The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in English language arts. The lowest is 51% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Kamalii Elementary School
Kamalii Elementary School sits in Kihei on Maui's south shore, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Hawaii Department of Education. It is a regular public school, neither a charter nor a magnet, and its enrollment falls in a moderate range for a Maui elementary campus. The school draws from a community that blends year-round residential life with a heavy tourism presence, a coastal strip where condos, restaurants, and beach parks line South Kihei Road and residential neighborhoods fill the inland side toward the Pi'ilani Highway.
The student body is diverse. White students make up the largest single group, with a substantial Hispanic enrollment and a meaningful share of students identifying as two or more races. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students and Asian students each represent smaller portions of the population. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is below the threshold many Hawaii public schools see and suggests a moderately working- and middle-class community context. The school did not report figures for students with individualized education programs or English learners, so those populations cannot be characterized here. A parent wanting to understand special-education services or language-support offerings would need to ask the school directly.
On state assessments, Kamalii posts solid results for a public elementary school. English language arts is the stronger subject, with proficiency rates climbing steadily from third through fifth grade and reaching a level where a clear majority of fifth graders meet or exceed standards. Math results sit a step behind, hovering around the midpoint, with roughly half of students showing proficiency across the tested grades. Science, assessed only in fifth grade, lands close to the math level. Participation was full or near-full across all tested grades and subjects. Only one year of assessment data is available, so there is no trend to describe. Whether these results represent a stable pattern or a single-year snapshot is something a parent could reasonably ask about. Average scale scores were not reported, which limits the picture to proficiency rates alone.
Because Kamalii serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate, no AP or dual-credit data, and no college-readiness measure to report. Those metrics belong to secondary schools and do not apply here. The same is true of course-access data, which the payload does not include for this campus. Staffing, attendance, and discipline information were also not available.
Kihei itself shapes the school experience in ways a family should weigh. The town lacks a traditional downtown, with civic and commercial life spread along the coastal road. Kalama Beach Park and the three Kamaole Beach Parks serve as community gathering points, and the Kihei Public Library functions as a civic anchor. The Maui Bus connects Kihei to Kahului and Ma'alaea, though service hours are limited. Publicly reported sources note the system has operated effectively fare-free since the 2023 Maui wildfires. The local economy leans on tourism along with research and technology employers such as the Maui Research and Technology Park and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.
Housing in the school's zip code is among the most expensive in the country relative to national norms and sits well above the state benchmark. Home values have eased recently, yet rents have moved in the opposite direction. With estimated mortgage costs substantially higher than typical rents, renting remains the more accessible option for many families in the attendance zone. This cost context is part of what shapes who attends Kamalii and what pressures the community carries.
No recent district-level policy, curriculum, or facility changes specific to Kamalii surfaced in the available material, so those are left out rather than guessed. A new nearby school, Kulanihakoi, opened in 2022 and added capacity to the area's public education options, which may affect enrollment patterns over time.
See more original research from School Decision →