Does Highland Academy accept the Education Freedom Scholarship?
Yes. Highland Academy is on the Tennessee Department of Education's 2026-27 list of EFS-registered schools, so a student with an Education Freedom Scholarship can apply the $7,530 award to tuition and fees here, with any remainder available for approved extras.
TDOE releases EFS money to the school in four installments (50% in August, 20% in October, 20% in January, 10% in March), and the family approves each tuition payment in the EFS portal.
Can a Metro Nashville ESA student use funds at Highland Academy?
Not at present. Highland Academy is not on TDOE's Middle Tennessee ESA list updated September 24, 2026, so ESA funds cannot be used here unless the school is approved later.
The ESA only serves students zoned to Metro Nashville, Memphis-Shelby or Hamilton County schools, so most families near this school would look at EFS instead.
What do the state records say about Highland Academy?
Highland Academy serves grades 9-12 in Portland, Sumner County, with a Seventh-day Adventist affiliation. TDOE's 2026-27 directory reports 128 students; that survey works out to about 12 students per teacher; 75% of graduates went on to four-year colleges in the same survey.
| Program | Status for this school | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee approval | Category II, III (MSA-CESS, SDA-KTC) | A category decides which programs can pay, not school quality |
| Education Freedom Scholarship | On the 2026-27 registered list | $7,530 per student when listed |
| ESA (MNPS zone only) | Not on the 9/24/26 list | $10,132.54 for qualifying MNPS-zone students |
| IEA (students with an IEP) | Category allows IEA use | School must also agree to participate |
What should parents ask Highland Academy about cost and aid?
Start with the questions the state records cannot answer:
- Is the school registered for EFS for 2027-28, and is it on the ESA list if we live in the MNPS zone?
- What is tuition for my child's grade, and which fees fall outside it?
- What need-based aid, sibling discount or church-member rate applies after the state award?
- Does the school's aid application require us to apply for EFS or ESA first?
- Which dual-enrollment college courses do students take, and does the school help with the TSAC Dual Enrollment Grant?
Which private schools are near Highland Academy?
7 schools in this directory are in Gallatin, Portland & northern Sumner; 4 are EFS-registered for 2026-27. See every school in Gallatin, Portland & northern Sumner →