The top reported proficiency rate is 62% in English language arts. The lowest is 44% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School
RobertLouis Stevenson Middle School sits on Prospect Street in Honolulu, in the urban core of Oʻahu. It is a regular public school serving grades six through eight, part of the Hawaii Department of Education. The campus draws from a city that functions as Hawaii's political, commercial, and cultural capital, a place where high-rise downtown blocks give way to tourist-dense Waikīkī and quieter residential neighborhoods tucked into valleys and ridges. Honolulu's built environment is dominated by dense development near the waterfront, while schools like Stevenson sit distributed across neighborhoods rather than clustered on a single campus.
The school enrolls a mid-sized population for a middle school, with roughly even distribution across the three grade levels. Its student body reflects Honolulu's multicultural character. Asian students make up the largest share, followed by a substantial Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander contingent. Students identifying as two or more races and Hispanic students round out the enrollment. White students represent a small slice. A moderate share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not reported, so those populations cannot be characterized here.
On the most recent state assessments, Stevenson's results tell a mixed academic story. English language arts is the school's stronger area. Sixth-grade proficiency sits in the middle range, but seventh and eighth grade climb to a clear majority of students testing proficient. Those are solid marks for a public middle school. Math is weaker. Sixth and eighth grade hover below half of students reaching proficiency, with seventh grade faring somewhat better but still leaving a majority of students below the proficient bar. Science, tested only in eighth grade, lands right at the midpoint, with about half of students proficient. Participation rates across all tested grades and subjects are near-universal.
Only one year of assessment data is available, so no trend can be drawn. A parent looking at these results would see a school where literacy instruction appears to be producing consistent results across grade levels, while math outcomes suggest a wider spread of student readiness. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, asking how math support and intervention are structured and whether the seventh-grade bump reflects a program change or cohort differences.
The school does not have a graduation rate, which is expected for a middle school. No data was provided on discipline, course access, staffing ratios, or attendance, so those dimensions cannot be assessed. Program offerings were not included in the available data.
Honolulu's housing market shapes the context families face. The zip code's typical home value sits below the statewide benchmark but well above the national figure, reflecting the broad affordability challenge of living in Hawaii. Rents have climbed recently. Publicly reported economic conditions point to a city dealing with an aging and declining population and an outflow of residents to the mainland, even as tourism continues to draw millions of visitors. The state's ongoing rail transit expansion is a major infrastructure project that could reshape commuting patterns over time.
The Hawaii Department of Education, the statewide district that operates Stevenson, did not surface any recent parent-relevant policy or curriculum changes in the available research. The district brief returned little of lasting impact, so there is nothing specific to relay about shifts in programming, funding, or governance.
For a family considering Stevenson, the picture is one of a centrally located urban middle school with a diverse student body and reasonably strong reading outcomes, set against a math performance profile that leaves room for growth. Honolulu itself offers the density and amenities of a state capital, but the cost of living is high and the housing market competitive. Those structural realities are part of the package for any family weighing a school in this part of the island.
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