Homeschooling is a parent-initiated educational alternative to compulsory school attendance.
If you are a parent or legal guardian, you must accept complete responsibility for the education of your child while they are being homeschooled. The Department is responsible for ensuring that satisfactory progress is made in the education of the homeschooled child and carries out this responsibility by reviewing your child’s annual progress report and monitoring student progress through the required tests at grades three, five, eight and 10.
Preguntas frecuentes
Where do I submit my notice of intent to homeschool?
Un Formulario de Excepciones a la Educación Obligatoria (Formulario 4140) (PDF) or a letter of intent to homeschool should be sent to the principal of your child’s designated home public school.
What is required to begin homeschooling my child?
Form 4140 must be completed and sent to your child’s designated home public school. A letter of intent, signed by the parent, can be used in place of Form 4140.
When can I begin homeschooling my child?
Homeschooling may begin as soon as the signed Form 4140 or letter of intent is sent to your child’s designated home public school.
¿Qué debe incluir la carta de intención?
El nombre, dirección, número de teléfono, fecha de nacimiento y grado de su hijo, así como la firma de un padre y la fecha de la firma.
¿Debo presentar algún otro registro?
Parents are not required to officially enroll and un-enroll students in order to homeschool their child; therefore, no birth certificate or proof of residency is required.
How do I know if the school has acknowledged my intent to homeschool?
The school and complex area office acknowledge the notice of intent submitted by the parents by sending the parents the original Form 4140 after it is signed by the principal and complex area superintendent; or by writing “acknowledged” on the bottom of the parent’s letter of notification along with the signature of the principal and complex area superintendent. Signed copies of Form 4140 or the letter of intent are kept on file at the school and district office.
¿Debo presentar algún registro de salud a la escuela del vecindario?
Health records are not required for homeschooled children. It is not necessary for the homeschooled child to submit the TB (tuberculosis) test clearance or Form 14 (Student Health Record).
¿Está obligado mi hijo a participar en evaluaciones anuales?
Students who are homeschooled may participate in the Smarter Balanced assessment(s) and Hawaiʻi State Assessment (HSA) Science assessments or the HSA Alternate assessments at the request of the parent or guardian.
Do I need to re-submit intent to homeschool annually?
No. The only time a new Form 4140 or a new letter of intent to homeschool needs to be resubmitted is when the child transitions from elementary to intermediate/middle school or intermediate/middle school to high school, or if the child moves to another neighborhood.
¿Debo presentar un currículum al Departamento?
No está obligado a presentar el plan de estudios al Departamento o a la escuela de registro para su revisión, a menos que la escuela tenga motivos razonables para creer que puede haber negligencia educativa. Usted es responsable de mantener un registro del plan de estudios planificado para el niño. El plan de estudios deberá estar estructurado y basado en objetivos educativos, así como en las necesidades del niño, ser acumulativo y secuencial, proporcionar una variedad de conocimientos actualizados y las habilidades necesarias, y tener en cuenta los intereses, las necesidades y las capacidades del niño. Un director de la escuela de registro puede solicitar ver el plan de estudios si el informe anual no es suficiente para demostrar un progreso satisfactorio.
Who is qualified to teach homeschooling?
Un padre que enseñe a su hijo en casa será considerado un instructor calificado, independientemente de su formación o antecedentes educativos.
How do I know what to teach my child while homeschooling?
Las escuelas son responsables de informar a los padres qué unidades básicas de estudio deben cubrirse para un nivel de grado en particular. La información sobre los estándares y puntos de referencia para cada nivel de grado se puede encontrar en Página de estándares de la materia.
How can I end homeschooling?
Whenever you choose to terminate homeschooling, you are required to notify the principal of the school of record (school where intent to homeschool was sent). The child shall be re-enrolled in their designated home public school or a licensed private school unless a new alternative educational program is presented within five school days after the termination of homeschooling. Notification may be written or verbal.
What grade level will my elementary child be placed after homeschooling has ended?
For grades one through eight, the homeschooled child shall re-enroll at the appropriate grade level by birth date. For example, if the homeschooled child by birth date should be an eighth grader, then he/she is enrolled as an eighth grader.
¿Puedo impugnar el nivel de grado de mi hijo reinscrito?
Una vez que el niño está inscrito, si la escuela o los padres tienen alguna inquietud sobre la ubicación en el nivel de grado adecuado, la escuela evaluará al estudiante (como lo haría con cualquier otro estudiante) y hará los ajustes correspondientes, incluida la ubicación en otro nivel de grado. Usted debe estar informado y participar en la evaluación, en la medida de lo posible. La decisión del director sobre la ubicación en el grado es definitiva.
Will my child receive a high school diploma at the completion of homeschooling?
Homeschooled students do not receive a high school diploma. A homeschooled student who wants to earn a high school diploma from the local public high school shall attend high school for a minimum of three full years to meet the graduation credit requirements.
¿Existe alguna manera de recibir una equivalencia de escuela secundaria?
Yes, a homeschooled student with a valid Form 4140 who has been receiving homeschool instruction for at least one semester may earn a high school equivalency credential and a Hawaiʻi Adult Community School Diploma from the Community School for Adults. To earn this high school equivalency credential, the student must attain a passing score on either the General Educational Development (GED) or HiSET test.
May my child apply to college after completing homeschooling?
Your child who is being homeschooled may participate in any college entrance examination, which is made available to all other students. The principal of your child’s designated home public high school shall, upon request, supply written acknowledgement that a child has been homeschooled in compliance with the requirements of Capítulo 12, Normas administrativas de Hawái (PDF). The letter is written for homeschooled children whose parents have met the requirements of Chapter 12, i.e., submitted an annual progress report and test data for appropriate grade levels.