Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship Program
During the Tennessee General Assembly's extraordinary legislative session in January 2025, the Tennessee General Assembly passed the Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship Act, Chapter 7 of the Public Acts of 2025, 1st Extraordinary Session, and Governor Bill Lee signed the landmark legislation on February 12, 2025 to establish Tennessee’s universal school choice program into law.
Education Freedom Scholarship Application
Applications closed on June 13, 2025, at 4 p.m. CT.
On Wednesday, March 20, 2025, the State Board of Education held a special called meeting to hear the Education Freedom Scholarship Act emergency rules, which received a unanimous positive recommendation, marking another pivotal step in the implementation process. On March 20, 2025, the State Board of Education accepted permanent EFS rules on first reading, which is the beginning of the permanent rulemaking process laid out in state law and by the Secretary of State’s office. To learn more about this process and what is included, please refer to the State Board of Education's website.
The Tennessee Department of Education is working diligently to launch this program and provide access to Tennessee families. As implementation of the program is underway, the department is partnering with the State Board of Education as they promulgate rules ahead May 15th launch. More information will be forthcoming.
With questions, please email EFS.Questions@tn.gov.What are Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarships?
Education Freedom Scholarships will allow residents of Tennessee who have a child entitled to attend a public school in grades K-12 to use state funds toward education expenses, including tuition and/or fees at registered Category I, II, or III private schools located in Tennessee.
The proposed scholarship amount for the 2025-26 school year is $7,295.
The department will award 20,000 scholarships as follows, in the order in which the department receives COMPLETED scholarship applications:
- 10,000 scholarships are available for eligible students who meet one (1) of the following criteria:
- A student’s annual household income does not exceed three hundred percent (300%) of the amount required for the student to qualify for free or reduced-price lunch as provided in the income eligibility guidelines published by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services (see chart below); or
- The student is an eligible student as defined in Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-2602 or Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-10-1402.
- A student’s annual household income does not exceed three hundred percent (300%) of the amount required for the student to qualify for free or reduced-price lunch as provided in the income eligibility guidelines published by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services (see chart below); or
- 10,000 scholarships are available for eligible students, regardless of the eligible student’s income.
| Household Size | 300% of Federal Free or Reduced Price Lunch Guidelines |
| 2 | $113,442 |
| 3 | $143,301 |
| 4 | $173,160 |
| 5 | $203,019 |
| 6 | $232,878 |
| 7 | $262,737 |
Interested Tennessee Families
Tennessee families should read below for additional information about how students can participate in the program. Interested Tennessee families can sign up to receive regular updates here.
EFS Resources for Families
- EFS Student Application Checklist
- EFS Application Step-By-Step Guide
- EFS Frequently Asked Questions
- EFS Family Handbook - The EFS Family Handbook is also available for download in Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic.
- Student is a resident of Tennessee who is entitled to attend a public school in any of the grades kindergarten through twelve (K-12).
- Student is lawfully present in the United States.
The EFS student application for the 2025-26 school year will launch on May 15, 2025 at noon CT/1 p.m. ET.
Before receiving the first EFS disbursement, either your student will need to become the account holder of the EFS account, or the EFS Program must receive one of the following for your student:
1) A valid notarized power of attorney executed by your student, appointing you as the agent, OR
2) A conservatorship order issued by a judge, appointing you as the conservator and granting the appropriate decision-making rights
What is a POA and what does it need to include?
A POA is a legal agreement between two individuals in which the principal (e.g., your student) agrees to allow the agent (e.g., you, the parent or caretaker) to make decisions or exercise rights and responsibilities on the principal’s behalf.
POAs can be:
General: Intended to cover all decisions, rights, and responsibilities. Note that Tenn. Code Ann. § 34-6-109 has a common list of powers that can be incorporated by reference, OR
Limited: Intended to cover only some decisions, rights, and responsibilities, AND
Durable: Takes effect immediately and remains in effect until termination by the principal, OR
Temporary: Takes effect immediately but only remains in effect until a specified date or future event occurs (e.g. graduating high school).
A POA does not have to be drafted by an attorney and does not need to be approved or issued by a judge. The EFS Program simply requires the POA be signed by the student in the presence of a notary public and notarized. However, a POA is only valid if your student has the mental capacity to understand the nature and purpose of the POA. If your student does not have this capacity, a conservatorship is required, which is a lengthier process and requires a court proceeding.
The POA that your student executes for you to remain the EFS account holder must at a minimum indicate that the following rights are transferred to you, as the agent:
- The right to make educational decisions regarding the placement and participation of the student in the Education Freedom Scholarship Program; and
- The right to make banking and financial decisions and transactions, limited to management, control, and access to the Education Freedom Scholarship.
The above terms can easily be added to existing POA formats. In addition, TDOE provides an optional limited POA that only transfers the minimum rights necessary for participation in the EFS Program. A template of this form is provided below.
Please complete and submit the Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) Program Age of Majority Form provided below.
Step 1 Appeal
The Step 1 Appeal form for application denial can be found under the “Denied” status in the account holder’s portal account. Please login to your EFS account if you wish to appeal an application denial.
Step 2 Appeal
To file a Step 2 Appeal for application denial, please complete the form linked below and email it to EFS.Questions@tn.gov. The Step 2 Appeal Form must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the notice of denial of the Step 1 Appeal.
Updated as of: 7/23/25
The vast majority of all eligible Tennessee schools have registered for the EFS Program. Overall, 241 schools officially registered.
Below is the list of schools that are officially registered for the EFS Program for the 2025-26 school year:
| County | School Name |
|---|---|
| Anderson County | St. Mary School - Oak Ridge |
| Bedford County | Cooper Christian Academy The Webb School Victory Baptist Academy |
| Blount County | Apostolic Christian Academy Maryville Christian School RIO Christian Academy |
| Bradley County | Faith Haven Christian Academy Tennessee Christian Preparatory School |
| Campbell County | Campbell County Christian Academy Jellico Christian Academy |
| Cannon County | Woodbury Seventh-day Adventist Elementary School |
| Cheatham County | Pleasant View Christian School |
| Claiborne County | J. Frank White Academy |
| Cumberland County | Inez Wrenn Seventh-day Adventist School Trinity Academy |
Davidson County |
Abintra Montessori School The Academy for G.O.D Akiva School B.E. Academy for Girls Benton Hall Academy Christ the King School The Covenant School Davidson Academy Donelson Christian Academy The Edison School Episcopal School of Nashville Ezell-Harding Christian School Father Ryan High School F. H. Jenkins Preparatory School Goodpasture Christian School Holy Rosary Academy Jewish Upper School of Nashville: Jewish Middle School Jewish Upper School of Nashville: Kehilla High School King’s Academy Nashville Lighthouse Christian School Madison Academy Metro Christian Academy Nashville Christian School Nashville International Academy Overbrook Catholic School Primrose School of Nashville Midtown Southern Angels Comprehensive Academy St. Ann School St. Cecilia Academy St. Clement Coptic Orthodox Christian Academy St. Edward School St. Henry School St. Joseph School St. Paul Christian Academy St. Pius X Classical Academy Templeton Academy |
| Dickson County | Greater Things Christian School |
| Fayette County | Fayette Academy Fayette Christian School Rossville Christian Academy |
| Franklin County | St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School Winchester Christian Academy |
| Hamblen County | All Saints' Episcopal School Lakeway Christian Schools: Cornerstone Christian Academy Campus |
| Hamilton County | Annoor Academy of Chattanooga Avondale Seventh-day Adventist School Baylor School Beacon Academy Belvoir Christian Academy Berean Academy Bethel Christian Academy Boyd-Buchanan School Brainerd Baptist School The Bright School Chattanooga Christian School Collegedale Academy Girls Preparatory School Grace Baptist Academy Hamilton Heights Christian Academy Hickory Valley Christian School Lester Coon Adventist School McCallie School The Montessori School Notre Dame High School Orange Grove School Our Lady of Perpetual Help School Silverdale Baptist Academy Skyuka Hall St. Jude School St. Nicholas School St. Peter's Episcopal School |
| Hardin County | Sheltering Tree Ranch |
| Hickman County | Centerville Christian School |
| Humphreys County | St. Patrick School |
| Jefferson County | Lakeway Christian Schools: Lakeway Christian Academy Campus |
| Knox County | Annoor Academy of Knoxville Berean Christian School The Christian Academy of Knoxville Concord Christian School The Episcopal School of Knoxville First Baptist Academy First Lutheran School Giving Tree Montessori Grace Christian Academy Immanuel Community School Knoxville Catholic High School Knoxville Christian School Morning Star Child Development Center OneSchool Global Knoxville Paideia Academy River's Edge Christian Academy Sacred Heart Cathedral School St. John Neumann Catholic School St. Joseph School Stanford Eisenberg Knoxville Jewish Day School Temple Baptist Academy |
| Lawrence County | Lawrenceburg Adventist School Sacred Heart School - Lawrenceburg |
| Lincoln County | Riverside Christian Academy |
| Loudon County | Lenoir City Christian Academy |
| Madison County | Augustine School Family Christian School Jackson Christian School St. Mary's School Trinity Christian Academy University School of Jackson |
| Maury County | Columbia Academy Zion Christian Academy |
| McMinn County | Christ's Legacy Academy Fairview Christian Academy Valley Christian Academy |
| Montgomery County | Academy for Academic Excellence Amare Montessori Chapel Hill Christian Academy Clarksville Academy Clarksville Christian School Immaculate Conception School The Little Country Schoolhouse Little Scholars Montessori Power and Grace Preparatory Academy |
| Putnam County | Heritage Academy Highland Rim Academy |
| Robertson County | Christian Community School Dayspring Academy Grace Baptist Academy Ridgetop Adventist Elementary School South Haven Christian School |
| Rutherford County | Community Christian Day School Franklin Road Christian School ICM Academy Lancaster Christian Academy Middle Tennessee Christian School Murfreesboro Adventist School Primrose School of North Murfreesboro Providence Christian Academy St. Rose of Lima Catholic School |
| Sevier County | The King’s Academy Seymour Community Christian School |
| Shelby County |
Bornblum Jewish Community School Bowie Reading and Learning Center Briarcrest Christian School Brinkley Heights Urban Academy Central Baptist School Christ Methodist Day School Christ The King Lutheran School Christian Brothers High School The Collegiate School of Memphis Concord Academy Emmanuel United Methodist Kindergarten Evangelical Christian School First Assembly Christian School Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal School Greater Praise Christian Academy: Lower School Greater Praise Christian Academy: Upper School Harding Academy of Memphis Harmony Independent Schools Heritage Baptist Academy Holy Rosary Catholic School Hutchison School Immanuel Lutheran School The Lab School of Memphis Lambs & Ivy School Lamplighter Montessori School The Land Academy Elementary School Lausanne Collegiate School Little Learners Literacy Academy Madonna Learning Center Margolin Hebrew Academy Memphis Junior Academy Memphis Performing Arts & Creative Academy Memphis University School Mid-South Gifted Academy New Hope Christian Academy Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School Pleasant View School Presbyterian Day School PURE Academy Sensational Enlightenment Academy St. Agnes Academy - St. Dominic School St. Ann Catholic School St. Benedict at Auburndale High School St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School St. George's Independent School St. Louis Catholic School St. Mary's Episcopal School St. Paul Catholic School Tipton-Rosemark Academy Westminster Academy Woodland Presbyterian School Word of Faith Christian Academy |
| Sullivan County | Lakeway Christian Schools: Tri-Cities Christian Academy Campus St. Dominic Catholic School |
| Sumner County | Highland Elementary School Hendersonville Christian Academy Hendersonville Day School Highland Academy Pope Saint John Paul II Preparatory School Primrose School of Hendersonville St. John Vianney Catholic School |
Warren County
|
Covenant Academy Faulkner Springs Christian School F.C. Boyd Christian School |
| Washington County | Living Springs Christian Academy Providence Academy St. Mary School - Johnson City |
| Williamson County | Currey Ingram Academy Franklin Christian Academy Fusion Academy Franklin Gateway Academy at the Learning Lab Grace Christian Academy Montessori School of Franklin New Hope Academy Primrose School of Brentwood Primrose School of Spring Hill St. Matthew Catholic School St. Michael Academy |
| Wilson County | Cedars Preparatory Academy Friendship Christian School Mt. Juliet Christian Academy Primrose School of Mt. Juliet |
| Virtual | ArchwayOnline Dolphin STEM Academy Genesis Virtual Academy @ Tennessee Zohor Academy USA |
Eligible Tennessee Private Schools
Eligible and interested Tennessee private schools should read below for additional information on how to participate in the program.
- School is located in Tennessee.
- School is a Category I, II, or III private school.
Verified school representatives can send an email to EFS.Questions@tn.gov to receive more information on the school registration process.
The steps that are required to become an approved Category I, II, and/or III non-public school in the state of Tennessee can be found at Non-Public Schools. If you have any questions regarding this process, please email Private.Schools@tn.gov.