Last verified: October 2026
What income puts a Nashville family in EFS priority Tier 2 or Tier 3?
A household is in Tier 2 if its income is at or below the USDA free-or-reduced-price lunch limit, and in Tier 3 if it is at or below three times that limit. Under the guidelines effective July 1, 2026, those lines are $61,050 and $183,150 for a household of four.
SNAP or TANF participation and ESA or IEA eligibility also place a student in Tier 2. TDOE applies the guidelines current at the time of application, so recheck the numbers when the 2027-28 window opens.
What is the ESA income limit for a Davidson County household?
The ESA requires prior-year household income at or below twice the federal free-lunch guideline, which is $85,800 for a household of four under the guidelines effective July 1, 2026.
Only students zoned to Metro Nashville Public Schools (or Memphis-Shelby or Hamilton County) can use the ESA.
| Is | Isn't | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 2 or 3 | A place earlier in the EFS line when seats run short | A different award amount |
| ESA income line | A hard eligibility limit | Available outside the MNPS zone |