The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in English language arts. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Kihei Elementary School
Kihei Elementary School sits on East Lipoa Street in Kihei, a town strung along the southwest Maui coast. The school serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school within the Hawaii Department of Education, the statewide district that operates all of Hawaii's public schools. Kihei itself is a mix of residential neighborhoods and tourism-oriented commercial development, with South Kihei Road carrying most of the condos, restaurants, and shops along the ocean and Pi'ilani Highway running inland. The town lacks a traditional downtown core; civic life distributes itself along the coastal corridor. Public transit exists through the Maui Bus system, with routes connecting to Kahului and Ma'alaea, though stops and hours are limited and the service has been effectively fare-free since the 2023 Maui wildfires.
The school's enrollment is sizable for an elementary campus in this area. Its student body reflects Kihei's multicultural character. Hispanic students form the largest group, followed by Asian students, students of two or more races, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. White students make up a smaller segment. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which points to a community where many families are working within tight household budgets in a housing market that is demanding even by Hawaii standards. The area's typical home value sits near the upper end of what most American communities see, and rents are elevated as well, with the price-to-income ratio running well above national norms. A parent considering this school should know that the local cost of living presses hard on many families the school serves.
State assessment results from the most recent year show a mixed academic picture. In English language arts, proficiency rates across the tested grades land in a moderate band, with third grade somewhat lower and fourth and fifth grades somewhat higher. Mathematics shows a sharper split: third-grade proficiency is comparatively strong, but fourth and fifth grade drop off considerably. Science proficiency in fifth grade sits at the lower end of the school's results. Participation rates across all tested grades and subjects are high, so the results reflect nearly the full student body rather than a skewed subset. Only one year of assessment data was available, so there is no trend to discuss. A parent may want to look into the school's approach to upper-elementary math instruction, given the pattern across grades.
The school does not serve grades that take a graduation assessment, so no graduation rate applies here. Data on special populations such as students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available in the provided sources. Discipline, staffing ratios, attendance, and course-access information were also absent. Program offerings beyond the standard curriculum were not provided, and no neighbor-comparison data was available to position the school against nearby Maui elementary schools.
The locale offers families a coastal environment with concrete civic anchors. Kalama Beach Park provides oceanfront open space with playgrounds, courts, and picnic pavilions. The three Kamaole Beach Parks offer lifeguarded swimming areas. Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge sits nearby as a protected wetland. The Kihei Public Library serves as an additional community resource. Kihei also hosts research and technology facilities, including the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and the Maui Research and Technology Park, alongside the tourism businesses that drive much of the local economy. A newer school, Kulanihakoi, opened in 2022 to add educational capacity in the area, reflecting modest population growth in Kihei over the past decade.
No district-level policy, curriculum, or budget changes of lasting parent impact were found in recent sources. Families weighing Kihei Elementary will be looking at a school with moderate ELA results, a slide in math as students move into upper grades, and a student community shaped by the economic pressures of living in one of Hawaii's more expensive coastal markets.
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