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TENNESSEE: Education Savings Account Program

ESA comparison by Policy Hits: 145
  • Fund Administrator:
    • Synopsis:

      Department of Education

      , Statute Language:

      (A) There is established a school improvement fund to be administered by the department that, for the first three (3) fiscal years in which the program enrolls participating students and subject to appropriation, shall disburse an annual grant to each LEA to be used for school improvement in an amount equal to the ESA amount for participating students under the program who:
  • Funding Mechanism:
    • Synopsis:

      Direct

      , Statute Language:

      (A) There is established a school improvement fund to be administered by the department that, for the first three (3) fiscal years in which the program enrolls participating students and subject to appropriation, shall disburse an annual grant to each LEA to be used for school improvement in an amount equal to the ESA amount for participating students under the program who:
  • Program Administrator (Gov't):
    • Synopsis:

      Department of Education

      , Statute Language:

      (g) The department shall adopt policies or procedures necessary for the administration of the program, including, but not limited to, procedures for establishing, or contracting for the establishment of, an anonymous online fraud reporting service and telephone hotline, for reporting fraudulent activity related to ESAs, and for conducting or contracting for random, quarterly, or annual review of accounts.
  • Third Party Administrator:
    • Synopsis:

      Student First Technologies
  • Role of DOE:
    • Synopsis:

      Program Administrator

      , Statute Language:

      (g) The department shall adopt policies or procedures necessary for the administration of the program, including, but not limited to, procedures for establishing, or contracting for the establishment of, an anonymous online fraud reporting service and telephone hotline, for reporting fraudulent activity related to ESAs, and for conducting or contracting for random, quarterly, or annual review of accounts.
  • Application Window/Dates:
    • Synopsis:

      February 3 – July 1

      , Statute Language:

      (B) An application process that provides a timeline, before the start of the school year for which an application is being submitted, when a parent of a student, or a student who has reached eighteen (18) years of age, as applicable, must submit an application to participate in the program. If the application is approved, then the student may participate in the program beginning with the school year identified in the application. If a participating student exits the program, then the student's parent, or the student, as applicable, may reapply to participate in the program in accordance with the application process and timeline established by the department under this subdivision (a)(2)(B);
  • Fund Disbursement Frequency:
    • Synopsis:

      Quarterly

      , Statute Language:

      (1) For the purpose of funding calculations, each participating student must be counted in the enrollment figures for the LEA in which the participating student resides. The ESA funds for participating students must be subtracted from the state TISA funds otherwise payable to the LEA. The department shall remit funds to a participating student's ESA on at least a quarterly basis. Any funds awarded under this part are the entitlement of the participating student or legacy student, under the supervision of the participating student's or legacy student's parent if the participating student or legacy student is seventeen (17) years of age or younger.
  • Average Per-Pupil Funding:
    • Synopsis:

      $9,423.58 for Shelby and Davidson Counties and $9,346.05 for Hamilton County (2024-2025)

      , Statute Language:

      (a) The maximum annual amount to which a participating student is entitled under the program must be equal to the amount representing the per pupil state and local funds generated and required through the TISA for the LEA in which the participating student resides, but must not exceed the combined statewide average of required state and local TISA allocations per pupil. The state board of education may promulgate rules to annually calculate and determine the combined statewide average of required state and local TISA allocations per pupil.
  • Income Limit:
    • Synopsis:

      ≤200% x FRL

      , Statute Language:

      (D) Is a member of a household with an annual income for the previous year that does not exceed twice the federal income eligibility guidelines for free lunch;
  • Prior Year Public School Requirement:
    • Synopsis:

      Yes, with exceptions

      , Statute Language:

      (3) "Eligible student" means a resident of this state who:
      (A)
      (i) Was previously enrolled in and attended a Tennessee public school for the one (1) full school year immediately preceding the school year for which the student receives an education savings account;
      (ii) Is eligible for the first time to enroll in a Tennessee school; or
      (iii) Received an education savings account in the previous school year;
      (iv) Was enrolled in and attended a Tennessee public school for one (1) full school year in the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school year; or
      (v) Was eligible for the first time to enroll in a Tennessee public school in the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school year;
      (B) Is a student in any of the grades kindergarten through twelve (K-12);
      (C)
      (i) Is zoned to attend a school in an LEA, excluding the achievement school district (ASD), with five (5) or more schools:
      a Identified as priority schools in 2015, as defined by the state's accountability system pursuant to§ 49-1-602;
      b Among the bottom ten percent (10%) of schools, as identified by the department in 2017 in accordance with§ 49-1-602(b)(3);
      c Identified as priority schools in 2018, as defined by the state's accountability system pursuant to § 49-1-602; and
      d Identified as priority schools in 2021, as defined by the state's accountability system pursuant to § 49-1-602; or
      (ii) Is zoned to attend a school that is in the ASD on May 24, 2019; and
      (D) Is a member of a household with an annual income for the previous year that does not exceed twice the federal income eligibility guidelines for free lunch;
  • Geographic Limit:
    • Synopsis:

      Davidson, Hamilton, and Shelby Counties, schools in the Achievement School District

      , Statute Language:

      (3) "Eligible student" means a resident of this state who:
      (A)
      (i) Was previously enrolled in and attended a Tennessee public school for the one (1) full school year immediately preceding the school year for which the student receives an education savings account;
      (ii) Is eligible for the first time to enroll in a Tennessee school; or
      (iii) Received an education savings account in the previous school year;
      (iv) Was enrolled in and attended a Tennessee public school for one (1) full school year in the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school year; or
      (v) Was eligible for the first time to enroll in a Tennessee public school in the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school year;
      (B) Is a student in any of the grades kindergarten through twelve (K-12);
      (C)
      (i) Is zoned to attend a school in an LEA, excluding the achievement school district (ASD), with five (5) or more schools:
      a Identified as priority schools in 2015, as defined by the state's accountability system pursuant to§ 49-1-602;
      b Among the bottom ten percent (10%) of schools, as identified by the department in 2017 in accordance with§ 49-1-602(b)(3);
      c Identified as priority schools in 2018, as defined by the state's accountability system pursuant to § 49-1-602; and
      d Identified as priority schools in 2021, as defined by the state's accountability system pursuant to § 49-1-602; or
      (ii) Is zoned to attend a school that is in the ASD on May 24, 2019; and
      (D) Is a member of a household with an annual income for the previous year that does not exceed twice the federal income eligibility guidelines for free lunch;
  • Additional Eligibility Check:
    • Synopsis:

      Must enroll in private school

      , Statute Language:

      (3) "Eligible student" means a resident of this state who:
      (A)
      (i) Was previously enrolled in and attended a Tennessee public school for the one (1) full school year immediately preceding the school year for which the student receives an education savings account;
      (ii) Is eligible for the first time to enroll in a Tennessee school; or
      (iii) Received an education savings account in the previous school year;
      (iv) Was enrolled in and attended a Tennessee public school for one (1) full school year in the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school year; or
      (v) Was eligible for the first time to enroll in a Tennessee public school in the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school year;
      (B) Is a student in any of the grades kindergarten through twelve (K-12);
      (C)
      (i) Is zoned to attend a school in an LEA, excluding the achievement school district (ASD), with five (5) or more schools:
      a Identified as priority schools in 2015, as defined by the state's accountability system pursuant to§ 49-1-602;
      b Among the bottom ten percent (10%) of schools, as identified by the department in 2017 in accordance with§ 49-1-602(b)(3);
      c Identified as priority schools in 2018, as defined by the state's accountability system pursuant to § 49-1-602; and
      d Identified as priority schools in 2021, as defined by the state's accountability system pursuant to § 49-1-602; or
      (ii) Is zoned to attend a school that is in the ASD on May 24, 2019; and
      (D) Is a member of a household with an annual income for the previous year that does not exceed twice the federal income eligibility guidelines for free lunch;
  • Homeschool Compatible:
    • Synopsis:

      No

      , Statute Language:

      (1) Ensure the provision of an education for the participating student that satisfies the compulsory school attendance requirement provided in § 49-6-3001(c)(1) through enrollment in a private school, as defined in § 49-6-3001(c)(3)(A)(iii), that meets the requirements established by the department and the state board for a Category I, II, or III private school;
  • Enrollment Cap:
    • Synopsis:

      15,000 for 2025-2026

      , Statute Language:

      (1) For the first school year of operation, five thousand (5,000) students;
      (2) For the second school year of operation, seven thousand five hundred (7,500) students;
      (3) For the third school year of operation, ten thousand (10,000) students;
      (4) For the fourth school year of operation, twelve thousand five hundred (12,500) students; and
      (5) For the fifth school year of operation, and for each school year thereafter, fifteen thousand (15,000) students.
  • Lottery:
    • Synopsis:

      Lottery

      , Statute Language:

      (e) If, in the application period for a school year, the number of program applications received by the department exceeds the maximum number of students that may participate in the program for that school year under subsection (c), then the department shall select students for participation in the program through an enrollment lottery process. Students who participated in the program in the previous school year receive enrollment preference and, as a result, are excluded from entering into an enrollment lottery. If an enrollment lottery is conducted, then enrollment preference must be granted in the following order:
  • Testing:
    • Synopsis:

      State

      , Statute Language:

      (1) As a condition of participating in the program, participating students in grades three through eleven (3-11) must be annually administered the Tennessee comprehensive assessment program (TCAP) tests for math and English language arts, or successor tests authorized by the state board of education for math and English language arts.
      (2) For participating students enrolled full-time in a participating school, the participating school shall annually administer the tests required in subdivision (a)(1) to participating students.
      (3) For participating students seventeen (17) years of age or younger who are not enrolled full-time in a participating school, the participating student's parent must ensure that the participating student is annually administered the tests required in subdivision (a)(1). A participating student who has reached the age of eighteen (18) and who is not enrolled full-time in a participating school must ensure that the participating student is annually administered the tests required in subdivision (a)(1).
  • Authorized Use of Funds:
    • Synopsis:

      Private School Tuition
      Uniforms
      Education Therapies
      Private Tutoring
      Transportation
      ESA Management Fees
      Textbooks
      Computers/Technology
      Testing Fees
      Summer/Afterschool learning (not daycare)
      College Tuition/Fees
      College Textbooks
      Online Education

      , Statute Language:

      (4) Only use the funds deposited in a participating student's ESA for one (1) or more of the following expenses of the student:
      (A) Tuition or fees at a participating school;
      (B) Textbooks required by a participating school;
      (C) Tutoring services provided by a tutor or tutoring facility that meets the requirements established by the department and the state board;
      (D) Fees for transportation to and from a participating school or educational provider paid to a fee-for-service transportation provider;
      (E) Fees for early postsecondary opportunity courses and examinations required for college admission;
      (F) Computer hardware, technological devices, or other technology fees approved by the department, if the computer hardware, technological device, or technology fee is used for the student's educational needs and is purchased through a participating school, private school, or provider;
      (G) School uniforms, if required by a participating school;
      (H) Tuition and fees for summer education programs and specialized afterschool education programs, as approved by the department, which do not include afterschool childcare;
      (I) Tuition and fees at an eligible postsecondary institution;
      (J) Textbooks required by an eligible postsecondary institution;
      (K) Educational therapy services provided by therapists that meet the requirements established by the department and the state board; or
      (L) Fees for the management of the ESA by a private or nonprofit financial management organization, as approved by the department. The fees must not exceed two percent (2%) of the funds deposited in a participating student's ESA in a fiscal year; and