The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in Science. The lowest is 42% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Ala Wai Elementary School
Ala Wai Elementary School sits on Kamoku Street in Honolulu, placing it in one of the most densely developed stretches of urban Oʻahu. The school draws its name from the Ala Wai Canal, the waterway that borders Waikīkī and separates that tourist-heavy district from the surrounding neighborhoods. This is a regular public elementary school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, operating under the Hawaii Department of Education, the single statewide district that governs public schools across the islands.
The enrollment is modest for an elementary school of this grade band, and the student body reflects Honolulu's multicultural character in a way few mainland schools do. The largest group of students identifies as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, followed by a substantial Asian student population, then students of two or more races. Hispanic, white, and Black students make up smaller shares. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which speaks to the economic mix of the neighborhoods feeding into the school. We looked for data on students receiving special education services and English learners, but those figures were not available, so we left them out rather than estimate.
On state assessments, Ala Wai students take the Smarter Balanced Assessment in math and English language arts across grades three through five, and the Hawaii Science Assessment in fifth grade. Participation was full across every tested grade. In math, proficiency rates were moderate, with third and fifth grade landing close to one another and fourth grade sitting noticeably lower. English language arts followed a different pattern, with third and fourth grade both in a similar moderate range, then fifth grade rising to the school's strongest result. Science proficiency in fifth grade landed in the same moderate band as the other subjects. Taken together, the school's overall proficiency across subjects sits in a middling range, with the fifth grade ELA result standing out as the clearest bright spot. A parent may want to look into what drives the dip in fourth grade math and whether instructional support addresses that pattern.
We searched for multi-year trend data to see whether these results represent growth, decline, or stability, but only one year of results was available. Without a comparison point, we cannot characterize the direction. We also looked for a neighbor comparison placing Ala Wai among nearby schools, but none was available.
The surrounding community is Honolulu itself, the state capital and the commercial, financial, and governmental heart of Hawaii. The urban core is dominated by high-rise development, with dense street life concentrated in Waikīkī, the Capitol District downtown, and around Ala Moana Center, one of the world's largest open-air shopping malls. The school's location near the canal puts it within walking distance of this concentrated urban activity. Major employers in the broader city include the U.S. military, particularly the Navy at Pearl Harbor, the tourism and hospitality industry centered in Waikīkī, state and county government, and healthcare institutions such as The Queen's Medical Center. The city continues to develop its Skyline rail system as a major infrastructure project, and public transit through TheBus serves the urban core.
Honolulu faces real pressures that shape the environment around the school. The city's population has been declining and aging, with residents leaving for the U.S. mainland. Climate change is affecting the area through drought, water shortages, sea level rise, and coastal flooding. Housing affordability is an ongoing concern, with high-rise development concentrated in the urban core. The housing market near the school reflects these dynamics. Home values in the school's zip code sit well below the statewide benchmark but above the national one, and they have been declining modestly year over year. Rents have edged upward over the same period. The gap between monthly mortgage costs and rent is wide, with owning costing considerably more than renting at current rates, which may be relevant for families weighing whether to buy or rent in the area.
Several data areas that parents often ask about were not available. We found no information on discipline practices, course access, staffing ratios, attendance rates, Title I status, or specific program offerings. No civil rights data was provided. The district brief for the Hawaii Department of Education returned no specific recent policy, curriculum, or budget changes of lasting impact. These gaps mean a family considering Ala Wai would benefit from contacting the school directly for details on staffing, special education services, enrichment programs, and any initiatives the state district has underway.
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