The top reported proficiency rate is 85% in Science. The lowest is 77% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hokulani Elementary School
Hokulani Elementary School sits on Kamakini Street in Honolulu, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school within the Hawaii Department of Education. It is a small school for its grade band, with enrollment spread across its early-childhood and elementary classrooms.
The academic results from the most recent state assessments are a clear strength. Across every tested grade and subject, proficiency runs well above what most schools post. Third, fourth, and fifth graders all scored in the same high range on the Smarter Balanced math assessment, with fifth grade edging slightly ahead. English language arts followed a similar pattern, with proficiency climbing as students moved up through the grades and fifth grade posting the strongest result. Science, tested only in fifth grade on the Hawaii Science Assessment aligned to Next Generation Science Standards, was the standout: the highest proficiency mark in the building. Participation was near-universal on every assessment, with only one grade in one subject dipping slightly below full participation. These are results that suggest consistent instruction across grade levels and a school where the academic program is working for most students.
Only one year of assessment data was available, so there is no trend to describe. A parent looking for whether these results hold steady over time would want to ask the school directly.
The student body is diverse in a way that reflects Honolulu itself. Asian students make up the largest group, followed by a sizable share of students identifying as two or more races. Hispanic, white, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and Black students round out the enrollment. A relatively small proportion of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which places Hokulani on the lower end for economic need among public schools. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not reported, so those population shares are unknown.
Honolulu provides the broader setting. The city is Hawaii's capital and commercial hub, stretching along the southeast coast of Oahu. Its economy runs on tourism, military defense, state and county government, healthcare, and finance. Waikiki draws millions of visitors annually, downtown holds the state's financial and government core, and the Ala Moana Center anchors the retail scene. The urban core is somewhat walkable with public bus service and a developing rail line. The city also faces real pressures: an aging and declining population as residents leave for the mainland, housing affordability concerns, and climate-related threats including sea level rise and flooding.
The housing market around Hokulani reflects those pressures sharply. Home values in the school's zip code sit far above both the state and national benchmarks, with a price-to-income ratio that signals serious stretch for most families. Rents are also high relative to income. For a family considering the area, the cost of housing is a defining factor alongside the school itself.
Several categories of information were missing from what was available. No Title I status, staffing figures, discipline data, attendance rates, course or program offerings, or civil-rights reporting were provided. The Hawaii Department of Education district brief turned up no specific recent policy, curriculum, or budget changes of note. Without staffing or program data, a parent would need to contact the school directly to understand class sizes, specialist offerings, and support services. Because Hokulani serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report; that metric applies to schools serving later grades.
What the available picture shows is a small, diverse Honolulu elementary school with consistently strong academic outcomes across math, reading, and science, situated in one of the most expensive housing markets in the country. For families who can manage the cost of living in this neighborhood, the school appears to deliver solid instruction with results that hold across the grade levels that are tested.
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