Last verified: October 2026
Does it matter where I live in Shelby County for private school funding?
Yes. Only students zoned to Memphis-Shelby County Schools or a former Achievement School District school can use the $10,132.54 ESA, so an income-eligible family in Whitehaven or Frayser has an option that a family zoned to Germantown, Collierville, Bartlett, Arlington, Lakeland or Millington schools does not. EFS ($7,530) and the IEA are statewide.
Tipton and Fayette County residents are outside the ESA as well.
Can a family new to Tennessee get a scholarship right away?
A family must live in Tennessee to apply for EFS, with two residency documents, and the student must be a U.S. citizen or lawfully present; EFS has no prior-public-school rule. The ESA also accepts a student who is enrolling in a Tennessee school for the first time, including after a move, if the zone and income rules are met.
Timing is the constraint: EFS last opened in January, and the ESA window runs February 2 to April 15, 2027.
How should newcomers use the Memphis private school directory?
Start with a community page, check each school's category and EFS and ESA status, then confirm tuition with the school. The 9 community pages cover Memphis neighborhoods, the eastern suburbs, Millington and Tipton County, and Fayette County.
Shelby County holds 107 of the 116 schools in this directory.
| MSCS zone | Municipal district (Germantown, Collierville, etc.) | Tipton or Fayette | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EFS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ESA | Yes, if income and history qualify | No | No |
| IEA | Yes, with an IEP | Yes, with an IEP | Yes, with an IEP |
| Pre-K application | MSCS, year-round | Your municipal district | Tipton County or Fayette County district |
What is the next step for a Memphis family?
Spend two minutes on the funding check, and a counselor will call back with the program that fits, its dollar value and the next deadline.