Last verified: October 2026
How much is the Tennessee ESA worth for a student zoned to Metro Nashville Public Schools?
A full-year Education Savings Account (ESA) for a student zoned to Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) is $10,132.54 for 2026-27, or $5,066.27 for a student approved for the second semester only. That is roughly $2,600 more than the statewide Education Freedom Scholarship.
The amount is the lesser of the zoned district's average TISA allocation and the statewide average of state and local TISA dollars per pupil, which is why Davidson and Shelby County students receive the same figure. Up to half of the current award can roll over for approved students.
Who qualifies for the ESA in Davidson County?
A Davidson County student qualifies if the family's previous-year household income is at or below twice the federal free-lunch guideline and the student meets one of the program's enrollment conditions, most often attendance at a Tennessee public school the prior year. Using the USDA guidelines in effect since July 1, 2026, that income line is $85,800 for a household of four.
Families in Williamson, Rutherford, Sumner and Wilson counties are not eligible because their children are not zoned to MNPS. They should look at the Education Freedom Scholarship instead.
Which Nashville private schools take ESA funds?
TDOE's Middle Tennessee ESA list, updated September 24, 2026, includes 42 schools with campuses in the five counties covered here, most of them in Davidson County, plus 21 online schools. Only Category I, II and III schools may participate.
The list includes Catholic parish schools such as St. Edward, St. Henry and St. Ann, Church of Christ schools such as Goodpasture and Ezell-Harding, Jewish and Coptic schools, and learning-differences schools such as The Edison School and Currey Ingram Academy. School pages here carry an ESA tag where it applies.
When is the 2027-28 ESA application for Metro Nashville families?
The 2027-28 ESA application opens February 2, 2027 at noon Central and closes April 15, 2027 at 4 p.m. Central. A separate second-semester-only window for 2026-27 ran from September 1 to October 15, 2026 and has closed.
When applications exceed capacity, TDOE uses the enrollment lottery described in its published ESA lottery guidelines.
What does an ESA student owe the state in return?
Participating ESA students in grades 3 through 11 must sit for the TCAP math and English language arts tests each spring, even though their private schools usually give a different standardized test.
In 2025-26, 4,766 students statewide used an ESA at 110 participating schools, according to TDOE's October 2026 annual report.
| What Education Savings Account is | What it isn't |
|---|---|
| Worth $10,132.54 for a full year in the MNPS zone (2026-27) | Not open to Williamson, Rutherford, Sumner or Wilson residents |
| Limited to income-qualifying students zoned to MNPS, Memphis-Shelby or Hamilton County | Not usable at Category IV or V schools or for homeschooling |
| Payable at approved Category I, II and III schools | Not held together with EFS or IEA in the same year |
| Partly rollable: up to 50% of the current award | Not exempt from state testing (TCAP in grades 3-11) |