The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in Science. The lowest is 35% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Kohala Elementary School
Kohala Elementary School sits in Kapaau, a small rural community at the northern tip of Hawaii Island in the North Kohala District. The town is known publicly as the birthplace of Kamehameha I, with the original King Kamehameha Statue standing in front of the community center. Kapaau functions mainly as a residential community stretched along Akoni Pule Highway, with civic facilities, a public library, and local shops rather than a separate commercial district. Schools and civic life are woven together here; Kohala Elementary, Kohala Middle, and Kohala High all sit within the town and serve the surrounding North Kohala area. The community has seen steady population growth over recent census cycles, with no large-scale housing or commercial developments identified in publicly available sources.
The school is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, part of the Hawaii Department of Education, the statewide district that covers all of Hawaii's public schools. Enrollment is moderate for an elementary school in this rural setting. The student body is diverse, reflecting the community's character. Hispanic students form the largest group, followed closely by students identifying as two or more races and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. Asian and White students each make up a smaller portion. About half the student population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which gives a picture of the economic conditions many families in the area face. Data on English learner status and special education enrollment was not available, so a parent would need to ask the school directly about those services.
On state assessments, Kohala Elementary's results show a mixed picture. English language arts performance is the relative bright spot, with upper-grade proficiency running ahead of math. Fourth and fifth graders posted their strongest ELA results, with a healthy share of students meeting or exceeding standards. Third grade ELA was lower, which a parent may want to look into further with the school, as early-grade reading is foundational for later work. Math results were more modest across all three tested grades, with fifth grade the weakest. Science, tested only in fifth grade, landed in a middle range, with a fair portion of students demonstrating proficiency. Participation rates were strong across every tested grade and subject, which means the results give a reliable picture of the school rather than reflecting a small or skewed testing group.
Only one year of assessment data was available, so there is no trend to report. This means a parent cannot yet see whether these results represent an improving, declining, or stable pattern. Average scale scores were also missing from the data set, which limits the ability to gauge how close students who did not reach proficiency were to clearing that bar.
Housing in the Kapaau zip code carries a typical home value well above the national benchmark but below the statewide Hawaii figure, reflecting the more rural and remote nature of North Kohala compared to Honolulu or other urban centers. Home values have been declining modestly year over year, which may offer some relative relief for buyers compared to peak pricing, though affordability remains a real challenge. The estimated monthly mortgage on a typical home is substantially higher than estimated rent, and the price-to-income ratio is far above what most mainland households face. Rent data was not available, so families considering renting rather than buying would need to research local listings directly. The broader economic backdrop includes a national unemployment rate that has held steady, and mortgage rates that remain elevated by recent historical standards.
The school's setting is one of its defining features. A parent choosing Kohala Elementary is choosing a small-town, rural environment where the school is embedded in the community rather than separated from it. The town's civic anchors, including Kamehameha Park with its skatepark and golf park, the public library, and the civic center, are part of the same landscape children grow up in. For families drawn to a quieter, close-knit North Kohala life, this is a school where kids are part of a small cohort moving through the early grades together, with a clear continuation path into the middle and high schools in the same town.
No data was available on discipline, course access, staffing ratios, or attendance, so those dimensions of school life are gaps a parent would want to fill through a visit or conversation with the principal. Title I status was also not reported in the data provided, though the free and reduced-price lunch rate suggests the school likely serves a population that would qualify for federal support. The district-level brief for the Hawaii Department of Education did not surface specific recent policy, curriculum, or budget changes relevant to parents, so nothing on that front can be reported here.
What the data does say is that Kohala Elementary is a small, diverse, rural public school with solid ELA outcomes in the upper grades, weaker math results across the board, and a community setting that is tight-knit and historically rooted. Families looking at this school should weigh the appeal of a rural North Kohala lifestyle and a connected K-through-12 campus against the academic question of where math instruction stands and what the school is doing to move more students toward proficiency.
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