IEP Accommodations in Hawaii
What IEP accommodations are available in Hawaii?
Hawaii IEPs must specify all accommodations enabling the student to access the general curriculum and participate in assessments, implemented through HAR § 8-56-28(b)(4) and (6). Accommodations are provided as part of FAPE at no cost to the family. The IEP must specify any individual appropriate accommodations necessary for measuring academic achievement and functional performance on state and districtwide assessments; Hawaii's statewide assessments include the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) tests and the Hawaii State Alternate Assessment (HiSAA) for eligible students. Because HIDOE is the sole LEA and SEA, all accommodation decisions for state assessments are governed by a single statewide policy issued by HIDOE's Office of Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Support (OCISS). All teachers and service providers responsible for implementing accommodations must be informed of their specific responsibilities.
What Hawaii Requires
The IEP must specify all supplementary aids and services and program modifications to support the student's access to the general curriculum in regular and special education settings (HAR § 8-56-28(b)(4); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(4)).
Individual appropriate accommodations necessary for state and districtwide assessments must be identified in the IEP (HAR § 8-56-28(b)(6); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)(i)).
If the student will take the Hawaii State Alternate Assessment (HiSAA), the IEP must explain why the student cannot participate in regular assessments and identify the specific alternate assessment (HAR § 8-56-28(b)(6); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)(ii)).
All regular education teachers, special education teachers, and related service providers must be informed of their responsibilities for implementing accommodations (34 CFR 300.323(d); HAR § 8-56-28).
Accommodations must be provided at no cost to the family as part of FAPE (HRS § 302H-1; 34 CFR 300.17).
Key Timelines
Accommodations must be in effect at the beginning of each school year (34 CFR 300.323(a)).
IEP accommodations must be reviewed at least annually and revised as needed (HAR § 8-56-32).
Transfer students must receive comparable accommodations while a new IEP is being developed (34 CFR 300.323(e)-(f)).