Bill > HB0552

This bill establishes a new category of home schooling in Tennessee called the Family Right to Educational Emancipation (FREE) Act, which creates a distinct type of home school that is exempt from virtually all state educational regulations and reporting requirements. Under this new provision, parents who choose this home school option are not required to submit any assessments, attendance records, educational documentation, or follow any state-mandated curriculum guidelines for children between six and seventeen years old. The bill explicitly protects parents' rights to direct their children's education without government interference, and it prevents state and local agencies from imposing any rules or mandates on how these home schools are conducted. Additionally, the bill modifies driver's license regulations to prevent the Department of Safety from conditioning license issuance on a student's school attendance record or enrollment status, effectively removing previous restrictions that linked school attendance to driving privileges. These changes aim to provide parents with maximum educational freedom and reduce governmental oversight of home schooling, with the new provisions set to take effect on July 1, 2025.