Source: http://www.homeschoolingintennessee.com/gettingstarted/legal/statelaws.aspx
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 13:44:17+00:00

Document:
This is a summary of part of the statutes regulating home eduation in Tennesse. Provided by the Tennessee Department of Education.
This summary is provided by the Tennesse Department of Education.
This is a summary of the laws regulating home education in the state of Tennessee.
This is a chart that covers all of the requirements for each option to homeschool under the current law. Provided by the Tennessee Department of Education.
The Home School Legal Defense Association provides a brief summary of the homeschooling laws in Tennessee. Includes a link to a legal analysis of laws relating to homeschooling in Tennessee.
As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, "church-related school" means a school operated by denominational, parochial or other bona fide church organizations, which are required to meet the standards of accreditation or membership of the Tennessee Association of Christian Schools, the Association of Christian Schools International, the Tennessee Association of Independent Schools, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Tennessee Association of Non-Public Academic Schools, the Tennessee Association of Church Related Schools, or a school affiliated with Accelerated Christian Education, Inc.
The state board of education and local boards of education shall not prohibit or impede the transfer of a student from a church-related school to a public school of this state. Local boards may, however, place students transferring from a church-related school to a public school in a grade level based upon the student's performance on a test administered by the board for that purpose. In local school systems where the local board of education requires tests for students transferring to that system from another public school system, the same test shall be administered to students transferring to such system from church-related schools. Church-related schools shall be conducted for the same length of term as public schools.
Nothing in this section shall be interpreted as prohibiting church-related schools from voluntarily seeking approval by the state board of education, nor prohibiting the state board of education from extending such approval when it is voluntarily sought.
49-6-3001. School age - Entrance - Attendance - Withdrawal.
The public schools shall be free to all persons above the age of five (5) years, or who will become five (5) years of age on or before September 30, residing within the state.
Any child residing within the state who is five (5) years of age or who will become five (5) years of age on or before September 30 may enter at the beginning of the term the public school designated by the local board of education having appropriate jurisdiction; provided, that such child enters within thirty (30) days after the opening day of the term.
Any child who will not become five (5) years of age until after December 31 shall not enter school during that school year; provided, that school systems having semiannual promotions may admit at the beginning of any semester children who will become five (5) years of age within sixty (60) days following the opening of the semester.
Where a pupil meets the requirements of the state board of education for transfer and/or admission purposes, as determined by the commissioner of education, such pupil may be admitted by a local board of education, notwithstanding any other provision or act to the contrary.
Every parent, guardian or other legal custodian residing within this state having control or charge of any child or children between six (6) years of age and seventeen (17) years of age, both inclusive, shall cause such child or children to attend public or non-public school, and in event of failure to do so, shall be subject to the penalties hereinafter provided. The LEA in which a transfer student seeks to enroll may require disclosure and copies of the student's records in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. § 1232g et seq.), including, but not limited to, disciplinary records from educational agencies where the student was previously enrolled.
A student enrolled in a home school who has reached seventeen (17) years of age.
"Public school" means any school operated by an LEA or by the state with public funds.
A parent or guardian with any good and substantial reason as determined by such parent or other person having legal custody of a child, and agreed to by the respective local board of education, may withdraw such parent or other person's child from a public school; provided, that within thirty (30) days the parent or person having legal custody of the child places the child in a public school designated by such local board of education, or in a non-public school, as herein defined.
A parent or guardian who believes that such parent's or guardian's child is not ready to attend school at the designated age of mandatory attendance may make application to the principal of the public school which the child would attend for a one (1) semester or one (1) year deferral in required attendance. Any such deferral shall be reported to the director of the LEA by the principal.
Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a person designated as a caregiver with the power of attorney for care of a minor child pursuant to title 34, chapter 6, part 3, shall have the right to enroll the minor child in the LEA serving the area where the caregiver resides. The LEA shall allow a caregiver with a properly executed power of attorney for care of a minor child, pursuant to title 34, chapter 6, part 3, to enroll the minor child, but may require documentation of the minor child's residence with a caregiver and/or documentation or other verification of the validity of the stated hardship prior to enrollment. If the minor child ceases to reside with the caregiver, then the caregiver shall notify any person, school or health care provider that has been provided documentation of the power of attorney for care of a minor child. Except where limited by federal law, the caregiver shall be assigned the rights, duties and responsibilities that would otherwise be assigned to the parent, legal guardian or legal custodian pursuant to this title. If at any time the parent or legal guardian disagrees with the decision of the caregiver or chooses to make any educational decisions for the minor child, then the parent must revoke the power of attorney and provide the LEA written documentation of the revocation.
49-6-3005. Children excused from compulsory attendance.
Children who have attained their seventeenth birthday and whose continued compulsory attendance, in the opinion of the board of education in charge of the school to which such children belong and are enrolled, results in detriment to good order and discipline and to the instruction of other students and is not of substantial benefit to such children.
In all such cases, the board shall first obtain the recommendation in writing from the director of schools of the system and the principal of the school to which such child or children belong.
No child who is refused attendance in a school nearer to such child's residence having equivalent grade levels and curriculum shall be required to attend public or non-public school as provided in § 49-6-3001.
In addition to the categories of children specified in subsection (a), the local board of education may excuse children from attendance in accordance with guidelines developed by the state board of education for this purpose. The state board of education shall have the guidelines approved by the joint oversight committee on education before implementation.
49-6-3007. Attendance and truancy reports - Enforcement of compulsory attendance.
On or before the beginning of the school term each year, the director of schools of each school district shall furnish to the principal teacher in each school, or cause to be furnished, through any duly elected attendance teacher, as herein provided, the names of children depending on their schools for instruction, together with the names of the parents or guardians of the children, the lists to be taken from the census enumeration on file in the office of the director of schools, or from any other available and reliable sources.
It is the duty of every principal or teacher of a public school to report to the director of schools, immediately after the opening of school, the names of all children on the list furnished to the director of schools who have not appeared for enrollment.
It is the duty of the principals and teachers of all schools, public, private, denominational or parochial, to report in writing to the director of schools of the system in which the school is located the names, ages and residences of all pupils in attendance at their schools and classes within thirty (30) days after the beginning of the school year, and to make such other reports of attendance in their schools or classes, including transfers of pupils, as may be required by rule or regulation of the local board of education and of the state board of education. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (g), the provisions of this subsection shall apply to any child less than six (6) years of age who is enrolled in any school to which the provisions of this subsection are applicable.
All public, private and parochial schools shall keep daily reports of attendance, verified by the teacher making such record, which shall be open to inspection at all reasonable times, to the director of schools of the system in which the school is located or to the director of schools' duly authorized representative. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (g), the provisions of this subsection shall apply to any child less than six (6) years of age who is enrolled in any school to which the provisions of this subsection are applicable.
It is the duty of the principal or teacher of every public, private or parochial school to report promptly to the director of schools, or the director of schools' designated representative, the names of all children who have withdrawn from school, or who have been absent five (5) days (this means an aggregate of five (5) days during the school year and not necessarily five (5) consecutive days) without adequate excuse. Each successive accumulation of five (5) unexcused absences by a student shall also be reported.
Such director of schools shall thereupon serve, or cause to be served, upon the parent, guardian or other person in Tennessee in parental relation to such children unlawfully absent from school, written notice that attendance of such children at school is required. A new notice shall be sent after each successive accumulation of five (5) unexcused absences.
If it appears that, within three (3) days after receipt of the notice, any child, parent, guardian or other person in parental relation has failed to comply with the provisions of this part, the director of schools, in the name of the local school system, shall report the facts of such unlawful attendance to the sheriff, constable, city police officer, district attorney general, or the foreman of the grand jury, who shall proceed against the parent, guardian or other person in parental relation in accordance with the provisions of this part, unless the parent, guardian or person having charge and control of the child shall at once place the child in some day school as aforementioned.
The director of schools of any local school system, after written notice to the parent or guardian of a child, shall report any child who is habitually and unlawfully absent from school to the appropriate judge having juvenile jurisdiction in that county, each case to be dealt with in such manner as the judge may determine to be in the best interest of the child, consistent with the provisions of §§ 37-1-132, 37-1-168 and 37-1-169 and in the event the child is adjudicated to be unruly, the judge may assess a fine of up to fifty dollars ($50.00) or five (5) hours of community service, in the discretion of the judge, against the parents or legal guardians of children in kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) if the child is absent more than five (5) days during any school year.
Except as otherwise provided by § 49-6-3001 or § 49-6-3005, the provisions of this section shall be applicable to children less than six (6) years of age and their parent, guardian, or other person in a parental relation when such parent, guardian, or other person in a parental relation has enrolled the child in any school which receives funding based on average daily membership; provided, that a child may be withdrawn within six (6) weeks of initial enrollment without penalty.
"Suspension" is defined as dismissed from attendance at school for any reason not exceeding ten (10) consecutive days. Multiple suspensions shall not run consecutively nor shall multiple suspensions be applied to avoid expulsion from school. The school district shall remain eligible to receive funding for a suspended student.
Inclusion in the agreement of safeguards to protect students from discriminatory or selective enforcement and to protect the civil rights of students and parents. If such an agreement is entered into, then it shall be the duty of the principal or teacher of every public school to report promptly to the director of schools, or the director of schools' designated representative, the names of all children who have been absent two (2) days (this means an aggregate of two (2) days during the school year and not necessarily two (2) consecutive days) without adequate excuse and shall continue to report each subsequent absence without adequate excuse.
Such director of schools shall thereupon serve, or cause to be served, upon the parent, guardian or other person in Tennessee in parental relation to such children unlawfully absent from school, written notice that attendance of such children at school is required, and of the provisions of this subsection.
Under the provisions of such an agreement, and for purposes of this section and § 37-1-102(b)(23)(A)(i), a student who has been absent an aggregate three (3) days without adequate excuse may be deemed habitually truant.
The juvenile court, if there has been a local interagency agreement entered into by the juvenile court and the local law enforcement agency.
The powers conferred under such agreements may be exercised without warrant and without subsequent legal proceedings.
The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to students enrolled in home or non-public schools in accordance with the provisions of §§ 49-6-3050 or 49-50-801.
Upon issuance of a standing order by the juvenile court, LEA officials shall be allowed to release student record information to local law enforcement agencies and to juvenile justice system officials to assist such officials in effectively serving the student whose record is released. Officials and authorities receiving such information shall not disclose the information to any other party without prior written consent of the parent.
A "home school" is a school conducted by parent(s) or legal guardian(s) for their own children. In the case of special needs courses, such as laboratory sciences, vocational education, special education, etc., premises approved by the local director of schools may be used. Public school facilities may be used by home school participants with the approval of the local director of schools, but this permissive authority shall not be construed to confer any right upon such participants to use public school facilities. If approved, such use shall be in accordance with rules established by the local board of education.
Home schools which teach kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12), where the parents are associated with an organization that conducts church-related schools, as defined by § 49-50-801, which are supervised by such organization through the director of schools of such organization's department of education, and which administer standardized achievement tests at the same time such tests are given in their regular day schools, are exempt from the provisions of this section.
Parent-teachers registered with such organization for conducting a home school for children in grades nine through twelve (9-12) shall possess at least a high school diploma or general education development certificate (GED), and shall have such grade nine through twelve (9-12) students administered an annual standardized achievement test or the Sanders Model of value-added assessment, whichever is in use in that LEA and is sanctioned by the state board of education.
Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (a)(2)(A), any parent desiring to conduct a home school covered by the provisions of this subdivision must register children who would be in grades nine through twelve (9-12) with the LEA which the child would otherwise attend.
Any parent conducting a home school for children in grades nine through twelve (9-12) under this subdivision (a)(2) must adhere to the same program of the Sanders Model of value-added assessment, or other standardized achievement testing in use in the LEA which the child would otherwise attend. If the child fails, for two (2) consecutive years, to meet or surpass the average level of achievement in the Sanders Model of value-added assessment or other standardized achievement testing in use in the LEA, the child shall be enrolled in the appropriate grade level of the LEA or private or church-related school.
In the event of the illness of a parent-teacher, or the inadequacy of the parent-teacher to teach a specific subject, a tutor, having the same qualifications which would be required of a parent-teacher teaching that grade level or course, may be employed by the parent-teacher.
An LEA which has responsibility under this section on account of the conduct of home schools within its jurisdiction shall receive a state grant for accounting and record keeping expenses. The amount of this grant shall be set annually by the commissioner in an amount not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100) per home school student. The grant shall not be included in, or considered a part of, the Tennessee foundation program.
The commissioner of health is authorized, subject to the approval of the public health council, to designate diseases against which children must be immunized prior to attendance at any school, nursery school, kindergarten, preschool or child care facility of Tennessee.
(2) In the absence of an epidemic or immediate threat thereof, this section shall not apply to any child whose parent or guardian shall file with school authorities a signed, written statement that such immunization and other preventive measures conflict with the parent's or guardian's religious tenets and practices, affirmed under the penalties of perjury.
No children shall be permitted to attend any public school, nursery school, kindergarten, preschool or child care facility until proof of immunization is given the admissions officer of the school, nursery school, kindergarten, preschool or child care facility except as provided in subsection (b).
No child shall be denied admission to any school or school facility if such child has not been immunized due to medical reasons if such child has a written statement from the child's doctor excusing the child from such immunization.
Each child attending any school, nursery school, kindergarten, preschool or child care facility without furnishing proof of immunization or exception under subsection (b) and/or (e), shall not be counted in the average daily attendance of students for the distribution of state school funds.
Any immunization specified hereunder shall not be required if a qualified physician shall certify that administration of such immunization would be in any manner harmful to the child involved.
The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out this section.
Proof of immunization shall be established by a certificate of immunization listing all immunizations which a child has received. Such certificates shall be signed by a physician or a health care provider administering immunizations. Beginning with the 1986 school year, all certificates of immunization shall be on forms furnished by the department of health.
The certificate of immunizations required of any child who has not received all immunizations required by the commissioner of health, under the provisions of § 49-6-5001(a), shall be forwarded to the commissioner. The commissioner shall be responsible for monitoring the health records and notifying the student's legal guardian(s) and the local school system in the case of noncompliance with immunization requirements.
The department of health shall create a plan to protect young Tennesseans against Hepatitis B by immunization and to prevent the spread of the disease.
The department shall also promulgate the necessary rules to add Hepatitis B to the schedule of immunizations required for kindergarten entry.
49-6-6002. Tests not to be conducted earlier than grade three (3).
No state-mandated test shall be conducted earlier than grade three (3), except that when the first and second grade tests provided for in Acts 1997, ch. 434, § 7 are available, these tests shall be conducted.
The Jeter Memorandum is the result of trouble homeschoolers in West Tennessee had with truancy officials disagreeing with local homeschoolers and a CRS over just what was required of homeschoolers.

References: § 1232
 § 49
 § 49
 § 49
 § 37
 § 49
 § 49
 § 7