Latest Updates

Feb. 17 | Victory! H.B. 2376 deferred for this session

During the House Education Committee hearing on February 17, the committee voted unanimously to defer H.B. 2376. We do not expect the bill to move again this session.

This victory is the result of hundreds of homeschoolers congregating at the capitol in support of homeschool freedom. Thank you for doing your part and voicing your opposition to the bill! You can watch this video update from Will Estrada about the committee hearing or watch a video of his testimony here.

We would encourage you to take a moment to write or call members of the House Education Committee to thank them for deferring this bill!

The Senate version of this bill (S.B. 3193) is still active and has not yet been scheduled for a hearing. Please continue to reach out to the Senate committee members and ask them to oppose the bill.

Follow along on social media or sign up for our email alerts to be notified if further action is needed on S.B. 3193!

Feb. 14 | H.B. 2376 scheduled for a hearing on February 17

H.B. 2376 has been scheduled for a hearing in the House Education Committee on February 17 at 2 p.m. Please reach out to the members of the House Education Committee and ask them to oppose H.B. 2376.

Additionally, you can voice your opposition to the bill by submitting testimony directly to the committee. Your testimony could focus on concerns such as:

  • Hawaii already requires an annual assessment, including standardized tests in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10.
  • H.B. 2376 goes far beyond what current DOE regulations require and would mark unprecedented government control over homeschooling families.
  • The bill eliminates parental choice by banning third-party standardized achievement tests (like the California Achievement Test (CAT), the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, and the Stanford).
  • H.B. 2376 would require that all testing be done in person at public schools, imposing burdens on families and creating major logistical problems for school districts.
  • Mandating seven years of state testing would undermine homeschooling flexibility, especially for students with special learning needs.

Finally, we encourage you to come to the Hawaii State Capitol for the hearing on Tuesday to express your support for homeschool freedom and your opposition to H.B. 2376. A strong in-person presence sends a clear message that homeschool families are engaged, informed, and united.

The companion bill, S.B. 3193 has not been scheduled for a hearing at this time. 

Feb. 3 | Bills referred to Education Committees

S.B. 3193 and H.B. 2376 were introduced on Jan. 28 and 27, respectively. They were both referred to their chamber's respective Education Committees on February 2.

Please contact members of each committee and inform them that you oppose S.B. 3193 and H.B. 2376.  

Summary of S.B. 3193 / H.B. 2376

S.B. 3193 and H.B. 2376 would impose six years of additional testing requirements on homeschooled students (Kindergarten and grades 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7, plus swapping an assessment in 11 instead of grade 10), and it would make Hawaii the first state that would give homeschooling students no other option but to submit to state tests in-person.

  • Hawaii law already requires an annual assessment for homeschoolers, with testing specifically required in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10. These bills would require seven years of testing, in grades 3-8 and grade 11.
  • Current Department of Education rules also allow parents to choose between the state’s testing program and third-party tests (like the California Achievement Test, Iowa Test of Basic Skills, or the Stanford Achievement Test), which can be administered to students either online or by administrators approved by the test publishers. These bills would eliminate that option and require testing only through the state’s assessment program—a first in the nation.
  • The bills require that this testing take place in person at the local school. This would be another first in the nation, and given the issues that families have had with accessing other optional forms of testing in public schools (like the PSAT, SAT, and ACT), we expect it to pose severe logistical challenges for both homeschool families and local public schools.
  • In addition to requiring seven grades of in-person state testing, these bills would also require homeschooled students to undergo the Kindergarten Entry Assessment as well as Universal Screening at the start of grades 1 and 2. That’s an additional three years of tests not required by current Board regulations.

Homeschool families often choose homeschooling for the flexibility it offers to their students, including those with special learning needs. Current Hawaii law recognizes that homeschool curriculum should “take into account the interests, needs and abilities of the child” (Haw. Code R. § 8-12-15). This bill would slap the uniform expectations of statewide standards on all homeschool students, limiting parents’ ability to meet the individual needs of each student.

We are working closely with Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii (CHOH) and local homeschoolers to monitor this legislation, and will update you if further action is taken.