Tennessee - best city for homeschooling

[mommyofcb]

We will be relocating, and possibly might be able to choose where we want to live.

So, I was wondering which city has the best support for homeschooling in Tennessee. (Also...if it is a fairly large city, could you recommend any suburbs?)

Our options are: Chattanooga, Nashville, Knoxville, Memphis, Kingsport, Franklin, and Bristol.

Thanks a ton for any infomation you have!

[AudreyTN]

I can't really answer about support but I live about 45 min from Kingsport. :)

[bkpan]

Nashville and Franklin both have large homeschooling communities. You would find alot of support at either, but I suspect any of the cities you listed would be similar. Maybe there are other factors you are considering?

Kim

[Georgie]

Near Memphis is the Bartlett Wolfchase Homeschool Group. It is fairly large and has a great support network. After a main meeting, they divide parents up into groups according to grades. (K-2, 3-5, 6-8 & high school) This way you can discuss things that pertain to each group and set up individual group meetings where the kids can get together and meet more kids their own age. Plus they have a lot of info on field trips, extracurricular activities, science classes, 4-H stuff, and so on. MHEA also has a lot of information. memphishomeschool.org

[King Alfred Academy]

What about Murfreesboro? It's about 30 miles south of Nashville. We have lived here for 4 years and have liked it. Hschool groups are hard to break into, but there is a lot of support from the community as far as activities designed for hschoolers. The park department is fantastic and has a great deal of activities...biology clubs and classes, art classes, p.e. classes, ect. We also have a hands on discovery center and a great library, although the LaVergne Library is better IMO...caters to hschoolers with curriculum options available to check out. The cost of living is also cheaper than Franklin. Franklin is nice, but I think it is overrated...I lived there once too. Nashville is a great city. I have lived there too. Not sure what it has to offer as far as hschooling though.

[Lisa at Home]

It's a nice town with a college, it has a great homeschooling community, it's clean, and it's a nice sized town, but not too large.

It also has Chef Wang's, the best Chinese restaurant in the world!!!!

~Lisa

[Mandy in TN]

Oh, Franklin is a suburb of Nashville, as is Brentwood, Bellevue, Antioch, Spring Hill and others that I am sure that I am forgetting.

Here is a list (http://nashville.about.com/library/blank/blmdtnHS.htm) of hs groups on about.com. SHAPE (Spring Hill Area Parent Educators) is not on that list and neither is WCIH (Williamson County Inclusive Homeschoolers), so I am sure that others are not on that list. There are a ton of enrichment opportunities (sports teams, band, skate days, park days, book clubs, speech & debate, field trips groups, etc.), tutorials, support groups, a homeschool prom, giant MTHEA graduation, etc in middle TN.

Here is the website for MTHEA (http://www.mthea.org/).

I grew up in Memphis and go back several times a year. The homeschool community in middle Tn is definitely more active than Memphis. I am not familiar with any other areas- But, my vote is for middle TN! If you have any specific questions, let me know.:D
HTH-
Mandy

[gardenschooler]

Middle TN (near Nashville) seems to have a lot more going on than Memphis. We have groups and all that, but not nearly what's going on elsewhere.

We have a lot of groups that are all very similar. I have one I'm somewhat happy with that I've been with for years, but there aren't that many options - there are dozens just like it, nothing different. Not much creativity. The homeschool community isn't as active here as I'd like, and where they are active is only out in the suburbs.

I'd pick Nashville (or anywhere in mid to east TN) over Memphis any day (and not just for homeschooling!).

[Mandy in TN]

I wanted to add that Brentwood has my vote for best Nashville suburb library!

-Mandy

[Tani]

activities going on. Easy to break into, the people here and in Cleveland as well. Cleveland is 20 min north of Chatt. Lots of sights, parks, wilderness areas, city activities, ie. art museum, Discovery museum, aquarium, biking trails and much more. Can you tell I love the area? :tongue_smilie: Tani

[King Alfred Academy]

Also wanted to add Rutherford Co. has a large homeschool group called HEART (Home Education (something) Rutherford (something)... Just google HEART Rutherford and you should get the site. IMHO...great social activities and field trips...but they fill up so quickly and it's hard to participate...won't go into the other stuff here. There is also a yahoo group called RutherfordCountyHomeschoolers. It seems to be more laid back and not offer as many social opportunities, but it seems to be a pretty close knit group...in a not cliquish way though.
Some of the churches around here also have their own homeschool support groups.
Oh, and Middle TN State University, here in M'boro, has a HUGE collection of curriculum and supplements that you can check out. Great selection. It is the collection for all of the curriculum used in TN in the ps. But, there is great stuff. Just about any fiction book you could imagine too. You are able to have two items checked out as a resident of the 'boro.

[mommyofcb]

activities going on. Easy to break into, the people here and in Cleveland as well. Cleveland is 20 min north of Chatt. Lots of sights, parks, wilderness areas, city activities, ie. art museum, Discovery museum, aquarium, biking trails and much more. Can you tell I love the area? :tongue_smilie: Tani

Awesome! I think we are probably going to focus on Chattanooga. Do you know of any churches that have lots of homeschoolers?