State Board of Education Approval for Honor School Is Standard, Not Special
On Wednesday, June 25, 2025, the Honor School, an umbrella school, caused quite a stir in the Tennessee home school community when it announced on its Facebook page it acquired a “special level of state approval”.
We have exciting news to share!
Honor School has been officially approved by the TN Dept of Education for a special level of state approval—making us one of only two homeschool umbrellas in the state to obtain this distinction. This approval is the result of a lengthy and rigorous process, but we believe our member families are worth the extra effort. Our members can have peace of mind knowing that their Umbrella has been thoroughly vetted and officially approved by the TN Department of Education and their legal team.
With Honor School’s state approved status your family’s information will not be shared with any third party organization (listed in TN code §49-50-801), as every non-state-approved category IV umbrella is required to do. This level of security, independence, & privacy can give you greater control over your personal information, & peace of mind knowing how it is handled. How can you know if an umbrella school has state approval or is using a third party agency? The details are publicly available on the TN Dept of Education website.
Honor School is incredibly proud to stand apart. We remain committed to providing homeschooling families with the most freedom possible, excellent customer service, a fair pricing system, and respect for each family’s privacy & security. ~ Honor School
What Does it Really Mean?
In the State of Tennessee, there are two ways an umbrella school may be approved as a Category IV school:
1) Approved by the State Board of Education
“Non-public schools approved by the state are monitored by the Tennessee Department of Education through an annual reporting process. This reporting includes schools approved in Categories I, I-SP, V, and any State Board of Education approved Category IV church-related schools.” ~ Tennessee Department of Education
2) Approved by an accrediting or membership agency
“Non-public schools approved through an accrediting or membership agency are monitored by the approving agency. Accredited or church-related schools are subject to re-accreditation processes based on the agency’s schedule for re-accreditation and any additional monitoring requirements that may be implemented by an individual agency.” ~ Tennessee Department of Education
Both approval options are available to all umbrella schools and it is up to the school to choose which one it prefers to use. Because both approval options are equally accessible to all Tennessee umbrella schools, one option is not necessary more “special” than the other. There are different steps an umbrella school must follow to receive approval from whichever entity it chooses. Previously, Honor School received its approval as an umbrella school by an accrediting or membership agency. On Monday, May 30, 2025, it received its approval by the State Board of Education. Both options have an application process and requirements the umbrella school must complete to be considered for approval. Once approved for either option, the umbrella school has bi-annual or annual reporting requirements {page 8} which must be submitted to that entity.
Is One Approval Option Better than the Other?
The simple answer is “no”. It really comes down to personal preference of the umbrella school. An umbrella school choosing approval by the State Board of Education has no third-party oversight. An umbrella school choosing approval by an accrediting or membership agency has oversight [from the agency], but also may receive services from the agency like support, technical assistance, professional development, and other offered assistance. The decision by an umbrella school to choose one approval option over the other is the same as a home school parent choosing to register with one umbrella school over another. The parent chooses the umbrella school (and registration option) which best supports the needs of their family.
Is Honor School is Still Required to Report to the Local Education Agency (LEA)
As a Category IV school in the State of Tennessee, Honor School is still required by law to report its enrollment to the student’s district of residence. That requirement is the same for all the other hundreds of umbrella schools in Tennessee, regardless of its approval option.
So Why Change How Approval is Received?
“With Honor School’s state approved status your family’s information will not be shared with any third-party organization (listed in TN code §49-50-801), as every non-state-approved Category IV umbrella is required to do.” ~ Honor School
Each accrediting or membership agency, third party, determines the information it requires from an umbrella school for it to maintain its approval status. Since each agency is its own entity, just as an umbrella school is its own entity (and can set its own requirements), the type of information a school must submit is particular to that agency. The amount of information an agency requires from an umbrella school could be the same as what the State Board of Education requires from the umbrella schools it approves {page 9}. Whether it is more (or less) information or the same is not to be assumed without learning the agency used by an umbrella school and further inquiry of what information must be provided.
What Does it Mean for Home School Families?
An umbrella school choosing to be approved by the State Board of Education is equivalent to a home school family registering as an independent home school. Both approval options are allowed in the State of Tennessee and permit an umbrella school to best assist and support the families it serves. An umbrella school/home school family chooses the option which works best for them.
Honor School and The Farm School are the only two umbrella schools approved by the State Board of Education. All other umbrella schools in Tennessee are approved by an accrediting or membership agency. It is important to research the individual umbrella school your family is considering using to ensure it supports the needs of your family in the manner you expect.
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