To homeschool legally in Hawaii, you file a notice of intent with the principal of the public school your child would otherwise attend, keep a written curriculum record at home, submit an annual progress report, and have your child take a nationally normed standardized test in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10. Those are the core Hawaii homeschool laws, and they apply to any child covered by the state’s compulsory attendance rule.
Compulsory attendance in Hawaii runs from age five through seventeen. Under Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 302A-1132, any child who turns five on or before July 31 of the school year and has not turned eighteen by January 1 must be enrolled in a public or private school unless the family submits a notification of intent to homeschool.1Justia Law. Hawaii Revised Statutes Title 18, Chapter 302A-1132 – Attendance Compulsory; Exceptions Graduation from high school or a family court excuse are the other exemptions.
How to File the Notice of Intent
You start by submitting an Exceptions to Compulsory Education Form (Form 4140), or a signed letter of intent, to the principal of the public school your child would attend based on your address and grade level.2Hawaiʻi State Department of Education. Homeschool There is no waiting period. Homeschooling officially begins the moment the form is submitted.
Form 4140 asks for basic identifying information about your child and the school.3Hawaii State Department of Education. Hawaii Department of Education Form 4140 You do not need to provide a birth certificate, proof of residency, or health records.2Hawaiʻi State Department of Education. Homeschool Public school enrollment requires all of those, but homeschool notification does not.
Once the principal receives your form, the school returns an acknowledged copy to you. Keep it. That signed copy is your proof the state has recognized your child’s status and your protection if a truancy question ever arises. Form 4140 is available on the Department of Education website or at your local school office.
Who Can Teach
Hawaii Administrative Rules Section 8-12-19 requires that the parent providing instruction be a qualified instructor.4U.S. Department of Education. Hawaii State Regulation of Private and Home Schools The rule does not set a minimum education level, despite what some homeschool guides suggest. By signing Form 4140, you accept responsibility for your child’s academic program.
Curriculum Records You Must Keep
Hawaii does not supply a curriculum, but you are required to keep a written record of what you plan to teach. Under Hawaii Administrative Rules Section 8-12-15, your curriculum record must include the start and end dates of your school year, instructional hours per week, the subject areas you plan to cover, your method of assessing mastery, and a bibliography of textbooks and materials in standard format with author, title, publisher, and publication date.5Cornell Law Institute. Hawaii Code R 8-12-15 – Record of Curriculum
For elementary students, the rule suggests language arts, math, social studies, science, art, music, health, and physical education. For secondary students, it suggests social studies, English, math, science, health, physical education, and guidance. The rule uses the word “may” for these lists, so every subject is not strictly mandatory, but your curriculum must be “structured and based on educational objectives,” “cumulative and sequential,” and must “provide a range of up-to-date knowledge and needed skills.” Treating the subject lists as a practical floor is the safest approach.
Keep these records at home. They are your evidence that a genuine educational program exists if your compliance is ever questioned, and organized files make the annual progress report much easier to put together.
Annual Progress Reports
Each year, you submit a report on your child’s progress to the principal of the school where you filed your notice. Hawaii Administrative Rules Section 8-12-18 accepts four ways to demonstrate satisfactory progress:6Hawaii State Department of Education. Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 12 – Compulsory Attendance Exceptions
- A score on a nationally normed standardized assessment showing grade-level achievement appropriate to your child’s age.
- Year-over-year progress on a nationally normed assessment equivalent to one grade level per year, even if overall achievement is still below grade level.
- A written evaluation by a teacher certified in Hawaii stating that your child shows appropriate grade-level achievement or significant advancement relative to their abilities.
- A written evaluation you prepare yourself, including a description of progress in each subject, samples of your child’s work, and representative tests, assignments, and grades if grades are given.
The Department of Education lists the Smarter Balanced Assessment as an example of a qualifying nationally normed test. You can arrange for your child to take the Smarter Balanced Assessment or the Hawaii State Assessment at your local public school at no cost, or you can pay for private testing.2Hawaiʻi State Department of Education. Homeschool The parent evaluation option gives you the most control but requires the most documentation, so collect work samples throughout the year.
Standardized Testing in Grades 3, 5, 8, and 10
Separate from the annual report, Hawaii requires homeschooled students to submit scores from a nationally normed standardized assessment at four checkpoints: grades 3, 5, 8, and 10.2Hawaiʻi State Department of Education. Homeschool One wrinkle: the administrative rules still specify grade 10 even though Hawaii public schools have moved their testing to grade 11. The Department continues to require grade 10 for homeschoolers under the current rules.
Your child can take the Smarter Balanced Assessment at the local school free of charge during these testing years, or you can pay for a different nationally normed test. A test score at one of these grade levels can also serve as your annual progress report for that year, so you don’t have to file a separate evaluation.
Special Education Services
If your child has been evaluated and identified as needing educational or related services, those services remain available at the local public school even while you homeschool. Hawaii Administrative Rules Section 8-12-14 requires that all statutorily mandated educational and related services be made available at the local public school site to homeschooled children who request them.4U.S. Department of Education. Hawaii State Regulation of Private and Home Schools This is a stronger protection than many states offer. The local school must evaluate your child and, if they qualify, provide services even though the child is homeschooled.
Children identified under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act may remain eligible for public schooling through age 21.2Hawaiʻi State Department of Education. Homeschool If you later re-enroll a child with a disability, expect a re-evaluation to determine appropriate programming and placement.
Ending Homeschooling and Returning to Public School
When you decide to stop homeschooling, notify the principal at the school where you filed Form 4140. You can do this in writing or verbally. Tell the school where your child is going next, whether that’s a public school, charter school, private school, or a move out of state.2Hawaiʻi State Department of Education. Homeschool
Grade placement works differently depending on your child’s age. For grades 1 through 8, your child re-enrolls at the age-appropriate grade level based on their birth date. For high schoolers, the rule is harsher: students returning at the high school level are enrolled in 9th grade regardless of how many years they spent homeschooling. Hawaii does not award high school credits for work completed at home. A student who spent two years homeschooling through what would have been 10th and 11th grade comes back as a 9th grader. This is the single most common surprise families run into, and it’s worth weighing seriously before pulling an older student from public school.
If you disagree with the placement, the school can perform an evaluation to consider adjustments, but the principal makes the final decision. Students over age 20 on the first day of school are not eligible to attend public school, with the exception of students with disabilities under IDEA who may attend through age 21.
Diplomas, Transcripts, and What Comes After
Hawaii does not issue diplomas or transcripts to homeschooled students. You create both yourself. A parent-issued diploma is legally valid for college admission and most employment purposes. For a transcript, prepare a one-page summary of your child’s high school academic record covering 9th through 12th grade, with course titles, credits earned, final grades, and a cumulative GPA. Include SAT or ACT scores, and sign the document to certify that the courses were completed.
Colleges routinely accept parent-issued transcripts from homeschooled applicants, though some may ask for a portfolio or standardized test scores. Send a fresh, signed original each time a college requests one, and use PDF for electronic copies so the information cannot be altered.
For military enlistment, homeschool graduates are classified as Tier 1 under the National Defense Authorization Acts of 2012 and 2014, which gives them the same enlistment status as public school graduates. Homeschooled students also qualify for federal financial aid through FAFSA by selecting “homeschool” as the secondary school type and providing a parent-signed transcript or diploma.
A Note on Taxes
Two tax questions come up repeatedly. The IRS educator expense deduction does not apply to homeschooling parents. To qualify, you must be a teacher, instructor, counselor, principal, or aide who works at least 900 hours in a school that provides elementary or secondary education as determined under state law.7Internal Revenue Service. Educator Expense Deduction A home does not meet that definition.
Federal law allows up to $10,000 per year in 529 plan withdrawals for K-12 tuition at an elementary or secondary public, private, or religious school.8Internal Revenue Service. 529 Plans: Questions and Answers Hawaii, however, does not treat K-12 withdrawals as qualified expenses for state tax purposes. If you pull 529 funds to pay for homeschool materials, the state may impose tax consequences even though the federal government permits the withdrawal.9HI529. State Employees Talk to a tax advisor before tapping a 529 account for K-12 homeschool costs in Hawaii.