Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS)
Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) pays vendors through Student First (Theo). Here's what a compliant invoice needs, straight from esadesk's rules data.
- Student First (Theo)
- Direct pay only
- No platform fee observed
The program pays you directly.
Tennessee EFS runs through the portal marketplace: the family purchases through the portal. For deliverable items like technology or uniforms the family confirms receipt; Tennessee hasn't published how or when a service provider is paid.
TDOE EFS Family Handbook 2026-27 + TDOE schools-and-service-providers page — read 2026-07-30The invoice, annotated
What a Student First (Theo) reviewer looks for, region by region. Every requirement comes from the program's own documents — sources under each note.
- 1
Top of the page
Number and date the document — reviewers reference both.
- Invoice has a unique invoice number provisional
- Invoice has an issue date provisional
- 2
Names and identity
The names have to line up: your business, your address, the account holder, the student.
- Student name is on the invoice provisional
- Vendor business name and contact info are on the invoice provisional
- Parent / account-holder name is on the invoice provisional
- Vendor business address is on the invoice provisional
- 3
The line items
Dated, described, priced — line by line.
- Every line item has a service date provisional
- Every line item has a description and an amount provisional
- Each line shows its math — minutes, or quantity × unit price good practice provisional
- 4
The total
The math has to close.
- Invoice total matches the sum of the lines provisional
The full checklist
Every check esadesk runs for Tennessee EFS, with its fix in plain words — 11 checks cited to 1 state and platform source.
Has to be right 9
Invoice has a unique invoice number provisional
Add an invoice number — every claim needs one the reviewer can reference.
TDOE EFS Family Handbook 2026-27 + SBE 0520-01-24-.11Invoice has an issue date provisional
Add the invoice date — AZ's handbook lists it explicitly, and every platform expects it.
TDOE EFS Family Handbook 2026-27 + SBE 0520-01-24-.11Student name is on the invoice provisional
Add the student's name exactly as it appears in the program.
TDOE EFS Family Handbook 2026-27 + SBE 0520-01-24-.11Vendor business name and contact info are on the invoice provisional
Add your business name and at least one contact — email or phone.
TDOE EFS Family Handbook 2026-27 + SBE 0520-01-24-.11Every line item has a service date provisional
Add the date of service to every line — undated lines bounce.
TDOE EFS Family Handbook 2026-27 + SBE 0520-01-24-.11Every line item has a description and an amount provisional
Give every line a description and a dollar amount.
TDOE EFS Family Handbook 2026-27 + SBE 0520-01-24-.11Parent / account-holder name is on the invoice provisional
Add the parent's name — platforms match invoices to the account holder.
TDOE EFS Family Handbook 2026-27 + SBE 0520-01-24-.11Vendor business address is on the invoice provisional
Add your business address — reviewers reject invoices without it.
TDOE EFS Family Handbook 2026-27 + SBE 0520-01-24-.11Invoice total matches the sum of the lines provisional
The total doesn't add up to the line items — recalculate before sending.
TDOE EFS Family Handbook 2026-27 + SBE 0520-01-24-.11
Worth knowing 2
Each line shows its math — minutes, or quantity × unit price good practice provisional
Not required here, but a line that shows its math gets fewer questions: add the minutes — “Math tutoring — 60 min — $80.00” — or a quantity and a unit price: “4 sessions × $80.00 = $320.00”.
TDOE EFS Family Handbook 2026-27 + SBE 0520-01-24-.11Everyone serving the student meets Tennessee's licensing requirement good practice provisional
Tennessee requires each person serving students to hold the right credential — tutors an active TN teaching license (agencies: accreditation), therapists a department-approved license. Confirm yours before you list, or the service isn't eligible.
TDOE EFS Family Handbook 2026-27 + SBE 0520-01-24-.11
Check an invoice against these rules
The free checker runs this exact checklist — what passes, what a reviewer would bounce, and how to fix it.
Runs entirely in your browser — nothing you type leaves the page.
Check a Tennessee EFS invoice