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Therapeutic & Alternative Boarding Schools In Tennessee

When your teen is participating in destructive and volatile behavior, you might consider alternative or therapeutic boarding schools as a way to help your teen establish a new identity and develop coping skills for facing the challenges of life. Therapeutic boarding schools offer teens a range of services, from academic help to counseling sessions, designed to emphasize getting your child back on track. HelpYourTeenNow offers free counseling sessions to parents interested in exploring the options of alternative and therapeutic boarding schools for their at-risk teens.

Tennessee Regulatory Laws

The Division of Health Care Facilities via the Department of Health is responsible for regulating the quality of care facilities throughout Tennessee as well as licensing standards.

Accreditation is optional for private schools, as is registration. All church-related private schools must meet accreditation standards set by one of several Christian school associations (TCA 49-50-801). In Tennessee, private schools are categorized by the Board of Education as I, II, III, IV, V, VI and VII to reflect the different standards that the school complies with (TCA 49-50-801 and TCA 49-50-801). Teachers in Category I and VII schools must meet state licensing and certification standards, while teachers of Category II and II must only meet the standards set forth by their school. Category IV and V teachers must have a bachelor’s degree. For curriculums, Category I, II and VII schools must meet the state’s graduation requirements (State Board of Education Rule No. 0520-7-2). Where testing is concerned, each category school is subject to a range of standards, from testing with public school requirements (State Board of Education Rule No. 0520-7-2) to no testing requirements (State Board of Education Rule No. 0520-7-2).

 

Reference: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/regprivschl/regprivschl.pdf

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Request Free Admissions Information

Step 1 of 3 - Your Contact Info

Tennessee Regulatory Laws

The Division of Health Care Facilities via the Department of Health is responsible for regulating the quality of care facilities throughout Tennessee as well as licensing standards.

Accreditation is optional for private schools, as is registration. All church-related private schools must meet accreditation standards set by one of several Christian school associations (TCA 49-50-801). In Tennessee, private schools are categorized by the Board of Education as I, II, III, IV, V, VI and VII to reflect the different standards that the school complies with (TCA 49-50-801 and TCA 49-50-801). Teachers in Category I and VII schools must meet state licensing and certification standards, while teachers of Category II and II must only meet the standards set forth by their school. Category IV and V teachers must have a bachelor’s degree. For curriculums, Category I, II and VII schools must meet the state’s graduation requirements (State Board of Education Rule No. 0520-7-2). Where testing is concerned, each category school is subject to a range of standards, from testing with public school requirements (State Board of Education Rule No. 0520-7-2) to no testing requirements (State Board of Education Rule No. 0520-7-2).

 

Reference: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/regprivschl/regprivschl.pdf

Summary

We Can Help!

Please contact us if you are considering a military school or boot camp for your struggling teen. There are a variety of options that promote a long term solution for behavior modification. Alternative and therapeutic boarding schools can offer both a quality education as well as therapy services designed to address the root of the problem with your child. Military school and boot camp are not your only options for reversing the pattern of bad or concerning behavior. We offer a free consultation and assessment to get you on your way to putting your family back on track. Call us today to get started.

Statistics for At-Risk Tennessee Teens

ADD/ADHD

  • 10.4%

10.4 percent of children in Tennessee, aged 3–17 years have been diagnosed with ADHD. (National Survey of Children’s Health, 2016–2019).

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9489617/

TEEN PREGNANCY 

  • 23.3%

The teen pregnancy rate for adolescents aged 15 to 19 in Tennessee is 23.3 per 1,000 females in this age group, according to the World Population Review.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/teen-pregnancy-rates-by-state

TEEN SUICIDE

  • 11.2%

Tennessee ranks 20th with a suicide rate of 11.2 deaths per 100,000 adolescents aged 15 to 19, according to data from the CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death Files (2020–2022).

https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/measures/teen_suicide/TN

DRUG USE

  • 6.78%

In 2020, approximately 788,000 teenagers aged 12 to 17 nationwide met the criteria for Illicit Drug Use Disorder (IDUD). In Tennessee, about 6.78% of adolescents in this age group reported using illicit drugs, according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics.

https://drugabusestatistics.org/teen-drug-use/#tennessee

ALCOHOL USE

  • 9.10%

Approximately 9.10% of teens in Tennessee suffer from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). (National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, 2020).

https://drugabusestatistics.org/teen-drug-use/#tennessee

TEEN VAPING

  • 22.1%

Tennessee ranks 26th among all states, with 22.1% of high school teens reported to have used vapes. (Drug Watch, 2024).

https://www.drugwatch.com/e-cigarettes/vape-stat-by-state/

TEEN PORNOGRAPHY

  • 57%

The porn industry experienced a 12.6% annual revenue increase from 2018 to 2023. Adolescent exposure to pornography has steadily risen, with the age of first exposure becoming increasingly younger. 57% of young adults ages 18-25 use porn monthly or more often.

https://www.addictionhelp.com/porn/statistics/

TEEN BULLYING

  • 46%

According to Pew Research Center, 46% of U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 have experienced at least one of six types of cyberbullying behaviors. (Pew Research Center, 2022).

https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/12/15/teens-and-cyberbullying-2022/

 

Summary

We Can Help!

As a parent advocate group, we understand the difficulty in making a life-changing decision on your teen’s behalf. Teens who undergo major physical and mental changes, who may also be dealing with substance abuse, are the perfect candidates for therapeutic and alternative boarding schools. HelpYourTeenNow can match you and your teen up with a program in your area that has a proven success record and works hard to boost your teen’s self-esteem via a treatment plan that works. Not all schools and programs are alike, so call HelpYourTeenNow to access our vast network of resources from parents and professionals who know what it takes to turn at-risk teens into confident, independent adults.