Public Virtual Schools
In Tennessee, public virtual schools are public schools that use technology to deliver a significant portion of instruction to students via the internet in a virtual or remote setting. These schools are established, operated, and overseen by public school districts, known as Local Education Agencies (LEAs). Public virtual schools are held to the same rigorous standards and accountability measures as other public schools in Tennessee. Students enrolled in public virtual schools are assessed against the same academic standards as those in traditional public school settings.
More than 50 LEAs in Tennessee offer public virtual school options. Some of these LEAs provide virtual schooling exclusively to students residing within their geographic boundaries, while others allow students from any county in Tennessee to enroll, provided they meet the school's admission criteria. Enrollment processes and deadlines vary among these schools, so it is important to visit each virtual school's website or contact them directly for specific registration information. The Tennessee Department of Education maintains a comprehensive public virtual school list to help families find options that best meet their educational needs.
If you have questions related to public virtual schools in Tennessee, please contact Virtual.Schools@tn.gov
List of Public Virtual Schools
Frequently Asked Questions
Laws/Rules/Policies
Public virtual schools are public schools and must comply with all applicable laws, rules, and policies that govern other Tennessee public schools. T.C.A. §§ 49-16-201–216 and SBE Rule 0520-01-03-.05(1) establish the additional requirements and any specific exceptions that apply to public virtual schools.
Opening or Changing a Virtual School
LEAs will use the following resources and steps to apply to open a public virtual school:
Complete the Tennessee New School Application Form (Form A) located on the department’s school directory webpage.
Complete the Public Virtual School Authorization Appendix B Response Template located in the resources section below or available upon request to Virtual.Schools@tn.gov.
On or before June 1, submit both the Tennessee New School Application Form (Form A) and Public Virtual School Authorization Appendix B Response Template documents using the Tennessee School Directory Submission Form located on the department’s school directory webpage.
Resources for opening a public virtual school:
- FAQs Opening a New Public Virtual School
- Public Virtual School Authorization Appendix B Response Template
Guidance and Trainings
This guidance addresses frequently asked questions related to virtual education and examines different statutory and regulatory requirements related to virtual schools and virtual education programs that operate in Tennessee.
Slide Deck: Virtual Education Guidance Webinar Slide Deck
Video Recording of Webinar: Virtual Education Guidance Webinar Recording
LEAs that operate a public virtual school or virtual adult high school must monitor and evaluate each school annually using the department’s required monitoring documents. This requirement also applies to schools in their first year of operation.
LEAs may begin annual monitoring and evaluation on July 1 and must complete all required actions by December 15.
Required Monitoring Actions:
· Complete the annual monitoring process for each school.
· Upload the completed Monitoring Tool and Monitoring Report to the LEA’s ePlan Document Library.
· Post the completed Monitoring Report on both the LEA and virtual school websites.
· Distribute the completed Monitoring Report directly to families of enrolled students.
Required Monitoring Documents:
Monitoring Guidance and Resources
The department has created the following guidance document and sample memorandum of understanding to assist LEAs in their endeavor to offer virtual education opportunities to suspended or expelled students.
Virtual Instruction for Students within an Alternative Education Program
Public virtual schools and virtual education programs follow the same reporting requirements as public schools. The resources below address specific data reporting considerations unique to virtual education.