Hawaii
• Compulsory Attendance Ages: Between 6 and 18 years by January 1 of any school year. (HRS §302A-1132)
• Required Days of Instruction: None.
• Required Subjects: Curriculum must "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." Elementary: "may include" language arts, math, social studies, science, art, music, health, and physical education. Secondary: "may include" social studies, English, mathematics, science, health, physical education, and guidance. (HAR §8-12-15)
• Teacher Qualifications: None for parents under Option 1 above, but instructors under Option 2 must have a bachelor's degree.
• Standardized Tests: In grades 3, 5, 8 and 10, children must take a standardized achievement test of the parent's choice.
• Annual Progress Report: Must be submitted to local principal. This report may comprise one of the following: (HAR §8-12-18)
1. a score on "a nationally-normed standardized achievement test which demonstrates grade level achievement appropriate to a child's age;"
2. "progress on a nationally-normed standardized test that is equivalent to one grade level per calendar year;"
3. a written evaluation by a teacher certified in Hawaii; or
4. a written evaluation by the parent (grades, tests, assignments or results of statewide testing program may be submitted) which demonstrates progress.
• Home schools have two options:
Option 1. A child is exempt "if notification of intent to home school has been submitted to the principal of the public school which the child would otherwise be required to attend in accordance with Department rules promulgated to achieve this result." (HRS § 302A-1132(a)(5) and (HAR § 8-12-1)
a. Parents must provide a notice of intent to home educate "before initiating home schooling." The notice of intent may be submitted on a department developed form or in a letter containing the following items: name, address, telephone number, birth date, and grade level of the child and the parent's signature. (HAR §8-12-13)
b. "Enrollment in a private school's home study program shall not be construed as equivalent to attendance at a private school." (HAR § 8-12-8(b))
c. "A parent teaching the parent's child at home shall be deemed a qualified instructor." (HAR § 8-12-19)
d. Parents must keep "a record of the planned curriculum" which must include the commencement date and ending date of the program, number of hours per week of instruction, subjects to be covered, method used to determine mastery of materials and subjects in the curriculum, and a list of textbooks or other instructional materials. (HAR §8-12-15)
e. "The parent shall notify the principal if home schooling is terminated. A child shall be re-enrolled in the local public school or licensed private school unless a new alternative educational program is presented within five school days after the termination of home schooling." (HAR §8-12-16)
Option 2. A child is exempt from compulsory attendance when "enrolled in an appropriate alternative educational program as approved by the superintendent."
(HRS §302A-1132(a)(5))
References:Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR)
Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS)
Hawaii State Graduation Requirements:
- English units: 4. Class of 2010: English must include 1 unit each of English Language Arts 1 and 2.
- Math units: 3
- Social studies units: 4 Class of 2010: Must include .5 unit Modern History of Hawaii and .5 unit Participation in a Democracy.
- Science units: 3
- P.E./Health units: 1.5. Notes 1 unit P.E., .5 unit health. Eff. Class of 2010: 1 unit P.E. must include .5 unit "Physical Education" and a .5 unit "Physical Education elective"
- Arts: 0. Class of 2010: 2 units from World Language, Fine Arts, or Career and Technical Education
Foreign language: 0. Class of 2010: 2 units from World Language, Fine Arts, or Career and Technical Education - Electives units: 6
- Other units: .5. Notes: .5 unit "Guidance." Eff. Class of 2010: .5 unit personal/transition plan, and 2 units of one of the following: World Language, Fine Arts or Career and Technical Education
Other diploma options:
State offers honors/college prep curriculum option, effective with the Class of 2010. State does not offer technical diploma option or proficiency-based credit option.
Hawaii State BOE Policy 4540
Important Note: State Graduation requirements are not necessarily the best guideline for homeschoolers to use. They have been included here as a guideline for what a typical public school student would need to complete in order to graduate.
A more important guideline may be the College Entrance requirements for where your student would like to attend college. While colleges have differing requirements, there are many colleges that publish requirements for homeschool graduates.
Related Pages:
Homeschool Support Groups in Hawaii
Colleges in Hawaii