Information for families considering Tennessee’s Individualized Education Account (IEA)
What is the IEA program?
The Individualized Education Account (IEA) program is a Tennessee state initiative that allows certain eligible students with disabilities to use state education funds for approved private education expenses. Instead of attending a local public school, families can use IEA funds for things like private school tuition, certain therapies, tutoring, textbooks, and approved educational technology.
For the most up-to-date details, you can read more on the Tennessee Department of Education’s IEA page.
Who qualifies for the IEA program?
In general, a student may qualify for IEA if they:
- Have an active Individualized Education Program (IEP) from a Tennessee public school.
- Are entering grades K–12 (with certain age and residency requirements).
- Meet additional eligibility criteria as outlined by the state.
The program is designed to give families more flexibility and control over their child’s education if they have special learning needs.
Why Hidden Bee Learning is not an IEA nonpublic school
We’ve carefully considered the possibility of accepting IEA funds as a registered nonpublic (private) school. However, after reviewing the requirements, we’ve chosen not to pursue that path at this time.
Key reasons include:
- Vaccination and documentation requirements: As a nonpublic school, we would be legally required to collect and maintain immunization records for all students, allowing only medical or religious exemptions. Many of our families prefer more flexibility in healthcare decisions.
- Attendance and record-keeping: Being a nonpublic school would require us to take daily attendance, issue formal report cards, and operate for at least 180 instructional days per year, reducing the flexibility that families currently enjoy.
- Preserving parental choice: One of the core reasons families choose Hidden Bee Learning is the flexibility and parental involvement in their child’s education. Becoming an IEA nonpublic school would shift some of that decision-making away from families and increase administrative costs.
For these reasons, we believe it’s best to maintain our current structure as a flexible, part-time program that supports homeschool families.
Considering IEA enrichment vendor status
We are exploring the possibility of becoming an approved IEA enrichment vendor. This would allow us to offer certain classes or services to families using IEA funds without converting into a full nonpublic school. If we move forward with this option, we’ll keep families updated.
Want to learn more?
For the most current information on the IEA program, visit:
If you have any questions about how these programs might affect your family, please reach out. We’re always happy to discuss the details and help you navigate your options.
