State Rep. Glen Casada, R-College Grove, made the request Wednesday. He said requiring home-schooled students to score a minimum of 23 on their ACT to qualify while other students must score only a 19 is discriminatory and unfair.

"Proponents of a lottery did not mention discriminating against home-schooled students in the lottery debate last fall,'' said Casada, referring to the lottery referendum last November. "Parents across the state were led to believe that students who met a certain criteria would receive a scholarship, period.''

The lottery is slated to begin on Feb. 10. The first scholarships generated from lottery proceeds are scheduled to be distributed next fall to entering freshmen. Students who graduated last spring can earn a scholarship for their sophomore year of college by meeting certain academic requirements.

Those supporting the provision requiring higher scores by home-schooled students believe the children have wealthy parents or were not properly taught, Casada said. Neither belief is true, he said.

"Home-schooled students tend to perform as well or better than other students,'' he told The Tennessean newspaper. "They do not cost taxpayers a dime, and we should not penalize them or their parents for choosing a perfectly legal education option. We need more choice in education, not less.''

Of the 4,850 home-schooled students registered in Tennessee last year, 2,798 were independent, said Randy Hankins, director of home schools for the state Department of Education. The other 2,052 were church-related.

A parent with a high school diploma or GED can teach their children through the eighth grade, but must have a college degree to teach high school-level courses at home, Hankins said. But by registering with a church-related satellite school, parents can get around the requirement for teaching high school classes, he said.

"An example would be that you are living in Nashville and Gateway Christian is a satellite church-related home school in Memphis. You can register with them, pay them tuition and they will send you the information that deals with your high school-aged child and they do not require a college degree. You become an adjunct teacher for that particular satellite school.''

The scholarship program is expected to cost $176.5 million its first year. Scholarship recipients will receive $3,000 a year to attend four-year schools and $1,500 for two-year schools. The neediest and brightest students can receive an additional $1,000.

Students who attend a technology school will receive $1,250. Those with a minimum 2.75 grade point average, an 18 on the ACT or 860 on the SAT and have family incomes below $36,000 can receive $1,500 in access grants.