Perks, Requirements, and Our Experience

Have you ever imagined homeschooling in paradise? For our family, homeschooling in Hawaii has been an incredible journey filled with hands-on learning, outdoor adventures, and a deep connection to nature and culture. Whether it’s studying wildlife at the beach or diving into Hawaiian history, the opportunities here are endless. If you’re considering homeschooling in Hawaii, this post will walk you through what we love most about it and the key legal requirements to get started.

why we love homeschooling in hawaii

Ah, Hawaii. Our family has thoroughly enjoyed living here for many of the same reasons we love homeschooling here. The people are great and we are able to build the community we prefer. There are plenty of homeschool families here and even more resources for homeschoolers. We have found that adults are very respectful of young children on island and take the time to interact with our kiddos while we are out and about. The area we live in also has very active co-ops, homeschooling groups, and enrichment programs.

There’s never a shortage of interesting classes in Hawaii. My children enjoy a lot of science and exploration outdoors. The year-round warm weather gives us unlimited opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities and field trips. The landscape being so lush makes for a natural classroom for hands-on science, history, and geography lessons. Not to mention some of the elements we find here cannot be found anywhere else in the country.

I have also found that because of the culture in Hawaii, we as a family, have become even more community-minded. We make sure to go say hello to the cashier who helped us find something on our last visit to their store, and return to our community service projects to see how they are fairing. Our approach to families and relationships has been one of building a network and community-enrichment. Now more than ever, we are more likely to pick the hole in the wall over the big box stores. We wave at drivers every time we cross the street. I love what this is doing for my children but I can also feel it changing me for the better at the same time.

We are able to turn the location into interactive learning experiences. Cultural experiences, hikes, and beaches easily translate into lessons and even units sometimes. We’ve done full three-week units on Hawaii weather and volcanoes, chickens, and rainbows just because our conversations led to so many questions on these topics. As the kids get older we also plan to learn more about the history and culture of Hawaii before its statehood.

Travel has seemed to slow down for us since we live in this tropical paradise but it also means we are more intentional with our trips off island. Because we limit our off-island excursions we tend to choose more meaningful destinations and put more effort into planning, events, and even downtime while traveling. Staying put in Hawaii also means that we take more care in planning our family time here and budgeting our resources to be more impactful for our kids. We have slowed down tremendously and move more in step with our true pace, rushing from one thing to the next far less than we used to.

hawaii homeschool hard requirements

I’ve only ever homeschooled in Hawaii, so cannot compare the process here to any place else. The compliance laws and requirements were something we looked into as heavily as we could before committing. It felt manageable for us at the time, since I had already been educating Bug at home informally for a couple of years. Students from 5 to 18 years old are required to attend some form of schooling here in Hawaii. The state does also require notification if you opt to homeschool here.

True to everyday life on-island, Hawaii’s homeschool regulations are not very invasive at all. I have found them to be fairly sensible and easy to follow. They do not currently require parents to have special certifications or students to maintain certain immunizations but there are required assessments for grade-level milestones.

Steps to get squared away:

• Submit notice of intent to homeschool in the state of Hawaii. This will be mailed in to the school your child would have otherwise attended. I used this website to search by zip code and confirm this. You can submit the notice by using Form 4140 from the Hawaii Department of Education or in the form of a written letter.
• There are no required curriculum subjects in Hawaii. What is taught must “be structured and based on educational objectives as well as the needs of the child, be cumulative and sequential, provide a range of up-to-date knowledge and needed skills, and take into account the interests, needs, and abilities of the child.” As long as your curriculum falls under this, you are set.
• Record keeping of your planned curriculum must include start and end dates for your homeschool year, the number of weekly hours of instruction, covered subjects, assessment methods, and a list of instructional materials (in bibliographical format).
• Turn in annual progress reports. This can be through a standardized test, written evaluation by a Hawaii-certified teacher or the parent. Parent evaluations should include progress descriptions, samples of student’s work, and tests if grades are given. There are also standardized achievement tests in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10.

Related Post: How We Homeschool

Related Post: Homeschooling Get-Started Checklist

Homeschooling in Hawaii has given our family the flexibility to learn in a way that truly fits our lifestyle while making the most of the incredible environment around us. Whether you’re drawn to the adventure, cultural richness, or the freedom to design your child’s education, Hawaii offers so much to homeschooling families. If you’re ready to take the leap, be sure to check out the current state requirements and start planning your own island-style homeschool experience.

Hope this helped, V.