Best Schools in Kailua, Hawaii
19 schools · 12 Elementary · 1 Middle · 3 High · 3 Other
Choosing a school in Kailua?
Use this page to compare every school in Kailua by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Kaelepulu Elementary School
Elementary · Hawaii Department of Education. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Maunawili Elementary School
Elementary · Hawaii Department of Education. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Kainalu Elementary School
Elementary · Hawaii Department of Education. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Kailua for 2026 are Kaelepulu Elementary School (9.7/10), Maunawili Elementary School (9.7/10), and Kainalu Elementary School (8.6/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 17 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
19
13 public · 6 private
Avg Score
7.2
out of 10
Median Home
$1,246,300
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Schools
19
13 public · 6 private
Avg Score
7.2
out of 10
Median Home
$1,246,300
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Rates 9.7/10 despite 29% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.2 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Kailua schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Kailua
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (17 of 19). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaelepulu Elementary School | 9.7 / 10 |
| 2 | Maunawili Elementary School | 9.7 / 10 |
| 3 | Kainalu Elementary School | 8.6 / 10 |
| 4 | Ka'ohao Public Charter School | 8.3 / 10 |
| 5 | Aikahi Elementary School | 7.9 / 10 |
| 6 | Kailua Intermediate School | 7.4 / 10 |
| 7 | Enchanted Lake Elementary School | 7.2 / 10 |
| 8 | Mokapu Elementary School | 7.2 / 10 |
| 9 | Kalaheo High School | 7.1 / 10 |
| 10 | Kailua High School | 7.0 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 7.2/10
- Median household income
- $131,554
- Median home value
- $1,246,300
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 53%
- Avg commute
- 26 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 64%
65% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Kailua compares
Hawaii rank
#5 of 29
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.9
above Hawaii avg (6.3)
Median household income
$132k
141% of Hawaii median
Schools in this city
17
About Schools in Kailua, Hawaii
Kailua sits on Oahu's windward coast with 13 ranked public schools across the city. The average school scores 7.3 out of 10, and 54 percent of schools — seven in total — clear that 7-point threshold. That distribution means consistent performance is the baseline here, not the exception: more than half the city's schools score in the solid-to-strong range.
Elementary schools define Kailua's upper tier. Maunawili Elementary leads the city with a 9.8 out of 10, the highest score in the local rankings. Keolu Elementary follows at 9.2, with Enchanted Lake Elementary at 8.9, Kainalu Elementary at 8.8, and Kaelepulu Elementary at 8.4 rounding out the top five. All five are elementary schools. Families with children in elementary years have access to multiple high-performing options clustered in a relatively small area.
That concentration shapes how parents should approach the Kailua search. School attendance boundaries matter here — Maunawili and Keolu attract serious attention from families choosing a neighborhood, and securing an address in a top zone requires deliberate planning. With five elementary schools all scoring above 8.4, the depth at the top end is real, not just a single standout pulling the average up. The 7.3 city average confirms that performance holds across the full set of 13 schools as well.
For parents with older children, the top five rankings are entirely elementary programs. Families with middle or high school students should evaluate those schools individually rather than relying on the city's strong elementary record as a proxy. For families at the elementary stage, Kailua's school landscape is a genuine asset — a 7.3 average across 13 schools, 54 percent scoring 7 or above, and a top-ranked school at 9.8 make a strong collective case.
Elementary Schools
12 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 195 students · Pre-K–6th | 9.7 | ||
| 2 | 350 students · Pre-K–6th | 9.7 | ||
| 3 | 542 students · Pre-K–6th | 8.6 | ||
| 4 | 341 students · Pre-K–6th | 8.3 | ||
| 5 | 483 students · Pre-K–6th | 7.9 | ||
| 6 | 259 students · Pre-K–6th | 7.2 | ||
| 7 | 841 students · Pre-K–6th | 7.2 | ||
| 8 | 98 students · Pre-K–6th | 6.9 | ||
| 9 | 259 students · Pre-K–6th | 5.7 | ||
| Private Schools 3 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | St John Vianney School
Private
169 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.7 | ||
Show all 12 elementary schools in Kailua
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
1 school| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 719 students · 7th–8th | 7.4 |
High Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 882 students · 9th–12th | 7.1 |
| 2 | 795 students · 9th–12th | 7.0 |
| 3 | 78 students · 7th–12th | 4.0 |
Other Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trinity Christian School
Private
227 students · Pre-K–12th | 7.0 |
| 2 | Kailua Prep
Private
12 students · UG–UG | — |
| 3 | Kosasa Academy
Private
5 students · UG–UG | — |
Schools in Kailua
Kailua, Hawaii · 19 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code
Median Income
$131,554
Median Home Value
$1,246,300
Median Rent
$3,297/mo
Population
50,985
College Educated
53%
Homeownership
64%
Avg Commute
26 min
Poverty Rate
4.8%
Community Profile
Kailua has a median household income of $131,554. It is a well-educated community where 53% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $1,246,300, with a median rent of $3,297/month. The local poverty rate of 4.8% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 26 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Hawaii
- Elementary
- 12
- Middle
- 1
- High
- 3
- Other
- 3
Resources
School District
Nearby Cities
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Kailua, Hawaii
How many schools are in Kailua, Hawaii?
Kailua has 19 schools, including 13 public and 6 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Kailua, Hawaii?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Kailua is 7.2 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Kailua, Hawaii?
The top-ranked school in Kailua on MySchoolScout is Kaelepulu Elementary School with a composite score of 9.7/10.
What is the best elementary school in Kailua, Hawaii?
The top-ranked elementary school in Kailua on MySchoolScout is Kaelepulu Elementary School with a composite score of 9.7/10.
What is the best middle school in Kailua, Hawaii?
The top-ranked middle school in Kailua on MySchoolScout is Kailua Intermediate School with a composite score of 7.4/10.
What is the best high school in Kailua, Hawaii?
The top-ranked high school in Kailua on MySchoolScout is Kalaheo High School with a composite score of 7.1/10.
How many school districts serve Kailua, Hawaii?
Kailua is served by 1 school district: Hawaii Department of Education.
What is the education level in Kailua, Hawaii?
According to Census data, 53% of adults in Kailua have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Kailua, Hawaii?
The median household income in Kailua is approximately $131,554 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Kailua, Hawaii?
Yes, Kailua has 6 private schools alongside 13 public schools. The top-rated private school is Trinity Christian School with a score of 7.0/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Kailua, Hawaii?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Kailua is 12.1:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Kailua, Hawaii?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Hawaii Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.