There has been some confusion in this matter causing school districts to illegally declare children truant when their parents have chosen this option. Enclosed is a document, which explains the current status of the law. This question has never been addressed by the Tennessee courts, but in our opinion the statutory language indicates a response in the affirmative. A home school associated with a church-related school is exempt from the requirements imposed on other home schools.
Parents also have the option of having their children attend a church-related school.
This is not home schooling, because the church-related school is not being conducted by parents or legal guardians for their own children. The parent will have to be considered a faculty member of the church-related school under the direct supervision of its administration. Such an arrangement should have other characteristics which distinguish it from a home school associated with a church-related school, although there are no particular legal requirements as such. Following are examples of such characteristics which would likely be considered by the courts in scrutinizing this education option. The parents should have the same accountability to those in authority at the church-related school as any other teachers at the main campus or location of the school.