Hawaii Homeschool Laws & Requirements

Hawaii Homeschool Requirements

To begin homeschooling in Hawaii, parents must:

1. Submit a letter of intent to homeschool or Form 4140 to the principal of your local public school.
2. Make sure the curriculum you choose is “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.”
3. Keep records that include the start and end date of your homeschool year, number of hours per week that you teach, subjects, method used to determine mastery, and a list of books or other instructional materials.
4. Submit annual progress reports. Homeschooled students are required to submit test scores for a norm-referenced standardized achievement test in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10.

Homeschool Recordkeeping in Hawaii

Although 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.

Homeschool Graduation Requirements in Hawaii

Although homeschool requirements in Hawaii don’t talk about specific subjects, parents can ask their local school for suggestions on what students should be learning in specific grades.

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.

Enrolling in Public School after Homeschooling

If you plan on enrolling your child in public school after homeschooling in Hawaii, you have to let your local school know first. For elementary and middle school, students are typically re-enrolled at the grade level that coincides with their date of birth. Keep in mind that each school has different requirements and policies for student enrollment, so be sure to ask ahead of time.

Additional Resources Related to Homeschooling in Hawaii

Do you have other questions about homeschooling in Hawaii? You may find the following pages helpful.

• Homeschooling in Hawaii
• Hawaii Homeschooling Groups & Co-ops
• Hawaii Homeschool Associations
• Homeschool Field Trips in Hawaii
• Hawaii Test Prep

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