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Message for Homeschool Parents

Published August 18, 2011

Williamson County Schools wants to make sure parents of homeschooled students are aware of an important State law that could affect them.  According to Tennessee Law, homeschooled students who are not affiliated with a homeschool agency such as a Category IV church-related school must register their child with the school district.

For instance, a mom or dad who teaches their child at home is required to register with Williamson County Schools; whereas a parent who registers their child with a state-approved umbrella organization or a church-related program is not.

WCS believes many parents are unaware of this law, which is why Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney wrote the following letter:

Dear Parents of Homeschooled Children,

In recent weeks, the Williamson County Board of Education has been debating the feasibility of implementing a ruling by the Tennessee Schools Athletic Association (TSSAA) relating to the potential participation of homeschooled students in public school athletic programs.  During the School Board's deliberations, a number of issues have arisen impacting our ability to make a final and informed decision.

For example, we have been unable to substantiate what impact homeschooler participation might have on school funding, campus security, equity, fairness and a host of other issues.  Thus, our work is continuing as we try to have questions answered and gather more information on this important issue.  We surveyed other districts in Tennessee to gain insight about their decision and the thought process behind such a decision.  We have been reviewing the language of the applicable law and the TSSAA's ruling.  Finally, we have been attempting to quantify how many families our decision might impact.

In our analysis, we discovered that many of our families expressing interest in the new ruling are not actually registered as homeschool providers.  This is an important requirement of the law.  Therefore, to assist families who choose to homeschool their own children, and to avoid their inadvertent breaking of the law, we thought it might be beneficial to provide the following information:  The Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4 9-6-3050 establishes authority for parents to homeschool their children.

Homeschool parents can access related information and forms directly from the school district's website at www.wcs.edu.  Select "FAQ How do I..." then select "register my child for homeschool?"

State law requires the following:

  • The parent must provide annual notice to the director of schools prior to the beginning of each school year of their intent to conduct a homeschool.

  • The parent must provide the names, number, age and grade levels of the children to be homeschooled.

  • The parent must provide the location of the school.

  • The parent must provide the proposed curriculum to be offered in the homeschool.

  • The parent must provide the proposed hours of instruction for the homeschool.

  • The parent must, at a minimum, provide proof of a high school diploma or GED.

  • The parent must maintain attendance records and submit them at the end of each school year to the director of schools.

  • The parent must provide at least (4) hours of instruction per day for 180 days each school year.

  • The parent must ensure their children in grades 5 and 7 take the TCAP assessment.  Parents of ninth grade students must ensure their child participates in the appropriate state assessment.

  • The parent must consult with the director of schools in the event their child does not perform at grade level on the required assessment.  IN some cases, the director of schools may require the parents to enroll in a public, private, or church-related school.

  • The parent must submit evidence the homeschooled student has been vaccinated as required under Tennessee Law.

Williamson County Schools stands ready to help homeschool parents comply with Tennessee law.  For additional information or questions contact Sherry Fewell at 472-4101.

Sincerely,

Mike Looney, Ed.D.