Last verified: October 2026
How is the Tennessee IEA different from EFS for a Memphis child with an IEP?
The Individualized Education Account (IEA) adds special-education money on top of the base amount, so it is usually larger than the flat $7,530 Education Freedom Scholarship. It also reaches more places: Category I through V schools, church-related umbrella programs and independent homeschooling.
The catch is the IEP. Without an active Tennessee IEP in an eligible category at the moment the window closes, a student cannot get an IEA, and an IEA student cannot stay enrolled in public school.
When can Shelby County families apply for a 2027-28 IEA?
TDOE projects that new applications for the 2027-28 contract year will open February 16, 2027 and close April 16, 2027, with renewal forms available in the portal on the same date. The 2026-27 window has closed.
There is no income limit. Because the IEP must be current when the window shuts, families should check annual-review dates with the child's school this winter.
Which Memphis-area private schools work with students who have IEPs?
Schools built for learning differences in this directory include Bowie Reading and Learning Center and Concord Academy in East Memphis, The Bodine School in Germantown, Madonna Learning Center and Beyond the Spectrum, along with Category I-Special Purpose programs. The learning-differences hub lists 15 in all.
Private schools can apply to take IEA students at any point in the year, so a school not yet set up may still say yes.
What can IEA money buy besides tuition?
Approved curricula, online learning programs, tutoring and educational therapies are standard IEA uses. A computer or tablet needs written pre-approval first, and the same kind of item cannot be bought again until two calendar years have passed.
Families file quarterly expense reports in the IEA portal, and TDOE funds the account quarterly.
| Individualized Education Account is | Individualized Education Account is not |
|---|---|
| A disability-based account with no income limit | Not available without a current Tennessee IEP in an eligible category |
| Usable at Category I-V schools and for independent homeschooling | Not combinable with EFS or the ESA in the same year |
| Usually larger than EFS for the same student | Not compatible with staying enrolled in public school |
| Open for 2027-28 from a projected February 16 to April 16, 2027 | Not a single published dollar amount |