Homeschool benefits: Knox County School District
Registered Knox County homeschool students have the right to try out for athletic teams at their zoned Knox County school under Tennessee law. Your student must be enrolled in an independent or church-related home school by August 1 and apply to the school principal by August 15 of the school year.
Who qualifies
Registered as a home school
Independent home school families file an Intent to Home School form with Knox County Schools each year. For sanctioned sports, students must be in a church-related or independent home school by August 1.
Tries out at the zoned school
Your student tries out at the Knox County school your address is zoned for, which you can find with the KGIS School Zone Search.
Meets TSSAA home school rules
Your student must meet the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) home school eligibility rules for the sport.
Deadlines and limits
The deadlines come from Knox County Schools' homeschool page and its Home School Athletics notice, which cites Tennessee Code 49-6-3050.
- Enrolled in a home school program
- By Aug. 1
- Notice to the Knox County Schools director
- By Aug. 1
- Athletics application to the principal
- By Aug. 15
- Where your student plays
- Zoned school
- Roster spot
- Not guaranteed
The law guarantees a tryout only, and coaches still decide who makes the team, so ask the zoned school's athletic director about tryout dates and any sport fees.
How to try out
- Each year
Register your home school
File the Intent to Home School form with the Knox County Schools Home School Office. New students also send proof of education in the same email.
- By August 1
Notify the district
Make sure your student is enrolled in an independent or church-related home school and send notice of interest to the Knox County Schools director.
- By August 15
Apply to the principal
Turn in the application to participate in athletics to the principal of your zoned school.
- Tryouts
Try out with the team
Your student tries out under TSSAA and school rules. Coaches decide who makes the team.
What it includes
Included
- Tryouts for interscholastic teams
- Sports at your zoned Knox County school
Not included
- A guaranteed roster spot
- Schools outside your zone
- Applications after August 15
Good to know
Your child is guaranteed a tryout
Registered home school students who meet TSSAA rules try out at the zoned Knox County school. The law guarantees the tryout, and the school cannot refuse one only because your child is homeschooled.
Who to contact about homeschool athletics
Marion Quinn handles homeschool athletics requests, and the Home School Office at 865-594-1502 handles registration.
marion.quinn@knoxschools.org 865-594-1725 Homeschool information
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Tennessee
For independent homeschools, file a notice with the local education agency before each school year. A first-time filing may be made at any time during the school year; there is no fixed August 1 deadline.
Tennessee sets these rules:
- Subjects: Independent homeschool parents select and identify their curriculum and provide at least four hours of instruction per day for 180 days each year. Church-related schools set their own program requirements.
- Testing: Testing in grades 5, 7, and 9 for registered independent homeschools.
- Records: Independent homeschool parents keep attendance records, permit inspection, and submit them at year end. Maintain grades, transcripts, student records, and copies of final diplomas; provide required test results to the recipients specified in the current testing rule.
- Teachers: An independent homeschool parent-teacher needs a high-school diploma or equivalent. Church-related umbrella schools set their own enrollment and parent requirements.
Tennessee also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Individualized Education Account pays a student with a qualifying disability and an active IEP the state and special-education funding for their district, including an independently homeschooled student. Most students must have spent the prior year in a Tennessee public school, and 2026-27 applications are closed.
Read the Tennessee homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Tennessee
Questions parents ask
- We missed Knox County's August 15 deadline. Can my child still try out this year?
- Probably not this year. The district sets August 15 as the deadline to apply to the principal, so plan for August 1 and August 15 next school year and ask Marion Quinn about your situation.
- Can my child try out at a school we prefer?
- No. The right is to try out at your zoned Knox County school.
- Does a church-related home school count?
- Yes. For TSSAA sports, Knox County Schools accepts students enrolled in a church-related or independent home school program by August 1.
- Where do I find the TSSAA home school rules?
- In TSSAA's home school rule, which Knox County Schools points families to. The zoned school's athletic director or the district athletic department can answer questions.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Your child can use our lessons between practices and games. The next lesson is ready when they are, without a class time to miss.
$149/month per child after the trial.
Find benefits for your ZIP code