The Hawai’i State Department of Education is made up of 297 schools, comprised of 258 public schools and 39 charter schools. All of these schools belong to one statewide public school district, organized into 15 regional complex areas. Each complex area consists of two to four “complexes”—a group of schools that includes a high school and its feeder elementary and middle schools.

School is mandatory in Hawaiʻi for students aged 5 (as of July 31 of the school year) through 18 (as of Jan. 1 of a given school year). Please view HRS 302A-1132 for reference.

Your child is required to attend the school that serves the geographic district where they live. You can use our SchoolSite Locator tool to view district and school service boundaries. Type in your home address in the upper left corner of the site, including city and you will be zoomed into the service area for your home. We recommend also contacting the school directly to confirm if it serves your home.

Families experiencing unstable housing have rights under the McKinney-Vento Act to ensure their children continue uninterrupted access to education and services. Learn about Rights under the McKinney-Vento Act (PDF).

Questionnaire to Determine Eligibility

To determine eligibility under the McKinney-Vento Act, please file a Questionnaire to Determine Eligibility – English (PDF). Translations are below.

Enrollment Rights for Families in Unstable Housing Brochure

For parents and families under McKinney-Vento, please review your Enrollment Rights for Families in Unstable Housing – English (PDF). Translations are below.

Find a Community Liaison

Community liaisons who are assigned to specific complex areas, assist students in unstable housing and maintain relationships with community partners and resources. Find your community liaison here: Liaison Roster HIEHCY 2024-2025 (Google Sheet).

Free Bus Transportation

Students who qualify for assistance under the McKinney-Vento Act may be eligible for free bus transportation to and from school. Please work with the homeless concerns liaison at your school to determine eligibility, and to secure a bus pass if applicable.

For additional questions or concerns, please contact the Education for Homeless Children and Youth program at (808) 348-0304 or (808) 723-4192.

The U.S. Department of Education requires that all states report the race and ethnicity of students enrolling in public school. The state of Hawaiʻi does not report individual information, but reports total counts of students by different sub-group categories of race and ethnicity. Although parents have the right to decline to provide this information to the school, federal rules require that every student be assigned an ethnicity and/or race category. The schools will designate a category in the event a parent declines to provide that information.

The documents required to enroll your student in one of our schools include:

• Student Enrollment Form (PDF) or the Supplemental Kindergarten Enrollment Form (PDF) for students entering Kindergarten.
• Home Language Survey (PDF)
• Valid photo ID of parent/guardian.
• Proof of Residency: Utility bill, lease agreement, or other official documents showing your current address.
  • A notarized statement by a relative/friend can be accepted by the school with the following stipulation: (a) Notarized statement must state that the parent/legal guardian and child are living with the relative/friend; (b) Notarized statement must state the name of relative/friend that is on the relative/friend’s proof of legal residence; (c) Notarized statement must state the same address of relative/friend that is on the relative/friend’s proof of legal residence; (d) A copy of the relative/friend’s proof of legal residence must be attached to the notarized statement; and (e) Notarized statement must be signed by same name of relative/friend that is on the relative/friend’s proof of legal residence.
• Birth Certificate: For age verification. Student passport or student visa is acceptable for foreign students.
• Families in Unstable Housing: Families experiencing unstable housing are covered by enrollment guidelines provided in the McKinney-Vento Act. Please contact a community liaison in your area.

You will need to provide all of the documents listed above, including a release packet with an unofficial transcript or your student’s latest report card. Special education students should provide their Individual Education Plan (IEP), and 504 students should provide their 504 Plan.

Power of Attorney paperwork is required if the child is not living with their parents. Hawaiʻi and U.S. military law govern how a parent or guardian of a minor may use power of attorney to delegate to another person (within designated constraints) any power regarding the care, custody, or property of the minor or ward.

• Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes 560: 5-105 Delegation of power by parent or guardian.  A parent or guardian of a minor or incapacitated person, by a power of attorney, may delegate to another person for a period not exceeding one year, which time limit shall be expressly stated in the document, any power regarding the care, custody, or property of the minor or ward, except the power to consent to marriage or adoption. [L 2004, c 161, pt of §1]
• United States Code 10 1044B §1044b. Military powers of attorney: requirement for recognition by States
  (a) Instruments To Be Given Legal Effect Without Regard to State Law.—A military power of attorney—
  (1) is exempt from any requirement of form, substance, formality, or recording that is provided for powers of attorney under the laws of a State; and
  (2) shall be given the same legal effect as a power of attorney prepared and executed in accordance with the laws of the State concerned.
  (b) Military Power of Attorney.—For purposes of this section, a military power of attorney is any general or special power of attorney that is notarized in accordance with section 1044a of this title or other applicable State or Federal law.
  (c) Statement To Be Included.—(1) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, each military power of attorney shall contain a statement that sets forth the provisions of subsection (a).
  (2) Paragraph (1) shall not be construed to make inapplicable the provisions of subsection (a) to a military power of attorney that does not include a statement described in that paragraph.
  (d) State Defined.—In this section, the term “State” includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and a possession of the United States.

If applicable and based on the circumstances of your child’s situation, other legal documents required for enrollment may include:

• Temporary restraining orders
• Guardianship documents
• Legal name change documents
• Court orders

We work in conjunction with the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) to ensure that students meet key health requirements. All children attending school in Hawaiʻi must have a signed and completed Student’s Health Record (PDF) to document the following:

Tuberculosis (TB) clearance

Please see below and visit the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) website for more information.

• Acceptable Clearance (PDF) 
• Frequently Asked Questions about TB Testing for Students, Children and School/Child Care (PDF)
• Sample Forms: DOH Sample Form (PDF) | TB Document F: State of Hawaiʻi TB Clearance Form (PDF) (page 12, TB manual)

Physical Examination

Must be completed within one year before:

• First date of attendance at a preschool or school in Hawaiʻi and
• First date of attendance in the seventh grade.

Immunizations

• Required immunizations (PDF) depend on the age and/or grade of the student.

Your child may be exempt from immunization requirements for medical or religious reasons, if the appropriate documentation is presented to the school. Religious exemption forms may be completed at your child’s school. Medical exemptions must be obtained from your child’s healthcare provider. No other exemptions are allowed by the state.

A student who does not have documentation of all the required immunizations or a physical examination may be allowed provisional entry with verification of an upcoming medical appointment. Please contact your school directly for more information.

If your child requires emergency rescue medications or other daily/routine prescribed medications, please fill out a School Health Form and submit it to the school.