Legal/Homeschool Laws
Laws that regulate home education vary from state to state. It is important to understand the legal requirements in your state and to be aware of legislative and other legal issues that affect homeschoolers in your community. We've compiled resources that will help you become informed. Although homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, and the vast majority of homeschoolers face no problems, you may find that you need legal assistance at some point in your homeschooling career. We've compiled a list of resources to help you find the support you need. And if you'd like to become more involved in working towards homeschooling freedoms, we discuss some of the issues facing homeschoolers that we hope you find compelling.
State Laws
Read the laws regulating home education in Hawaii and browse through the case law and legal opinions relating to those laws, along with government publications relating to homeschooling and summaries of the laws.
Forms
Which forms do you need to fill out? Where can you get them? Here is a list of useful forms for homeschooling in Hawaii.
Legal Support
If you need legal information or have run into a legal situation regarding your decision to homeschool, these resources will be helpful.
Lobbying Groups
A listing of local and national lobbying groups and information on how you can become involved in the political process to ensure the freedom to homeschool is protected.
Attorneys
When searching for an attorney, it is helpful to know whether he or she has experience working with homeschoolers and is interested in protecting the right to homeschool.
Legal Issues
Is homeschooling legal? Which laws pertain to homeschoolers and which don't? How do homeschoolers protect their rights to freely educate their children and to preserve their privacy?
Government Resources
A listing of local and state government resources, including your state's Department of Education, school districts, and Senate and House of Representative information.
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Hawaii State Board of Education
The Hawaii State Board of Education has a dual mission: (1) to set education policies for the public school system, adopt student performance standards and the means to assess them, and monitor school success in order to enable all public school students to acquire the knowledge, skills, respect for learning and attributes necessary for life-long learning and productive and responsible citizenship, and (2) to set policies and standards for the public library system and monitor progress toward th...
§8-12-4 Conditions for exceptions.
School age children may be excepted from compulsory school attendance in the following cases:
(1) Where a child is physically or mentally unable to attend school, except for deafness and blindness, of which fact the certificate of a duly licensed physician shall be sufficient evidence;
(2) Where any child who has reached the fifteenth anniversary of birth is suitably and lawfully employed;
(3) Where a family court judge has approved withdrawal from school;
(4) Where the superintendent of ...
Hawaii Home School Laws from HSLDA
The Home School Legal Defense Association provides a brief summary of the homeschooling laws in Hawaii. Includes a link to a legal analysis of laws relating to homeschooling in Hawaii.
§8-12-20 Credits.
No course credits (Carnegie units) are granted for time spent being home-schooled.
Hawaii Department of Education
The website for the Hawaii Department of Education.
FAQ for Military Families
Common questions answered for military families deploying to Hawaii. If a question you have isn't answered here, please reference the contact section by military branch — we have resources to assist you.
§8-12-18 Testing and progress reports of home-schooled children.
(a) Test scores shall be required for grades identified in the Statewide Testing Program, grades three, six, eight, and ten. A child is eligible to participate in the Statewide Testing Program at the local public school. The parent is responsible for securing necessary details from the principal of the local public school. The parent may elect to arrange for private testing at the parent's own expense. The tests used shall be comparable to the appropriate criterion or norm-referenced tests used ...
§8-12-15 Record of curriculum.
The parent submitting a notice of intent to home school shall keep a record of the planned curriculum for the child. 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. The record of the planned curriculum should include the following:
(1) The commencement date and ending date of the ...
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to some common questions regarding home educating in Hawai'i.
§8-12-22 College entrance examination and home-schooled children.
A child who is being home schooled may participate in any college entrance examination which is made available to all other students. The principal of the local public high school shall, upon request, supply written acknowledgement that a child has been home schooled in compliance with the requirements of this chapter.
Exceptions to Compulsory Education
Form issued by the State of Hawai'i Department of Education.
§8-12-12 College entrance examination alternative education.
A child in an alternative educational program may participate in any college entrance examination which is made available to all other students.
§8-12-14 Required statutory services.
All educational and related services statutorily mandated shall be made available at the home public school site to home-schooled children who have been evaluated and certified as needing educational and related services and who request the services.
§8-12-13 Notification of intent to home school.
(a) The parent shall provide the local public school principal with a notice of intent to home educate the child before initiating home schooling. The purpose of notification is to allow the department, upon request of the parent, to assist in the educational efforts. The notice of intent may be submitted on a department developed form (Form OIS-4140) or in a letter containing the following items:
(1) Name, address, and telephone number of the child;
(2) Birthdate and grade level of the ch...
Chapter 12 Home Schooling Guidelines
This Department of Education publication is intended to provide a summary of the laws and regulations governing home education in the state of Hawaii.
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