​​​Special Schools

The Department operates the Hawaii School for the Deaf & Blind for students with these special disabilities. For more information, contact the school at 808-733-4999.

Student rights

The Department’s programs and services for special needs students are governed by Federal law set forth under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504/Subpart D of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as well as Hawaii laws and regulations. Please review this page​ to understand your rights in our educational system. If you are concerned that you are being discriminated against, you can report the issue to the Department’s Civil Rights Compliance Office.

Continuous Notice: The Department and its schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age color, national origin, religion or disability in its programs and activities.

Community Children’s Councils

​Formed to help support the implementation of services to special needs children and their families, the Community Children’s Councils​ are led by parents and professionals, and include representation from public and private child serving agencies, private providers and other community members.

Comprehensive Student Support System

​CSSS includes an array of support services to help students with myriad emotional health issues. You can learn more about this in our Personalized Learning section.