Does St. Bernard Academy accept the Education Freedom Scholarship?
Not for 2026-27. St. Bernard Academy holds Category III approval, which makes it eligible to register, but it does not appear on TDOE's registered list updated August 24, 2026. EFS school registration for 2027-28 runs November 16, 2026 through April 30, 2027, so ask the admissions office whether it plans to register.
If it does not, the school's own aid, the federal tax-credit scholarship arriving in 2027 and, for a student with an IEP, the IEA are the remaining routes.
Can a Metro Nashville ESA student use funds at St. Bernard Academy?
Not at present. St. Bernard 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.
Because the school is in Davidson County, ask whether it has applied; ESA approval is separate from EFS registration.
What do the state records say about St. Bernard Academy?
St. Bernard Academy serves grades PK-8 in Nashville, Davidson County, with a Catholic affiliation. TDOE's 2026-27 directory reports 362 students; the NCES 2023-24 survey counted 338; that survey works out to about 9 students per teacher. Memberships listed in the federal survey: National Catholic Educational Association, State/regional independent school association (e.g., ISAS).
| Program | Status for this school | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee approval | Category III (Cognia, SAIS) | A category decides which programs can pay, not school quality |
| Education Freedom Scholarship | Eligible category, but not on the 2026-27 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 St. Bernard 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?
- Does the pre-K room take Smart Steps child care payments or host a district Voluntary Pre-K class?
Which private schools are near St. Bernard Academy?
15 schools in this directory are in Downtown, Midtown, North & East Nashville; 7 are EFS-registered for 2026-27. See every school in Downtown, Midtown, North & East Nashville →
Christ the King School
Nashville · Grades PK-8
State record & funding →Independent & Secular SchoolsB.E. Academy for Girls
Nashville · Grades 5-12
State record & funding →Independent & Secular SchoolsCity School of Nashville
Nashville · Grades 5-12
State record & funding →Christian SchoolsDavidson Academy
Nashville · Grades PK-12
State record & funding →Christian SchoolsEpiscopal School of Nashville
Nashville · Grades PK-8
State record & funding →Christian SchoolsF. H. Jenkins Preparatory School
Nashville · Grades K-9
State record & funding →