The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in Math. The lowest is 25% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Kahaluu Elementary School
Kahaluu Elementary School sits in Kāneʻohe, a primarily residential community on the windward side of Oʻahu. The town stretches along Kāneʻohe Bay Drive toward Marine Corps Base Hawaii, with commercial activity spread along Kamehameha Highway rather than concentrated in a walkable downtown. Windward Mall serves as the main shopping hub. Likelike Highway, Pali Highway, and Interstate H-3 connect the area to Honolulu over the Koʻolau Range, with H-3 having notably improved that connectivity since its completion. Publicly reported descriptions characterize Kāneʻohe as one of the two largest residential communities on the windward side, the other being Kailua. The area was historically agricultural, producing taro, sweet potatoes, rice, and pineapples in earlier eras, and has transitioned over decades into a largely residential suburb with banana as the only commercial crop of consequence today. Civic anchors include Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden, the Hawaiʻi National Veterans Cemetery, and access to Kāneʻohe Bay from the public pier and boat ramp at nearby Heʻeia Kea.
The school is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, part of the Hawaii Department of Education. Enrollment is small for its grade band. The student body is diverse, with Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students forming the largest group, followed by Hispanic students and students of two or more races. White and Asian students each make up a smaller portion, and a very small number of Black students attend. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not available, so those populations cannot be characterized here.
On the most recent state assessments, math proficiency across the tested grades sits roughly in the middle range, with performance varying considerably by grade level. The upper grades show stronger results, with sixth-grade math proficiency markedly higher than the intermediate elementary grades. Fifth-grade math is the soft spot, with proficiency well below the school's other grades. English language arts follows a similar pattern, with sixth grade again the strongest and fifth grade the weakest. Science, tested only in fifth grade, falls on the lower end. Participation was full across all tested grades and subjects. Only one year of assessment data was available, so no trend over time can be described. Average scale scores were not reported, so the picture rests on proficiency rates alone.
Because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report. That gap reflects the grade band, not a missing result. Data on discipline, course access, staffing, attendance, and civil-rights topics was not provided. Title I status was also not reported. The school's locale classification, charter status, and magnet status were either absent or confirm it as a standard neighborhood public school. We looked for recent district-level changes that might affect families but found little of lasting impact, so that section is left out rather than guessed.
The housing market around the school is expensive relative to both state and national benchmarks. Typical home values in the school's zip code run well above the state median and far above the national figure, with the price-to-income ratio indicating a steep affordability challenge. Rents have risen recently, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment exceeds the typical rent by a meaningful margin, though both consume a large share of household income. A modest year-over-year decline in home values was recorded, while rents moved in the opposite direction. Families considering the area should expect housing costs to be a defining factor in the decision.
Kahaluu Elementary presents a mixed academic profile. The upper grades demonstrate real strength in both math and English language arts, which suggests students leaving the school are reasonably well prepared. The weaker results in the intermediate grades, particularly fifth grade in both subjects and in science, are worth a parent's attention. A family may want to look into how the school supports students in those middle elementary years and what explains the grade-to-grade variation. The community itself is suburban and car-dependent, with military, educational, and retail employers nearby, and it offers access to natural and cultural amenities that define windward Oʻahu living.
See more original research from School Decision →