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$7,530 a year toward private school — and more in the MNPS zone.

Tennessee's Education Freedom Scholarship pays $7,530 per student for 2026-27, income-qualifying Metro Nashville students can use a $10,132.54 ESA, and students with an IEP have the IEA. We track which of the 137 private schools and early-learning programs in the five counties can take each one.

Check what my family qualifies forBrowse all 137 schools

Start a funding check

Three answers, then the full check.

$7,530

EFS per student, 2026-27. Same amount at every grade, paid in four installments from August to March.

82

EFS-registered schools in the five counties, out of 290 statewide on TDOE's August 2026 list.

$10,132

ESA for the MNPS zone ($10,132.54 exactly), for income-qualifying Davidson County students.

35,000

EFS seats statewide for 2026-27 after the May 2026 expansion, with 17,735 applications waitlisted at the time.

Parents at a kitchen table in a Nashville home comparing private school tuition with Tennessee scholarship amounts
The arithmetic

One state award, then the school's aid.

Here is an illustrative second-grader at a Rutherford County Christian school with $9,800 published tuition and a sibling discount.

Published tuition (illustrative)$9,800
Education Freedom Scholarship, 2026-27− $7,530
Sibling discount (illustrative)− $600
Family share or school aid$1,670 / year

Illustrative only: the tuition and discount are assumptions, not any school's prices. The $7,530 figure is TDOE's published 2026-27 EFS amount. More worked examples →

Every program

What a Middle Tennessee family can draw on

Three state programs, free pre-K, child care help, dual-enrollment money, school aid and the federal tax-credit scholarship arriving in 2027.

Statewide · $7,530 in 2026-27

Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS)

Tennessee's statewide school-choice scholarship, sometimes called the Tennessee voucher: $7,530 for 2026-27, paid toward tuition and fees at an EFS-registered Category I, II or III private school, with leftovers usable for approved expenses.

Who qualifies →Davidson County · $10,132.54

Education Savings Account (ESA) — Metro Nashville

The ESA program that predates EFS, open only to income-qualifying students zoned to Metro Nashville, Memphis-Shelby or Hamilton County schools. For a Metro Nashville student it is worth $10,132.54 in 2026-27.

Who qualifies →Students with an IEP

Individualized Education Account (IEA)

Tennessee's account for K-12 students with an active IEP in one of 11 eligible disability categories. It adds special-education funding to the base amount and, unlike EFS, can be used at any approved private school category or for independent homeschooling.

Who qualifies →Free · Age 4, priority by income

Tennessee Voluntary Pre-K (VPK)

Tennessee's state-funded pre-kindergarten, run by each school district for four-year-olds, with priority for income-eligible children. Districts can place VPK classrooms with community child care partners.

Who qualifies →Ages 6 weeks–K · Income-based

Smart Steps Child Care Payment Assistance (TDHS)

The Tennessee Department of Human Services program that helps working and studying parents pay a licensed child care provider, from infancy through kindergarten, with a weekly copay set by income.

Who qualifies →New · Tennessee opted in

Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (2027)

A new federal tax credit starting in 2027 for donations to scholarship granting organizations (SGOs). Tennessee has opted in; the state is still building its list of approved SGOs.

Who qualifies →

All 10 funding sources   Find my EFS priority tier

How it works

From question to enrolled, in three steps

Answer five questions

Grade, the kind of school, your community, household size and timing. No documents yet.

Get your program match

A tuition counselor checks EFS tiers, ESA eligibility if you are in the MNPS zone, IEA if there is an IEP, and the school's own aid.

Apply on time

We help you line up the citizenship and residency documents and the dates — before the windows open, not after they close.

Directory

All 137 private schools and early-learning programs in the five counties

Each listing shows the school's Tennessee approval category, whether it is on the 2026-27 EFS and ESA lists, grades and reported enrollment.

Catholic Schools

Diocese of Nashville parish and diocesan schools plus independent Catholic academies in the five counties.

18 schools →

Christian Schools

Church of Christ, Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Seventh-day Adventist, Pentecostal, classical and non-denominational Christian schools.

57 schools →

Jewish, Islamic & Other Faith Schools

Jewish day schools, Islamic schools, a Coptic Orthodox academy and schools of other traditions.

8 schools →

Independent & Secular Schools

Non-religious private schools — college prep, progressive, language-immersion, early-learning franchises and specialized academies.

54 schools →

Montessori & Waldorf Schools

Montessori children's houses and elementary programs, plus Waldorf education, across the metro.

19 schools →

Special Education & Learning-Differences Schools

Schools the federal survey classifies as special education schools, plus alternative and special-purpose programs approved by TDOE.

10 schools →

Preschool & Early Learning

Programs that end at pre-K or kindergarten, including early-learning franchises and church preschools.

22 schools →

High Schools (Grades 9-12)

Private schools in the five counties that serve students through grade 12.

51 schools →

By community: West End, Belle Meade, Green Hills & Bellevue · Downtown, Midtown, North & East Nashville · South Nashville, Antioch & Oak Hill · Donelson, Hermitage & Old Hickory · Madison, Goodlettsville & Whites Creek · Franklin, Cool Springs & Spring Hill · Brentwood & Nolensville · Murfreesboro, Smyrna & Rutherford County · Hendersonville · Gallatin, Portland & northern Sumner · Mt. Juliet & Lebanon

Churches & ministries

Running — or starting — a church school in Middle Tennessee?

The approval category your school holds decides whether families can bring EFS or ESA money. We explain the paths and send families who already know what they qualify for.

Partner with usStart a church school
Brick church school building with a playground on a Middle Tennessee church campus
A Nashville student with a new laptop for school, paid through Tennessee EFS or ESA funds
Technology

Can Tennessee EFS, ESA or IEA money pay for a new laptop in Nashville?

Yes, with limits that differ by program: the Education Freedom Scholarship pays for one device a year, but only after tuition and fees are paid.

The Davidson County ESA allows a laptop or tablet once every three calendar years, shipped to the school, and the IEA needs pre-approval, with the same item allowed once every two years. EFS devices come through the Marketplace at fair market value. Rules apply.

See the device rulesCheck if your child qualifies
Blog

Recent posts from Nashville Edu Funding

Oct 28, 2026

Getting Ready for the 2027-28 Education Freedom Scholarship: A Nashville Family Checklist

Last year's window lasted 17 days and seats went in order. Here is what to have ready before the 2027-28 application opens.

Read →Oct 26, 2026

Category IV and Umbrella Schools: Why Many Middle Tennessee Church Schools Can't Take EFS

The category on a school's state record decides whether EFS money can follow your child. Here is how Category IV and umbrella programs fit.

Read →Oct 23, 2026

Tennessee's ESA in Nashville by the Numbers: 4,766 Students, $10,132.54 and the TCAP Rule

The ESA more than doubled in two years. Here is what the new annual report says about Davidson County students, and what the program is not.

Read →
Straight answers

Nashville school-choice questions, answered

How much is the Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship for Nashville students in 2026-27?

The Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) is worth $7,530 per student for 2026-27, at every grade from kindergarten through 12th, anywhere in Tennessee. It is paid toward tuition and fees at an EFS-registered Category I, II or III private school, and unspent money can go to approved extras such as tutoring and books.

Is the ESA bigger than EFS for a Metro Nashville student?

Yes. An income-qualifying student zoned to Metro Nashville Public Schools can use an Education Savings Account worth $10,132.54 for a full 2026-27 year instead. A student may use only one Tennessee program per year, so Davidson County families should compare both before choosing.

How many private schools near Nashville accept EFS?

82 schools in Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Sumner and Wilson counties are on TDOE's 2026-27 EFS registered list, updated August 24, 2026. Several well-known independent schools are not on it, and Category IV church-related schools are not allowed to register.

When can Nashville families apply for 2027-28 school choice funding?

The 2027-28 ESA application runs February 2 to April 15, 2027, and the IEA window is projected to open February 16, 2027. TDOE has not posted 2027-28 EFS dates; the 2026-27 window was January 13-30, 2026, so plan to be ready by December.

Can Tennessee school choice money pay for homeschooling?

Only through the IEA, for students with an active IEP in an eligible disability category. The Education Freedom Scholarship and the ESA both require enrollment at an approved Category I, II or III school.

Related questions

See which Tennessee programs fit your child

Five short questions, then a tuition counselor calls you back with the programs, amounts and deadlines that apply. No cost, no obligation.

Start the funding check →