Chapter 60 & The Law
Under Hawaii Administrative Rules, this specific "Chapter" governs the provision of a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for students with disabilities.
What is Chapter 60?
This term is commonly used in Hawaii to refer to the "local" family unit, which school psychologists are encouraged to partner with for student success.
What is ‘Ohana?
This "gatekeeper" role involves determining if a student meets criteria for one of the 13 disability categories defined by the state.
What is the Eligibility Determination?
This acronym stands for the school-based mental health services provided to students within the Hawaii DOE.
What is SBBH (School-Based Behavioral Health)?
Instead of traditional "Districts," the Hawaii DOE is organized into these unique administrative groupings of schools.
What are Complex Areas?
This federal law, which Chapter 60 implements locally, ensures that students with disabilities receive special education and related services.
What is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)?
This statewide professional organization’s mission is to advocate for Hawaii’s "Keiki" and their families.
What is the Hawaii Association of School Psychologists (HASP)?
This assessment tool, often used to measure cognitive ability, requires a specific "Hawaii-normed" lens when interpreting results for diverse local populations.
What is an IQ test (or Cognitive Assessment)?
This NASP-developed curriculum is frequently used by Hawaii school teams to prepare for and respond to school crises.
What is PREPaRE?
This island is home to the "Windward," "Central," "Honolulu," and "Leeward" districts.
What is Oahu?
In Hawaii, students are eligible for special education services from age 3 until they reach this age (unless they have already graduated with a high school diploma).
What is 21 and 364 days?
School psychologists in Hawaii often work within this systemic framework to provide tiered academic and behavioral supports.
What is MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports)?
This disability category includes students who show a significant discrepancy between their intellectual ability and academic achievement.
What is Specific Learning Disability (SLD)?
When a student is in immediate danger of hurting themselves or others, a school psychologist may facilitate this type of urgent evaluation.
What is a Suicide Risk Assessment (or Crisis Intervention)?
Unlike traditional HIDOE schools, these 37 public institutions in Hawaii operate under a performance contract with a specialized Commission and often have more flexibility in their specialized curriculum or 'Hawaiian immersion' programs
What are Public Charter Schools?
If a parent disagrees with the findings of a DOE evaluation, they have the right to request this type of outside assessment at public expense.
What is an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE)?
This Hawaii-specific educational approach incorporates community history and "place-based" learning into student interventions.
What is Āina-based (or Place-based) learning?
When assessing a student with limited English proficiency, school psychologists must ensure that a lack of instruction in this subject is not the "determinant factor."
What is Reading or Math?
This legal and ethical duty requires school psychologists to report any suspected cases of child neglect or abuse to the proper authorities.
What is Mandatory Reporting?
This "State Lead" office in Honolulu oversees the Special Education Section and monitors compliance across all islands.
What is the Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design (OCID) or the State SPED Office?
This legal doctrine, outlined in Chapter 60, ensures that a student remains in their current educational placement while a due process hearing or judicial proceeding is pending
What is 'Stay Put'?
Hawaii has long been noted as the only state in the U.S. without this specific professional requirement for school psychologists—a status currently being addressed by the 2026 Legislative session (HB1889) to establish a formal 'pathway' by 2027
What is State Licensure (or Certification)?
This type of assessment focuses on how a student functions in real-world settings and is often required for Intellectual Disability (ID) eligibility.
What is Adaptive Behavior assessment?
This document is created to outline specific strategies for students whose behavior significantly interferes with their learning or the learning of others.
What is a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) or Behavior Support Plan (BSP)?
While School Psychologists are assigned to specific schools or complexes, they are technically employees of this centralized HIDOE entity, which provides administrative oversight and professional support across the district
What is the District (or the District Office)?" > (Note: Specifically, most are under the SBBH section within their respective District/Complex Area administrative structure.)