Hawaii Homeschool Laws
Homeschooling in Hawaii
How do I start homeschooling?
The steps to homeschooling in Hawaii are the following:
- Use Form 4140 and submit your letter of intent to principal of your local public school.
- Choose the the curriculum that would work best for your family.
- Make sure the curriculum complies with state laws.
- Keep records of the curriculum.
- Students in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10 must participate in the Statewide Testing Program and submit scores.
Modify™ can help you with your tracking, portfolio and record keeping. Download the app today.
Enjoying learning together!
Homeschool Laws
According to Hawaii Revised Statute §302A-1132, “Unless excluded from school or excepted from attendance, all children who will have arrived at the age of at least five years on or before July 31 of the school year, and who will not have arrived at the age of eighteen years, by January 1 of any school year, shall attend either a public or private school for, and during, the school year, and any parent, guardian, or other person having the responsibility for, or care of, a child whose attendance at school is obligatory shall send the child to either a public or private school.”
The Hawaii Department of Education “recognizes homeschooling as an alternative to compulsory school attendance. Homeschooling is a parent-initiated educational alternative.”
According to the Hawaii Department of Education: “A parent teaching his/her child at home shall be deemed a qualified instructor regardless of educational background or training”
In addition the Department of Education also states, “Exceptions to Compulsory Education (Form 4140) or a letter of intent to homeschool should be sent to the principal of the public school in your neighborhood. A letter of intent, signed by the parent, can be used in place of Form 4140.” The letter of intent must include the name, address, and telephone number of the child; birthdate and grade level of the child; and dated parent signature.
“Parents are not required to officially enroll and un-enroll students in order to homeschool their child; therefore, no birth certificate or proof of residency is required.” A new Form 4140 or a new letter of intent to homeschool only needs to re-submitted “when the child transitions from elementary to intermediate/middle school or intermediate/middle school to high school, or if the child moves to another neighborhood.” Also, parents should “contact the school if they are moving out of state so that their child(ren)’s name(s) can be removed from the state homeschool roster.”
Homeschool Requirements
The following requirements are required when homeschooling in Hawaii:
- Begin homeschooling by age 5.
- File the required Letter of Intent or Form 4140 to the principal of your local public school.
- Teach using a curriculum that will 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.”
- Teach content based on information provided by the school district. “Schools are responsible for informing parents what basic units of study should be covered for a particular grade level. Information on the standards and benchmarks for each grade level can be found here.”
- Test your child (according to the guidelines below) in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10.
- Submit an annual progress report, showing satisfactory progress in all content areas, at the end of each school year. Such evidence may be any of the following:
- “a score on a nationally-normed standardized achievement test, which demonstrates grade level achievement appropriate to a child’s age;
- progress on a nationally-normed standardized achievement test that is equivalent to one grade level per calendar year, even if the overall achievement falls short of grade level standards;
- a written evaluation by a person certified to teach in the State of Hawaii that a child demonstrates appropriate grade level achievement or significant annual advancement commensurate with a child’s abilities.
- or a written evaluation by the parent which shall include a description of the child’s progress in each subject area included in the child’s curriculum, representative samples of the child’s work, and representative tests and assignments including grades for courses if grades are given.”
Be sure to stay current with homeschooling laws and requirements.
Record Keeping
Hawaii homeschool laws do not require parents to submit their curriculum, parents are required to maintain:
- A record of the planned curriculum for the child
- All records of any standardized tests in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10
Records of the curriculum should include the first and last date of teaching, hours per week, subjects taught, method used to teach and determine mastery, and a list of materials and textbooks used.
Annual progress reports need to be turned in at the end of each school year. These can include scores from a standardized test, written evaluation by a person certified to teach in the state or the parent, or test results from the Statewide Testing Program.
Many parents keep these items in a homeschool portfolio. Older students will find it helpful to keep a high school transcript if they plan on attending a college or university once they graduate.
Modify™ offers a easy and reliable place to track the necessary things and keep records for your students.
Graduation requirements
Hawaii requirements do not mention specific subjects. We recommend parents ask their local schools for suggestions if need be.
Homeschooled students in Hawaii do not receive a high school diploma like public or private school students do. Instead, they can do one of the following:
- Earn a high school equivalency credential by passing the GED or HiSET test
- Earn a Hawaii Adult Community School Diploma by passing either the GED or HiSET and completing at least one semester of high school at an accredited public or private school in the state.
Modify™ helps homeschoolers to keep all necessary records and transcripts.
REFERENCE GUIDE:
Hawaii Revised Statute §302A-1132
Note: All information on this site is provided with no guarantee of accuracy. Modify™ is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or outdated information, or for the results yielded through use of this information.
Try Modify™ Free! We'll give you a 30 Day Risk Free Trial.
We are so confident you’ll love the Modify™ app, we are giving you a 30 day free trial. If you love it as much as we know you will, continue to use it for only $4.99/mo.
