The top reported proficiency rate is 47% in English language arts. The lowest is 44% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on President Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
President Thomas Jefferson Elementary School sits on Kapahulu Avenue in Honolulu, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is a regular public school within the Hawaii Department of Education, the statewide district that governs all of Hawaii's public schools. The campus sits near the dense urban corridor that connects Waikiki to the broader Honolulu core, an area defined by tourism, commerce, and residential neighborhoods layered between the Ala Wai Canal and the slopes of Diamond Head.
The school's enrollment is moderate for an Oahu elementary campus, with a student body that reflects Honolulu's cultural mix. Asian students make up the largest share, followed by a sizable group identifying as two or more races. Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and white students each form smaller but meaningful portions of the population. A little over half the school's students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which places Jefferson in a middle band of economic need for Honolulu public schools. The data does not include figures for special education enrollment or English learner services, so families whose children receive those supports may want to ask the school directly about what is available.
Academically, Jefferson's state assessment results from the most recent school year paint a picture of a school performing in the moderate range. In English language arts, proficiency holds in the mid-forties across third and fourth grades and rises to a stronger showing in fifth grade. Math follows a similar pattern, with results clustered in the low-to-mid forties and a slight uptick in fourth grade before dipping again in fifth. Fifth-grade science proficiency, measured through the Hawaii Science Assessment aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards, lands in the same mid-range territory. Participation rates were high across all tested grades. Only one year of data was available, so there is no trend to describe; families looking for year-over-year direction will not find it in the current records.
No graduation rate applies here, since Jefferson is an elementary school. The same is true for advanced coursework, career pathways, and other measures that typically appear at the secondary level. Discipline data, staffing figures, and attendance information were not available in the records reviewed. Title I status was also not reported, though the free-or-reduced-price meal rate suggests the school likely serves a population that would qualify for federal support. These gaps in the data do not necessarily signal a problem; they often reflect what a given state or district chooses to report at the elementary level.
Honolulu itself shapes the experience of any school within it. The city is the political, financial, and commercial heart of Hawaii, with state government offices downtown and a tourism economy centered in Waikiki, just south of Jefferson's attendance area. Military installations, particularly the Navy base at Pearl Harbor, contribute to employment across the island. The housing market around the school's zip code is expensive by national standards, with typical home values running well above the national benchmark, though they sit below Hawaii's statewide median, which is among the highest in the country. Rents have risen recently, and the rent-to-income burden for local households is substantial. Public transit, including TheBus and the developing Skyline rail system, serves the urban core.
The locale brief notes that Honolulu's population has been declining modestly, with an aging demographic and continued migration to the mainland. Climate pressures, including drought and sea-level rise, are publicly reported concerns for the city and its tourism economy. The Hawaii Department of Education's district brief did not surface specific policy or curriculum changes of recent note, so there is little to report on that front.
For a family considering Jefferson, the school offers a standard public elementary pathway in a centrally located Honolulu neighborhood, with academic results that sit in the middle band and a student population that mirrors the island's diversity. The missing data on special populations and support services means a parent may want to look into those details directly with the school before making a decision.
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