Families & Students
We are excited that you are either a participating family or are interested in gathering more information about participating in the ESA Program. We have listed resources below that will help you on your journey to choosing the best educational option for your child.
Participating ESA Schools
A list of approved participating schools where families may spend ESA funds on tuition, textbooks, uniforms, and other pre-approved educational expenses is linked by location below.
Resources for Families
- Video: TN ESA: Tuition and Fees Payment Guide for Families
- Written Instructions: TN ESA: Tuition and Fees Payment Guide for Families
- An updated Service Provider List will be added in the coming months.
- Video: TN ESA: Family Wallet User Guide (guidde.com)
- Written Instructions:
Your student will need to become the account holder of the ESA account, or the ESA Program must receive one of the following for your student:
- A valid notarized power of attorney executed by your student, appointing you as the agent, OR
- A conservatorship order issued by a judge, appointing you as the conservator and granting the appropriate decision-making rights
A POA is a legal agreement between two individuals in which the principal (e.g., your student) agrees to allow the agent (e.g., you, the parent or caretaker) to make decisions or exercise rights and responsibilities on the principal’s behalf.
POAs can be:
General: Intended to cover all decisions, rights, and responsibilities. Note that Tenn. Code Ann. § 34-6-109 has a common list of powers that can be incorporated by reference, OR
Limited: Intended to cover only some decisions, rights, and responsibilities, AND
Durable: Takes effect immediately and remains in effect until termination by the principal, OR
Temporary: Takes effect immediately but only remains in effect until a specified date or future event occurs (e.g. graduating high school).
A POA does not have to be drafted by an attorney and does not need to be approved or issued by a judge. The ESA Program simply requires the POA be signed by the student in the presence of a notary public and notarized. However, a POA is only valid if your student has the mental capacity to understand the nature and purpose of the POA. If your student does not have this capacity, a conservatorship is required, which is a lengthier process and requires a court proceeding.
The POA that your student executes for you to remain the ESA account holder must at a minimum indicate that the following rights are transferred to you, as the agent:
- The right to make educational decisions regarding the placement and participation of the student in the Education Savings Account (ESA) Program; and
- The right to make banking and financial decisions and transactions, limited to management, control, and access to the Education Savings Account.
The above terms can easily be added to existing POA formats. In addition, TDOE provides an optional limited POA that only transfers the minimum rights necessary for participation in the ESA Program. A template of this form is provided below.
Please complete and submit the Education Savings Account (ESA) Program Age of Majority Form provided below within 10 business days of your student turning 18. If no information is received within 10 business days after the student turns 18, the ESA account will be closed.
ESA TVAAS Composite Scores
In accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-2606, the Tennessee Education Savings Account (ESA) Program shall make the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) composite score of each participating school publicly available on the department's website, in compliance with state and federal student privacy laws, including the federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the state Data Accessibility, Transparency and Accountability Act. The TVAAS report enables parents to select data of interest, assess trends over time, and compare results.
Click here to review the scores for your school.