What is the IEA Program?
The Individualized Education Account (IEA) is a Tennessee state program that allows eligible students with disabilities to use public funds for private education expenses instead of attending their local public school. These funds can be used for things like private school tuition, certain approved therapies, textbooks, tutoring, and sometimes even educational technology.
You can read more about the IEA program and eligibility requirements directly from the Tennessee Department of Education’s IEA page.
Who Qualifies for the IEA Program?
To qualify for IEA, students must:
- Have an active Individualized Education Program (IEP) from a Tennessee public school
- Be entering grades K–12 (some age restrictions apply)
- Meet additional residency and prior enrollment requirements
The program is designed to give families more control over their child’s education and support special learning needs in a way that works best for them.
How Do Programs Accept IEA Funds?
For a program like ours to accept IEA funds directly for tuition or fees, we would need to register as a non-public (private) school with the State of Tennessee. This isn’t just a paperwork change. It requires us to follow a number of state laws and Department of Education rules, including:
- Collecting and maintaining official vaccination records for every student
(Exemptions are only allowed for medical reasons with a doctor’s note or for religious beliefs with a signed statement from parents. Personal or philosophical exemptions are not accepted. More about immunization requirements here.) - Taking formal daily attendance and issuing report cards or transcripts for every student
- Operating for at least 180 instructional days each year, which means students would need to attend more regularly
- Keeping up-to-date enrollment lists, providing a documented curriculum, and following additional school policies
- Submitting annual reports and making records available for inspection
You can find the full legal requirements in the Tennessee Code.
Why We Are Not Joining the IEA Program at This Time
We know that accessing IEA funds could help some families with tuition or other educational expenses, but after careful consideration, we have decided not to pursue registration as a non-public school for the IEA program right now. Here’s why:
- Vaccination Requirements: State law requires us to collect immunization records for all students, with only medical or religious exemptions allowed. Personal or philosophical exemptions are not recognized. This is a significant concern for many homeschool families who value personal choice in healthcare decisions.
- Attendance and Record Keeping: We would be required to take daily attendance, issue formal report cards, and keep detailed records, which removes a lot of the flexibility families currently enjoy.
- Minimum Attendance: To qualify as a school under state law, students would need to attend for at least 180 instructional days each year, meaning families could not participate on a flexible, part-time basis.
- Loss of Parental Choice: All of these regulations take away some of the decision-making power from parents, which is one of the main reasons families choose our program.
- Cost: The increased administrative burden would also mean higher tuition and fees for families.
We believe it is important to protect the flexibility and parental involvement that makes our program unique. For these reasons, we have decided not to make this change at this time.
What About Enrichment Vendor Status?
We are also exploring the option of becoming an approved IEA enrichment vendor. This would allow us to offer certain classes or educational services to students who use IEA funds, without needing to become a full non-public school. The requirements for vendors are different and often less restrictive. We will share more information with families if we decide to move forward with this option.
Want to Learn More?
For the most up-to-date information on the IEA program, visit:
If you have questions about these programs, how they work, or how they might affect your family, please reach out to us. We are always happy to talk through the details and keep our families informed
