The top reported proficiency rate is 56% in English language arts. The lowest is 37% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on King Kamehameha Iii Elementary School
King Kamehameha III Elementary School sits in Lahaina, on Maui's west coast, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Hawaii Department of Education. It is a regular public school with an enrollment that falls in the mid-range for an elementary campus of its grade band. The student body is ethnically mixed, with Hispanic students forming the largest single group, followed by white, multiracial, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and Asian students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on English-learner status and individualized education plans was not reported, so those figures are absent here.
On state assessments, the school shows a clear split between reading and math. English language arts is the stronger subject. Third graders reached roughly half proficiency, fourth graders nudged higher, and fifth graders cleared that mark comfortably, with participation at full enrollment across all tested grades. Math tells a different story. Third graders posted a strong proficiency rate, with nearly two-thirds meeting the bar, but fourth and fifth graders dropped below half. Science, tested only in fifth grade, was the softest result, with about a third of students proficient. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, particularly how math instruction is sequenced across the upper elementary grades and what supports are in place as students move from third to fifth grade. Only one year of assessment data was available, so there is no trend to compare against.
Average scale scores were not reported for any grade or subject. No multi-year trend exists because the current year is the first data point. Civil-rights data, discipline information, course access, staffing levels, and attendance figures were not provided. The school's Title I status was also not reported, and no program offerings were listed. These gaps mean the portrait here rests largely on demographics, assessment results, and the surrounding community.
Lahaina itself shapes everything about this school. Before the August 2023 wildfire, the town was a historic waterfront community with Front Street as its commercial spine, lined with shops, restaurants, and roughly sixty historic sites managed by the Lahaina Restoration Foundation. Tourism drove the local economy, backed by nearby resort areas at Kaanapali and Kapalua. Pineapple canning and sugar refining had been economic mainstays earlier but declined decades ago. The wildfire destroyed a large portion of the town, killed many residents, and caused catastrophic damage. As of 2026, recovery is underway. Properties have been cleared, essential infrastructure is being restored, a handful of commercial permits have been issued, and a Front Street walkway and railing project has been completed. Maui County has released plans for rebuilding the commercial core with affordable housing, though completion is expected to take years. Permitting in the Lahaina Historic District remains one of the most heavily regulated processes in the state, involving national, state, and local rules.
The housing market reflects both the broader West Maui cost structure and the disruption of the fire. Typical home values in the school's zip code sit well above the statewide benchmark and far above national levels, with the price-to-income ratio indicating severe affordability strain for local families. Rents are also high, and renting consumes a large share of typical household income. Home values have declined over the past year, likely tied to the fire's aftermath and the slow pace of rebuilding, while rents have moved upward, squeezing renters further. This combination matters for school families: many who lived in Lahaina before the fire are still displaced, and the cost of returning or staying nearby is steep.
No district-level policy changes, curriculum shifts, or budget actions were identified in the available research, so nothing on that front is included here rather than guessed. The Hawaii Department of Education is a single statewide district, which means decisions about Lahaina's schools are made in a system that spans all islands.
What this adds up to is a school serving a diverse student population in a community still in the early years of recovery from a catastrophic event. Reading results are a genuine strength. Math and science are weaker, especially in the upper grades. The surrounding town is rebuilding, and the housing market remains difficult for working families. For a parent evaluating this school, the academic signal is mixed but with clear positives in literacy, and the community context is unlike any other in the state.
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