 9–12, a parent may still need a diploma or GED. This is the most common route in Tennessee.
Best for: families who want more flexibility on testing and support with record-keeping.
Option 3 · Private school
Accredited online school
An accredited Category III online school your child attends from home. The state is explicit that this is a private school, not a home school — the school provides the curriculum, teachers, and diploma.
Because these are private schools, they may appear in the private-school listings and some participate in state scholarship programs. Confirm accreditation on the state's Non-Public Schools list.
Best for: families who want a structured, accredited program without teaching it themselves.
How to start in Davidson County (MNPS)
The steps below cover the independent route through Metro Nashville Public Schools. If you choose an umbrella school, it walks you through its own enrollment instead.
1
Choose your pathway
Decide between independent, an umbrella school, or an accredited online school. Your choice determines who you register with and what testing applies.
2
File the Notice of Intent with MNPS
For independent home school, register with the MNPS Homeschool Office by submitting the Tennessee Notice of Intent to Home School form before the school year starts, along with proof of your high school diploma or GED. A new form is filed each year.
3
Withdraw from your current school
If your child is currently enrolled, notify the school of the switch. If you later stop home schooling, you must notify MNPS.
4
Teach and track attendance
Provide at least 4 hours of instruction per day for 180 days, and keep the MNPS Homeschool Attendance Calendar. Submit it to the MNPS Homeschool Office at the end of the year.
5
Take required tests
Independent home school students take the TCAP in grades 5, 7, and 9. Umbrella and online students follow their school's testing policy instead.
?
Questions?
Contact the MNPS Family Information Center at (615) 259-4636, or your district home school coordinator (see the state coordinator list below).
Official resources
Start here for the rules, forms, and the state-approved umbrella and online school lists.
HSLDA — TennesseeNational home school legal-defense group's TN summary.
💡 Home schooling is generally family-funded. Families of students with certain disabilities may want to check whether the state's Individualized Education Account (IEA) program applies to their situation.
This tab is for general guidance only. Home school law and district procedures change — always confirm the current requirements, deadlines, and forms with TDOE and the MNPS Homeschool Office before enrolling. Spot an error? Let us know.
🧸 Nashville Childcare & Daycare
Licensed facilities in Davidson County · TDHS QRIS Quality Scores (0–100) · CCAP subsidy acceptance
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📋 Data Source: Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) child-care provider portal.
This guide lists 405 licensed childcare & daycare facilities in Davidson County. QRIS Quality Scores (0–100) and their sub-scores are pulled from each provider's TDHS record (August 2026); a blank score means the facility is newly rated, awaiting a score, or outside the TDHS QRIS scale (DOE-overseen Pre-K). To verify any facility, visit
the TDHS provider map ↗ or
tn.gov — Find Child Care ↗.
📖 Glossary of Terms
Plain-language definitions for families navigating Nashville's school landscape
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