Special education in Hawaii

What Hawaii calls special education, how long each step takes, who to call, free help, paying for services, and how the state scores.

Special education in Hawaii

Special education is called

Special Education

The IEP meeting

IEP team meeting

Eligibility team

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days. From consent (HAR 8-60-33)

IEP timeline

30 days (federal)

Transition planning starts

16 (being checked)

Rights transfer to the student at

Developmental delay category

3 to 8 (child count)

Dyslexia law

no: No statutory screening mandate (SCR 120, 2013 only)

Find your district and schools

1 districts and charter districts. 4 special education schools and 39 public charter schools.

Get your Hall Pass Schools in Hawaii Services for children in Hawaii (on Disability Atlas)

The state office and your options when you disagree

State special education office

Hawaii State Department of Education, Exceptional Support Branch (808) 307-3600

Procedural safeguards (your rights notice)

Read the state's notice

Mediation

Ask for mediation

State complaint

File a state complaint

Due process

Ask for a due process hearing

Free help for families

Parent centers

Leadership in Disabilities & Achievement of Hawai’i
Parent Training and Information Center (PTI), Honolulu
(808) 536-9684

Disability rights agency

Hawaii Disability Rights Center
Protection and Advocacy Agency, Honolulu
(808) 949-2922

Advocacy groups in Hawaii

Paying for it

Medicaid for children

Med-QUEST (Hawaii QUEST Integration)

CHIP

Med-QUEST (CHIP is part of QUEST)

Apply

Apply for coverage

Medicaid for children with disabilities, whatever the family's income

yes (KFF 2026: state plan option or comparable waiver); program not named in sources checked

Schools bill Medicaid for health services

Autism insurance law

yes. ASHA lists Hawaii as requiring coverage; NCSL table omits Hawaii. Luke's Law (2015) is understood to cover children under 14 with an ABA cap; being checked in this pass

Scholarship or ESA for students with disabilities

none

How school, Medicaid and insurance fit together

How Hawaii scores

First edition. These grades are new (November 2026) and the weights may still change. Texas graduation data is being confirmed with the state.

State of Schools

Rank 50 of 51

State of Support

Rank 40 of 51

Combined

Rank 47 of 51

Pillar	Grade
Following the law	D
Learning together	D
Results	D
School funding	B-
Family protections	F
Options and transition	D+

IDEA determination 2026: Needs Assistance (2 or more years). How we grade.

Sources for this page are listed in the SPED Atlas research tables (state terms, state help, paying for it). Items marked "being checked" are waiting on a primary source.

Last reviewed: November 2026. Rules, programs and phone numbers change. Check with the office named on this page. Report outdated or wrong information.