The Notice of Intent to Homeschool
When it comes to determining the start date of your homeschool, flexibility is one of the key benefits of homeschooling. Hawaii public schools usually start the first week in August, but homeschoolers in Hawaii are not bound to begin school by that date.
Does that mean you can begin your homeschool year at any time? Well yes; but keep in mind that Hawaii has a compulsory attendance law which requires parents to have their child attend a public or private school. If you homeschool your child, there are somethings you need to know so your child is not truant.
Hawaii’s homeschool law falls under the Chapter 12 Hawaii Administrative Rules Compulsory Attendance Exceptions. Parents are required to submit a notice of intent before they commence homeschooling their child. This notice can be submitted on the Department of Education Form 4140 or as letter by the parents.
Form 4140
To complete the DOE Form 4140, download the form from //www.hawaiipublicschools.org/DOE%20Forms/Enrollment/Exceptions4140.pdf
If you choose to submit this form, be sure to read the Instructions for Completing the OCISS Form 4140.
The Form 4140 appears more appropriate for families whose child is already in the public school and is being withdrawn to be homeschooled. The form requests parents to provide the Student I.D. No. and acknowledge they are withdrawing their child from the public school.
You may want to file the 4140 for high school. This official DOE form will be helpful if your child works part time during school hours, if your child takes early admission college courses, e.g. at the local community colleges, or if your child decides to get a diploma from the Community School for Adults.
Letter as a Notice of Intent
The following information should be included in the letter:
- Name of child, address, and telephone number
- Birth date and grade level of child
- Signature of parent and date of signature
For a sample notice of intent click.
When to submit a notice of intent (whether Form 4140 or letter)
Parents must submit a notice of intent to homeschool –
- If their child has turned five years of age by July 31 of the school year;
- If they are withdrawing their child from a public or private school to homeschool;
- If their child is transitioning from elementary to middle school or from middleto high school;
- If the family as moved and now lives in a different public school district.
CHOH recommends parents keep a copy of the letter of intent and mail the letter certified return receipt requested to the public school your child would attend.
The Chapter 12 Rule states that the principal and district superintendent shall acknowledge the notice of intent. In practice, the acknowledgement has been the parents’ copy of the Form 4140 (with the signatures of the DOE officials) stapled to the parents’ letter of intent.
Other things to know
- Parents determine their own school calendar; you are not required to follow the public school calendar.
- Parents are responsible for the child’s total education program including athletics and other co-curricular activities.
- Parents are not required to first enroll their child in the public school before beginning to homeschool.
- Parents are not required to submit their curriculum to the Department of Education or school for approval but should keep a record of the planned curriculum which includes commencement and ending dates, a record of the number of hours per week of instruction, subject areas to be covered, method to determine mastery of materials, and a bibliography of textbooks and instructional materials used.
- An annual report is due at the end of the school year.
- Test scores from a nationally normed standardized achievement test must be submitted for grades 3, 5, 8, and 10.
Contact CHOH at info@christianhomeschoolersofhawaii.org if you have any questions.