The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in Math. The lowest is 41% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Konawaena Elementary School
Konawaena Elementary sits in Kealakekua, a small rural community in South Kona on the west side of the Big Island, along Mamalahoa Highway about a short drive south of Kailua-Kona. The area is coffee country, with deep Hawaiian cultural roots and an identity shaped by proximity to Kealakekua Bay rather than by any commercial downtown. The community is dispersed along the highway, with scattered homes and small businesses on the slopes above the bay. There is no dense walkable core. Publicly reported sources describe a slow-growing or even slightly declining population, with no major housing developments on the horizon. Growth pressure, where it exists, sits farther north around Kailua-Kona.
The school serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and operates as a regular public school within the Hawaii Department of Education, the single statewide district serving all of Hawaii's public school students. Enrollment is moderate for an elementary school on the island. The student body reflects the community's diversity: the largest groups are Hispanic and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students, followed by a sizable share of students identifying as two or more races. White and Asian students make up smaller portions. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
State testing results from the most recent year show a mixed academic picture. In math, roughly half of third and fourth graders reached proficiency, with fifth grade results somewhat lower. English language arts results sit below that, with fourth grade being the weakest grade in the subject and third and fifth grades closer to the middle of the range. Fifth-grade science proficiency landed in a similar zone to ELA. Participation was full across all tested grades and subjects. These results suggest a school where a portion of students is meeting state standards but a substantial number are not, with ELA generally softer than math. A parent may want to look into how the school supports literacy development, particularly in the intermediate elementary grades.
Only the most recent year of assessment data was available, so no trend could be computed. The data sections show the figures for each grade and subject, but year-over-year direction is not yet established.
Several data fields that parents often ask about were not available. Individualized education program counts and English learner rates were both missing from the data we received. Title I status was not reported. Discipline, staffing, attendance, and course-access information were absent as well. No programs or extracurricular offerings were listed. We looked for recent district-level changes from the Hawaii Department of Education that might affect families but found little of lasting impact, so we left that out rather than guess. Civil rights data was not provided.
Housing in the school's zip code sits well above the national benchmark, as is typical for Hawaii, though slightly below the statewide figure. Estimated monthly mortgage costs are steep relative to national norms, and the price-to-income ratio is high even by Hawaii standards. Rent data was not available for this area, so we cannot speak to the rental market here. The housing market showed a modest year-over-year decline in values, consistent with broader statewide softening. For families considering buying, the cost of living in this part of the Big Island is a real factor alongside school quality.
Kealakekua's civic life centers on its natural and historical assets rather than a commercial district. Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park, with Hikiau Heiau on the shore of Napoopoo, and the bay itself, a Marine Life Conservation District, are the community's anchors. The Captain Cook Monument sits across the bay, reachable only by boat or a steep hike. No public library branch was identified within Kealakekua itself. Major employers were not identified in available sources; the area's economy appears tied to coffee farming and tourism around the bay.
For a family weighing this school, the picture is one of a rural, culturally rich community with a school that produces middling test results and where economic need is present but not overwhelming. The academic data is a starting point rather than a conclusion, especially given the absence of trend data and the missing information about student support services.
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