Hawaii Homeschool Laws and Requirements
Aug 14, 2026Hawaii keeps homeschooling with your local school principal rather than a state office. You send one notification before you begin, teach the curriculum areas the rules name, keep a planned curriculum record at home, and send an annual progress report to the principal. Standardized test scores are required in four grades. Nobody approves your program, and a parent teaching their own child is automatically a qualified instructor.
Last Reviewed: August 15, 2026. Reviewed by the Modern Homeschools Editorial Team. Next scheduled review: August 15, 2027.
Hawaii Homeschool Requirements at a Glance
| Topic | What applies in Hawaii |
|---|---|
| Compulsory attendance ages | A child who has arrived at the age of at least six years and who has not arrived at the age of eighteen years |
| Notification or registration | Written notification to the local public school principal before initiating home schooling, on the department's Form 4140 or in a letter |
| Notice contents | The child's name, address, and telephone number, the child's birthdate and grade level, and the signature of the parent |
| Parent or instructor qualifications | A parent teaching the parent's child at home shall be deemed a qualified instructor |
| Required curriculum areas | Elementary: language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, art, music, health, physical education. Secondary: social studies, English, mathematics, science, health, physical education, guidance |
| Instructional time | No minimum number of days or hours is set. You do record the number of hours per week your child spends in instruction |
| Testing or evaluation | A nationally normed standardized achievement test in grades three, five, eight, and ten. Otherwise the annual report may use a teacher or parent written evaluation |
| Required records | A record of the planned curriculum, including dates, hours, subjects, methods for determining mastery, and instructional materials |
| Responsible government agency | Your local public school principal receives the notification and the annual report. The Hawaii State Department of Education publishes the rules and the form |
Notification, Not Approval
The rules ask you to notify the principal of the public school your child would otherwise attend, before you begin. There is no waiting period and no decision to receive. You may use Form 4140 or write a letter containing the required items, which is worth knowing if a school hands you a longer packet.
The department's own instructions say the same: notify the school from which you intend to withdraw your child, and submit either the Exceptions to Compulsory Education Form or a letter of intent.
Ending homeschooling is also handled through the principal. You notify the principal if home schooling is terminated, and a child is re-enrolled unless a new alternative educational program is presented within five school days.
The Annual Report and Testing
Once a year you submit a report on your child's progress to the principal. The report describes progress in each subject area and includes representative samples of work along with representative tests and assignments.
The report itself can rest on any of three things: scores from a nationally normed standardized achievement test, an evaluation by a certified teacher, or a written evaluation you prepare yourself. Most years you choose.
Four grades are different. Test scores from a nationally normed standardized assessment are required in grades three, five, eight, and ten. You arrange the testing, through your local public school or privately, so plan those years ahead.
Required Versus Optional
Required. The notification before you begin, instruction in the listed curriculum areas, the planned curriculum record kept at home, the annual progress report to the principal, and standardized test scores in grades three, five, eight, and ten.
Optional or your choice. Using Form 4140 rather than a letter. Which evaluation method backs your annual report in non-testing years. Where you obtain testing. Your daily schedule, since no minimum applies. Any additional forms a school suggests beyond the rules.
One distinction is worth keeping straight. The department also offers a state distance learning program. A child enrolled in that is a public school student rather than a homeschooler, so it is a separate choice rather than a version of homeschooling.
How to Start Homeschooling in Hawaii
- Notify your local school principal first. Form 4140 or a signed letter with the required items, before you begin.
- Withdraw from public school, if enrolled. The notification goes to the school your child is leaving.
- Set up your planned curriculum record. Dates, hours, subjects, how you will determine mastery, and materials.
- Log weekly instructional hours. There is no minimum, but the record is expected.
- Mark the testing grades. Three, five, eight, and ten, with the annual report due each year regardless.
Official Hawaii Homeschool Resources
- Hawaii State Department of Education, Homeschool
- Hawaii Administrative Rules title 8, chapter 12, compulsory attendance exceptions
- Form 4140, Exceptions to Compulsory Education
Beginning Your Homeschool Journey?
Your First 30 Days of Homeschooling provides a practical path for establishing your priorities, planning your next steps, and creating a rhythm that works for your family.
Modern Homeschools provides educational information to help families understand and navigate homeschooling requirements. Because requirements may change, families should confirm current details with the official state sources linked within this guide.