Last verified: October 2026
What is the next school-funding deadline for Knoxville families?
The nearest family deadline is Knoxville Catholic High School's December 11, 2026 tuition-assistance filing. On the state side, the IEA's 2027-28 window is projected to open February 16, 2027, and TDOE has not posted 2027-28 EFS dates; last cycle's ran January 13-30.
Plan to have EFS documents scanned by early December.
Which 2026-27 EFS dates are still ahead?
Two deposits are left this school year: a projected 20% on January 15, 2027 and the final 10% on March 15. Shopping windows end in two stages, devices and uniforms at 4 p.m. Central on April 30, 2027 and every other Marketplace item on June 25.
June 30, 2027 is the portal cutoff for schools to confirm next year's enrollment.
Every date, in order
- Nov 16, 2026EFS school registration for 2027-28 opens. A Knoxville-area school that is not on the list yet has until April 30, 2027, with no late registrations.
- Dec 11, 2026Knoxville Catholic High School's FACTS tuition-assistance deadline for 2027-28; the school asks every aid applicant to file for EFS as well.
- Jan 1, 2027The federal scholarship tax credit starts. Tennessee has opted in, and TDOE is still taking preliminary interest forms from would-be SGOs.
- Jan 15, 2027Projected third EFS funding event for 2026-27 (20% of the year's award).
- Feb 16, 2027Projected opening of the 2027-28 IEA window for students with an active Tennessee IEP.
- Mar 15, 2027Projected final EFS funding event for 2026-27 (10%).
- Apr 30, 2027EFS Marketplace stops selling technology and uniforms at 4 p.m. CT; also the last day for schools to register for 2027-28 EFS.
- Jun 25, 2027EFS Marketplace closes for every remaining product and service at 4 p.m. CT.
- Jun 30, 2027Deadline for the 2026-27 Dual Enrollment Grant application, and for EFS schools to verify 2027-28 enrollment in the portal.
TDOE says 2027-28 EFS student application dates will be posted when available. The 2026-27 cycle opened renewals on December 9, 2025 and new applications on January 13, 2026, and closed both on January 30, 2026, so a Knoxville family should have documents scanned by early December.
| Program | Status | Next window |
|---|---|---|
| EFS 2027-28 students | Not open | Dates not posted; last cycle Jan 13-30 |
| IEA 2027-28 | Not open | Projected Feb 16, 2027 |
| KCHS tuition assistance | Open | Due Dec 11, 2026 |
| Knox County Schools pre-K 2027-28 | Not open | Date not posted; 2026-27 opened Mar 6, 2026 |
| Dual Enrollment Grant 2026-27 | Open | Due June 30, 2027 |
Where does a Knoxville family go from here?
Send us five answers in the funding check. A counselor then tells you, for your child specifically, which Tennessee program to apply for, how much it should pay and the very next deadline.