Does Portland Montessori Academy accept the Education Freedom Scholarship?
No. Portland Montessori Academy holds Category V approval, and Tennessee's Education Freedom Scholarship can only pay registered Category I, II or III schools.
Families here usually rely on the school's member rates and aid; a student with an eligible IEP can use the IEA, which accepts Category IV and V schools.
Can a Metro Nashville ESA student use funds at Portland Montessori Academy?
Not at present. Portland Montessori 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 Portland Montessori Academy?
Portland Montessori Academy serves grades PK-8 in Portland, Sumner County, with a Christian (non-denominational) affiliation. TDOE's 2026-27 directory reports 46 students; the NCES 2023-24 survey counted 116; that survey works out to about 14 students per teacher. Memberships listed in the federal survey: American Montessori Society.
| Program | Status for this school | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee approval | Category V (State) | A category decides which programs can pay, not school quality |
| Education Freedom Scholarship | Not eligible to register (category) | $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 Portland Montessori Academy about cost and aid?
Start with the questions the state records cannot answer:
- Does the school hold, or plan to seek, a Category I, II or III approval that would let it register for EFS?
- 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?
- Does the pre-K room take Smart Steps child care payments or host a district Voluntary Pre-K class?
Which private schools are near Portland Montessori 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 →