Hawaii’s Homeschool Law – Chapter 12 Compulsory Attendance Exceptions Summary
Hawaii’s homeschool law falls under the Hawaii Administrative Rules Title 8 Department of Education Chapter 12 Compulsory Attendance Exceptions
Parents are encouraged to be familiar with Hawaii’s homeschool law and keep a copy of the rule on file. Read it here ….
- Sections 8-12-1 through 8-12-12 are general information for all students who fall under compulsory attendance exceptions.
- Sections 8-12-13 through 8-12-22 pertain to homeschoolers.
What does the school need to know?
Parents must submit a notice of intent (NOI) to the public school of residence before they start to homeschool their child.
- The NOI should contain the following information:
- Name, address, phone number of child
- Birth date and grade level of child
- Signature of parent
Parents may instead choose to complete the State of Hawaii Form 4140 Exceptions to Compulsory Education.
The school should acknowledge receipt of the NOI or 4140, with the parent’s copy of the 4140.
The NOI does not need to be submitted every year if a progress report is submitted.
- The exception is a change of school because of a move to a different geographical area or a move up to middle school or high school.
CHOH recommends you mail the NOI or 4140 Certified Return Receipt Requested to insure the school has received it.
Can I teach my child?
Most certainly! God ordained parents to teach and train their children. And Chapter 12 agrees that parents are qualified instructors. Parents are also responsible for the child’s total educational program including athletics and other co-curricular activities.
Do I need to keep records?
Parents must keep a record of the planned curriculum; it does not need to be submitted to the school for approval. Records should also include commencement and ending dates.
Parents should notify the public school if homeschooling is terminated.
How do I measure my child’s progress?
A progress report should be submitted annually in one of the following ways:
- Scores on nationally-normed standardized achievement test demonstrating grade level achievement
- Progress on a nationally-normed standardized achievement test
- Written valuation by teacher certified to teach in State of Hawaii
- Written evaluation by parent
- Progress in each subject area
- Representative samples of child’s work
- Representative test and assignments
Parents must submit scores of a nationally-normed standardized achievement test for grades 3, 5, 8, and 10.
- Parents can check with the public school to see if their child can test at the public school.
- Or parents can test the child privately at their expense.
Can I homeschool high school?
Yes you can! Parents determine the high school courses for their student. They issue the high school diploma for their senior and put together a transcript. Colleges around the United States have accepted homeschool students!
A homeschooled child who wants to earn a high school diploma from the local public high school shall attend high school for a minimum of three full years and meet the credit requirements for graduation.
Getting Started Next Step: Tips for Choosing Your Homeschool Curriculum