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.
FAQs
Where do I submit my notice of intent to homeschool?
An Tuusaunoaga i Pepa Fa'atonu A'oa'oga (Fumu 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.
O le a le mea e tatau ona aofia i le tusi o le faʻamoemoe?
Le igoa o lau tama, tuatusi, numera telefoni, aso fanau ma le vasega, fa'atasi ai ma le saini a matua ma le aso na saini ai.
E tatau ona ou tu'uina atu nisi fa'amaumauga?
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.
E tatau ona ou tu'uina atu ni fa'amaumauga o le soifua maloloina i le a'oga a le pitonu'u?
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).
E mana'omia ea la'u tama ona auai i su'esu'ega faaletausaga?
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.
E tatau ona ou tu'uina atu se mataupu aoaoina ile Matagaluega?
E le mana'omia oe e tu'uina atu a latou a'oa'oga i le Matagaluega po'o le a'oga o fa'amaumauga mo le toe iloiloina se'i vagana ua i ai se mafua'aga talafeagai e talitonu ai le a'oga e ono tula'i mai a'oa'oga. O oe e nafa ma le tausiaina o se fa'amaumauga o matā'upu a'oa'oina mo le tamaititi. O le a'oa'oga e tatau ona fa'atulagaina ma fa'avae i fa'amoemoega fa'aa'oa'oga fa'apea mana'oga o le tamaititi, ia fa'aopoopo ma fa'asolosolo fa'asologa, tu'uina atu le tele o fa'amatalaga fa'aonaponei ma tomai mana'omia, ma amanaia mea e fiafia i ai, mana'oga ma agava'a o le tamaititi. E mafai e se puleaoga i le aoga o faamaumauga ona talosaga e matamata i mataupu aoaoina pe afai e le lava le lipoti faaletausaga e faaalia ai le alualu i luma faamalieloto.
Who is qualified to teach homeschooling?
O se matua o lo'o a'oa'oina lana tama ile fale e tatau ona ta'ua ose faia'oga agava'a tusa lava po'o le a le tulaga tau a'oa'oga po'o a'oa'oga.
How do I know what to teach my child while homeschooling?
O a'oga e nafa ma le logoina o matua po'o a iunite fa'avae o su'esu'ega e tatau ona aofia ai mo se vasega fa'apitoa. O fa'amatalaga i tulaga ma fa'ailoga mo vasega ta'itasi e mafai ona maua i luga o le Itulau Tulaga Mataupu Mataupu Faavae.
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.
E mafai ona ou luiina le vasega o la'u tama ua toe lesitala?
O le taimi lava e lesitala ai le tamaititi, afai o loʻo i ai se popolega o le aʻoga poʻo matua e uiga i le tuʻuina atu o le vasega talafeagai, e tatau loa i le aoga ona iloilo le tamaititi aoga (pei o isi tamaiti aoga) ma faia ni fetuunaiga e tusa ai, e aofia ai le tuʻuina i se isi vasega. E tatau ona logoina oe ma auai i le iloiloga, pe a mafai. Ole fa'ai'uga a le pulea'oga e fa'atatau i le fa'atulagaina o vasega e mautu.
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.
E i ai se auala e maua ai se aoga maualuga tutusa?
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 Mataupu 12, Tulafono Fa'afoe a Hawai'i (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.