Homeschool benefits: Cleveland State Community College

For 2026-27, Cleveland State Community College pays the dual enrollment tuition and mandatory fees left after the Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant and other scholarships, plus required course materials and e-books, for juniors and seniors who live in Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, or Polk County. A 3-credit dual enrollment course lists at $620.55, and homeschool students enter dual enrollment once cleared by their homeschool guidance office. Other options include library educator cards and resources.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Cleveland State Community College homeschool dual enrollment

Who qualifies

1. Is a junior or senior

   The pilot is for 11th and 12th graders enrolled in Cleveland State dual enrollment or Tennessee Valley Early College.

2. Lives in the service area

   Your student must live in Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, or Polk County.

3. Cleared by your homeschool

   Cleveland State requires dual enrollment students to be cleared by their high school or homeschool guidance office, and a homeschool administrator can approve a general education student below a 3.0 GPA.

4. Meets placement rules

   General education courses need a 3.0 high school GPA and one placement indicator, such as an ACT English score of 18 or a 3.6 GPA. Business and technical courses need a 2.5 GPA.

What it is worth

Cleveland State's 2026-27 dual enrollment rate is $197 per credit hour plus a 5% access fee, and the state grant covers courses one through five in full and up to $100 per credit hour for courses six through ten.

3-credit course, list price

$620.55

4-credit course, list price

$827.40

Courses 1-5, paid by the state grant

Full tuition

Courses 6-10, 3 credits, state grant share

$300

Courses 6-10, 3 credits, pilot share

$320.55

The pilot runs for the 2026-27 academic year and will be reviewed before 2027-28, so ask the Dual Enrollment Office whether it continues before planning next year.

From applying to keeping it

1. Before registration

   Apply to dual enrollment

   Start the online application at mycs.cc/applyde, submit test scores if any and the transcript, and give a parent email so you can sign the Parent Permission Form.

2. Same term

   Apply for the state grant

   Apply for the Dual Enrollment Grant for the right academic year in the TSAC Student Portal and choose Cleveland State. Without it, you owe the full balance.

3. November for spring

   Register for classes

   Registration opens in November for spring and in April for summer and fall.

4. During the term

   Pilot covers what is left

   The college applies the grant and any scholarships, then covers remaining tuition, mandatory fees, required materials, e-books, and course-related fees.

5. Each term

   Keep a 2.0 college GPA

   Your student needs a 2.0 cumulative college GPA to keep the state grant.

What it pays for

Covered

• Tuition left after the state grant
• Mandatory fees
• Required course materials and e-books
• Course-related fees

Not covered

• Students outside the five counties
• Students not in 11th or 12th grade
• Terms after the 2026-27 academic year

Who pays first

1. Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant
2. Third-party scholarships
3. Cleveland State pilot funding

The pilot is last-dollar support: the state grant and any outside scholarships apply first, and Cleveland State covers what remains.

Who to contact

The Dual Enrollment Office answers questions about eligibility for the pilot, applications, and the state grant.

dualenrollment@clevelandstatecc.edu 423-614-8734 Dual enrollment page

Cleveland Bradley County Public Library eCard resources

Who qualifies

1. Lives in Bradley County

   The free card is for Bradley County residents. Neighboring county residents can buy an out-of-county card for $15 per person each year.

2. Shows ID and two address proofs

   For a physical card, bring a valid picture ID and two recent proofs of address, such as a bill, voter registration, or car registration, to the Main Library.

3. Has a parent with a card

   Children 0-17 get a standard card only with a parent or guardian who also has a card and takes responsibility for it.

4. Teens 14-17 with a student ID

   A teen with a valid student ID can get a student card without a parent, limited to two physical items plus online collections.

What the card gives you

The limits come from the library's 2025 Public Policies and Procedures and its library card page.

Books per card

25 for 21 days

Audiobooks on CD per card

5 for 21 days

Parent Resource Center items

5 per household

DVDs and Blu-rays

6 per household

eCard access to e-books and databases

Free

Replacement card

$4.00

Books cost $0.10 a day when overdue, up to $6 per item, and fines or overdue items above the library's limits can block borrowing.

How to get the card

1. Online, any time

   Register for an eCard

   Fill out the library's online eCard form, and allow up to a week for processing.

2. With your eCard

   Use online resources

   Use e-books and audiobooks through Libby, World Book Online, Rocket Languages, Transparent Language Online, and the other 24/7 databases.

3. At the Main Library

   Get a physical card

   Bring a picture ID and two recent proofs of address to 795 Church Street NE to get a physical card or convert your eCard.

4. Each checkout

   Return or renew

   Books are due in 21 days and can be renewed twice; new fiction and DVDs are due in 7 days.

What it includes

Included

• Books, audiobooks, and DVDs
• E-books and audiobooks through Libby
• World Book Online
• Language courses through Rocket Languages and Transparent Language
• Parent Resource Center materials

Not included

• Replacement cards
• Overdue fines
• Postage charges on some interlibrary loans

Good to know

• The first card is free for county residents

  All Bradley County residents get their first card free, and the library does not ask about school enrollment.

Who to contact about the card

The circulation desk at the Main Library handles library cards, eCards, and account questions.

circulation@clevelandlibrary.org 423-472-2163 Get a library card

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

Find benefits for your ZIP code