Last verified: October 2026
What is the Tennessee IEA and how is it different from the Education Freedom Scholarship?
The Individualized Education Account (IEA) is a parent-directed account for Tennessee students with qualifying disabilities, funded at the TISA base plus the average special-education allocation. That usually makes it larger than the flat Education Freedom Scholarship.
It is also more flexible about where the money goes. EFS pays only registered Category I, II and III schools, while the IEA can be used at Category I through V schools, at church-related umbrella programs and for independent homeschooling.
Who can apply for an IEA in Nashville and the surrounding counties?
A new applicant needs an active, implemented Tennessee IEP that lists one of the 11 eligible disability categories as the primary or secondary disability when the application window closes. The student also has to meet an enrollment condition, such as a full prior year in a Tennessee public school, entering kindergarten for the first time, or moving to Tennessee within the past year.
Beginning with 2027-28, children in the Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS) Extended Option who have an eligible Part B disability may also apply. Once enrolled in the IEA, a student cannot also be enrolled in a public school.
When does the 2027-28 IEA application open?
Applications for the 2026-27 contract year are closed, and TDOE projects that the 2027-28 window will open February 16, 2027. The program has no income limit, but the IEP requirement means families should confirm the IEP is current before the window opens.
Private schools can apply to participate in the IEA year-round, so a school that is not set up yet can still become an option.
Which Nashville-area schools work with students who have IEPs?
The federal survey classifies three schools in the five counties as special education schools: The Edison School in Madison, Currey Ingram Academy in Brentwood and Benton Hall Academy in Nashville. The directory's special education and learning-differences hub lists them alongside alternative and special-purpose programs, with each one's state approval category.
Because the IEA reaches Category IV and V schools, a small church school or Montessori program that cannot take EFS may still be an IEA option.
| What Individualized Education Account is | What it isn't |
|---|---|
| A disability-specific account with no income limit | Not available without an active Tennessee IEP in an eligible category |
| Usable at Category I-V private schools and for independent homeschooling | Not combinable with EFS or ESA in the same year |
| Funded above the EFS level for most students | Not compatible with continued public school enrollment |
| Open again for 2027-28 from a projected February 16, 2027 | Not a fixed dollar amount published in advance for every student |