How to Homeschool in Hawaii

The parent must provide the local public school principal with a notice of intent to home educate the child before initiating homeschooling. The notice of intent may be submitted on a HIDOE-developed form (Form OIS-4140) or in a letter containing the following items: name, address, and telephone number of the child; birthdate and grade level of the child; and signature of the parent. Hawaii Administrative Code (HAC) §8-12-13.

The notice of intent must be acknowledged by the principal and the district superintendent. HAC §8-12-13(b).

If the student's annual progress reports are submitted, the notification of intent to homeschool does not need to be resubmitted annually unless the local school that the student would attend if not homeschooled is changing. HAC §8-12-13(c).

The parent must notify the principal if homeschooling is terminated. A child must be reenrolled in the local public school or licensed private school unless a new alternative educational program is presented within five school days after the termination of home schooling. HAC §8-12-16.

The parent(s) submitting a notice to homeschool a child must be responsible for the child's total educational program including athletics and other cocurricular activities. HAC §8-12-13(d).

All educational and related services statutorily mandated must be made available at the home public school site to homeschooled children who have been evaluated and certified as needing educational and related services and who request the services. HAC §8-12-14.

The parent submitting a notice of intent to homeschool must keep a record of the planned curriculum for the child. The record of the planned curriculum must include the following: the commencement date and ending date of the program, a record of the number of hours per week the child spends in instruction, and the subject areas to be covered in the planned curriculum. An elementary school curriculum may include the areas of language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, art, music, health, and physical education to be offered at the appropriate development stage of the child; a secondary school curriculum may include the subject areas of social studies, English, mathematics, science, health, physical education and guidance. At both the elementary and secondary levels, the curriculum must include the method used to determine mastery of materials and subjects in the curriculum and a list of textbooks or other instructional materials that will be used. The list must be in standard bibliographical format. For books, the author, title, publisher, and date of publication must be indicated. For magazines, the author, article title, magazine, date, volume number, and pages must be indicated. HAC §8-12-15.

A parent teaching the parent's child at home must be deemed a qualified instructor. HAC §8-12-19.

No course credits (Carnegie units) are granted for time spent being homeschooled. HAC §8-12-20.

Test scores are required for grades identified in the Statewide Testing Program, grades three, five, eight, and 10. The child may participate in the testing program through the local public school or through private testing at the parent's expense. Other means of evaluation may be approved if requested by the parent. HAC §8-12-18.

The parent of a homeschooled student must submit an annual report of the student's progress to the local school principal. Satisfactory progress may be determined by (1) a grade-level achievement on a nationally-normed standardized achievement test; (2) progress on a nationally normed standardized achievement test that indicates progress up a grade level; (3) a written evaluation by a Hawaii certified teacher that grade level progress was made; or (4) a written parental evaluation that includes a description of the student's progress in each subject, representative samples of the student's work, and representative tests and graded assignments when grades were given. The principal must review the adequacy of the student's progress and, if it is not adequate, meet with the parent to discuss problems and make a plan for improvement. HAC §8-12-18.

A homeschooled child must attend high school for a minimum of three full years to meet the credit requirements for graduation, as well as perform satisfactorily on the Hawaii State Test of Essential Competencies, in order to earn a diploma from the local high school. A homeschooled child who wants to earn a high school diploma from the community school for adults must meet the following requirements: be at least 16 years of age, have been homeschooled for at least one semester under Hawaii's homeschool procedures, and take and achieve a satisfactory score on the Graduate Educational Development test (GED). HAC §8-12-21.

A child who is being homeschooled may participate in any college entrance examination made available to all other students through a request to the local public high school principal. HAC §8-12-22.

Private School Option

Schools licensed by the Hawaii Council of Private Schools must have a curriculum that is a cumulative and sequential educational program. The curriculum must prepare the students with knowledge and skills necessary for success at the next appropriate level of education or work. It must also take into consideration the unique interests, needs, and abilities of each student. For schools, excluding those that exclusively serve students with special needs or disabilities, the curriculum must include reading, writing, speech, mathematics, social studies, science, art, music, and health and physical education. A private school can determine the length of the school day and the length of the school year in accord with its stated mission, provided that the amount of instruction offered is at least 880 hours in a given school year.

Schools licensed by the Hawaii Council of Private Schools must keep and maintain student records in a manner that keeps parents and guardians informed of student progress and achievement. If a student transfers or applies for admission to a new school, the private school must make student records available on the request of the parent or guardian.

Each student must present a physical examination report before first attending school. A student who has not completed the physical exam may attend school on a provisional basis only with written documentation showing that appointments have been made to complete the missing requirements, and the examination must be completed within three months of initial school attendance. Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) §302A-1159.

Each student must send a record of immunizations as required by the department of health and a tuberculosis examination certificate before first attending school. A student who has not completed all required immunizations may attend school on a provisional basis only with written documentation showing the immunizations are in process, and the immunizations must be completed within three months of initial school attendance. A student is exempt if a physician, physician assistant, or advance practice registered nurse certifies that immunizations are an endangerment to the student's health, or the parent, custodian, or guardian provides in writing objections to immunization based on bona fide religious beliefs. If the department of health decides there is danger of an epidemic, no immunization exemptions are recognized. HRS §§302A-1154–1157.

Contact Information

Hawaii Department of Education
1390 Miller Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: 808-586-3230
Fax: 808-586-3234
Website: http://doe.k12.hi.us/

Source: United States Department of Education - Hawaii State Regulations

Hawaii recognizes homeschooling as an alternative to compulsory school attendance. Homeschooling is a parent-initiated educational alternative.

Notice of Intent to Homeschool

The parent must provide the local public school principal with a notice of intent to home educate the child before initiating homeschooling.

The notice of intent may be submitted on a HIDOE-developed Hawaii Form OIS-4140 (PDF) or in a letter containing the following items: name, address, and telephone number of the child; birthdate and grade level of the child; and signature of the parent. Hawaii Administrative Code (HAC) §8-12-13.

The notice of intent must be acknowledged by the principal and the district superintendent. HAC §8-12-13(b).

The parent must notify the principal if homeschooling is terminated. A child must be re-enrolled in the local public school or licensed private school unless a new alternative educational program is presented within five school days after the termination of home schooling. HAC §8-12-16.

The parent(s) submitting a notice to homeschool a child must be responsible for the child's total educational program including athletics and other co-curricular activities. HAC §8-12-13(d).

All educational and related services statutorily mandated must be made available at the home public school site to homeschooled children who have been evaluated and certified as needing educational and related services and who request the services. HAC §8-12-14.

Curriculum

A record of the subject areas to be covered in the planned curriculum.

An elementary school curriculum may include the areas of language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, art, music, health, and physical education to be offered at the appropriate development stage of the child

A secondary school curriculum may include the subject areas of social studies, English, mathematics, science, health, physical education and guidance. At both the elementary and secondary levels, the curriculum must include the method used to determine mastery of materials and subjects in the curriculum and a list of textbooks or other instructional materials that will be used.

The list must be in standard bibliographical format. For books, the author, title, publisher, and date of publication must be indicated. For magazines, the author, article title, magazine, date, volume number, and pages must be indicated. HAC §8-12-15.

The curriculum shall be structured and based on educational objectives as well as the needs of the child, be cumulative and sequential, provide a range of up-to-date knowledge and needed skills, and take into account the interests, needs and abilities of the child. A principal at the school of record may request to view the curriculum if the annual report is not sufficient to show satisfactory progress.

Record Keeping

The parent submitting a notice of intent to homeschool must keep a record of the planned curriculum for the child.

The record of the planned curriculum must include the following the commencement date and ending date of the program, with a record of the number of hours per week the child spends in instruction.

Teacher Qualification

A parent teaching his/her child at home shall be deemed a qualified instructor regardless of educational background or training.

Course Credits

No course credits (Carnegie units) are granted for time spent being homeschooled. HAC §8-12-20.

Testing

Test scores are required for grades identified in the Statewide Testing Program, grades three, five, eight, and 10.

The child may participate in the testing program through the local public school or through private testing at the parent's expense. Other means of evaluation may be approved if requested by the parent. HAC §8-12-18.

Progress Reporting

The parent of a homeschooled student must submit an annual report of the student's progress to the local school principal.

Satisfactory progress may be determined by:

(1) A grade-level achievement on a nationally-normed standardized achievement test;
(2) Progress on a nationally normed standardized achievement test that indicates progress up a grade level;
(3) A written evaluation by a Hawaii certified teacher that grade level progress was made; or
(4) A written parental evaluation that includes a description of the student's progress in each subject, representative samples of the student's work, and representative tests and graded assignments when grades were given. The principal must review the adequacy of the student's progress and, if it is not adequate, meet with the parent to discuss problems and make a plan for improvement. HAC §8-12-18.

If the student's annual progress reports are submitted, the notification of intent to homeschool does not need to be resubmitted annually unless the local school that the student would attend if not homeschooled is changing. HAC §8-12-13(c).

Health Records

Health records are not required for homeschooled children. It is not necessary for the homeschooled child to submit the TB (tuberculosis) test clearance or Form 14 (Student Health Record).

Homeschool Termination

Whenever the parent chooses to terminate homeschooling, the parent is required to notify the principal of the school of record (school where intent to homeschool was sent). The child shall be re-enrolled in the local public school or a licensed private school unless a new alternative educational program is presented within five school days after the termination of homeschooling. Notification may be written or verbal.

GED Diploma

A homeschooled child who wants to earn a high school diploma from the community school for adults(GED) must meet the following requirements: be at least 16 years of age, have been homeschooled for at least one semester under Hawaii's homeschool procedures, and take and achieve a satisfactory score on the Graduate Educational Development test (GED). HAC §8-12-21.

College Entrance Exams

A child who is being homeschooled may participate in any college entrance examination made available to all other students through a request to the local public high school principal. HAC §8-12-22.

Military Families

If you're a member of the U.S. Armed Forces and want information about homeschooling specific to your circumstance, please refer to our page for Military Families.https://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/ParentsAndStudents/MilitaryFamilies/Pages/FAQs-for-military-families.aspx

Contact Information

Raymond Fujino
Phone: 808-421-4394
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Hawaii Home Schooling Links

• Hawaii Homeschool FAQs webpage
• Hawaii Notice of Intent to Homeschool Form 4140 (PDF)
• Chapter 12, Hawaii Administrative Rules​
• Hawaii Compulsory Attendance and Homeschool Law
• Hawaii View all FAQ's
• Hawaii Grade Level Standards

Source: Hawaii Department of Education