SB3193 & HR2376

Aloha,

The Senate and House respectively introduced SB3193 and HB2376 on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.  Concurrent bills, they require homeschooled students in Hawaii to participate in mandatory testing for grades 3-8 and 11 in person at the public school.  The kindergarten entry assessment will be required for kindergarteners and a universal screening for first and second graders.

Currently, homeschoolers must submit annual reports with test scores from a nationally normed standardized achievement test for grades 3, 5, 8, and 10.  Children may take the tests in the public school or parents can opt to use other tests at their own expense, at a location of their choosing, and at a time appropriate for their homeschool schedule.

Action Steps

Pray

• May the Lord show His grace to His people and stop the bills from moving forward.

Familiarize yourself with the bills

• Learn how a bill becomes law
  • What Does It Take for a Bill to Become a Law in Hawaii
  • A Bill’s Journey

• Read the bills
  • Senate Bill 3193 text  and bill status – referred to EDU & JDC
  • House Bill 2376 text and bill status – referred EDN & FIN

Track the bills

• Set up a bill tracking list   –You will need to register with the site
• Set up a hearing notification

Reasons why CHOH opposes the bills

According to Chapter 12 Compulsory Attendance Exceptions,

• Parents are already required to submit standardized achievement test results for students in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10. In all other years, parents must submit an annual progress report, which may include standardized test results or other forms of assessment demonstrating the child’s educational progress.  SB3193 and HB2376 would impose additional testing requirements, including mandatory assessments for kindergarten, first-grade, and second-grade students. Children at these ages may not be developmentally ready for formal standardized testing.
• Under current law, parents may choose from a variety of standardized achievement tests and may administer them either online or through an administrator approved by the test publisher. SB3193 and HB2376 would remove parents’ ability to select the assessment best suited to their child.
• Parents currently have the option to test their children at home or in another familiar environment. SB3193 and HB2376 would require homeschooled students to be tested in person at a public school, an unfamiliar setting that may negatively affect student performance.
• Parents also establish their own homeschool calendar year. SB3193 and HB2376 would require homeschooled students to conform to public school testing schedules, which could interfere with established homeschool instructional plans.

Requiring children to be tested at a public school places an additional burden on parents, who must transport their children to the school on designated days and for specified periods of time. This requirement can be disruptive to a family’s homeschool routine, particularly for families teaching multiple children.

Homeschool families are resourceful and regularly seek educational support through a wide range of services, programs, and groups available to homeschooled students.

No other states require in person testing.

Your Reasons for Opposing the Bills

Think through and write out why you oppose the bill – consider the impact the bill would have on your family.

Call to Action

Call or email your Senator and Representative expressing your opposition to the bill

• Find your Representative and Senator
• Call your Senator
  • You may ask to speak to the legislator but will probably have to leave a message with the aide.
  • Identify yourself as a homeschooler and registered voter in the district.
  • State that you oppose SB3193 and give a brief reason why.
• Call your Representative
  • Do the same as above with HB2376.

Or you can

• Email your Senator and Representative
  • Introduce yourself as a homeschooler and registered voter in the district.
  • State you oppose SB3193 (if emailing Senator) and HB2376 (if emailing Representative)
  • Briefly state your reason why
  • You may request an acknowledgement of the email.

Call or email the committee Chair and committee Members

📌 Hawaii State Senate – EDUCATION (EDU) Committee

Committee general contact (Senate EDU):
Phone: 808-587-7200
Email: [email protected]

Members

1. Donna Mercado Kim — Chair
   📞 808-587-7200
   ✉️ [email protected]

2. Michelle N. Kidani — Vice Chair
   📞 808-586-7100
   ✉️ [email protected]

3. Carol Fukunaga — Member
   📞 808-586-6460
   ✉️ [email protected]

4. Troy N. Hashimoto — Member
   📞 808-586-7344
   ✉️ [email protected]

5. Samantha DeCorte — Member
   📞 808-586-7793
   ✉️ [email protected]

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📌 Hawaii State Senate – JUDICIARY (JDC) Committee

Committee general contact (Senate JDC):
Phone: 808-586-6130
Email: [email protected]

Members

1. Karl Rhoads — Chair
   📞 808-586-6130
   ✉️ [email protected]

2. Mike Gabbard — Vice Chair
   📞 808-586-6830
   ✉️ [email protected]

3. Stanley Chang — Member
   📞 808-586-8420
   ✉️ [email protected]

4. Joy A. San Buenaventura — Member
   📞 808-586-6890
   ✉️ [email protected]

5. Brenton Awa — Member
   📞 808-586-7330
   ✉️ [email protected]

📌 House EDUCATION (EDN) Committee — Members & Contacts

Committee Office:
📞 808-586-6210
✉️ [email protected]

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📌 House FINANCE (FIN) Committee — Members & Contacts

Committee Office:
📞 808-586-8480
✉️ [email protected]

Note: A committee Chair determines if the bill will move forward and will schedule a public hearing

Write a Testimony

• Written testimonies can be submitted once a hearing is scheduled. It will be wise to have it written and ready to post because only 24-48 hours are usually given for people to submit their testimony before the hearing.
• Learn to write a testimony
  • Sample written testimony

Submit Testimony –only when a bill is scheduled for hearing

• How to submit testimony
• How to testify

Mahalo for standing for homeschool freedom.

CHOH Board