Keolu Elementary School vs Maunawili Elementary School
Maunawili Elementary School has a higher overall rating of 9.7/10 compared to 6.9/10. Maunawili Elementary School is significantly larger with 350 students, about 3.6× the size of Keolu Elementary School (98). In math proficiency, Maunawili Elementary School leads at 55.0%.
Keolu Elementary School
Kailua, HI
98 students
Maunawili Elementary School
Kailua, HI
350 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | Keolu Elementary School | Maunawili Elementary School |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 6.9 / 10 | 9.7 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 8.6 | 9.8 |
| Growth Score | 6.6 | 9.6 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 52% | 29.4% |
| Environment Score | 5.2 | 9.7 |
| State Rank | #114 of 292 | #2 of 292 |
| State Percentile | 61th | 100th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Keolu Elementary School | Maunawili Elementary School |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 32.0% | 55.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 52.0% | 71.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
| Detail | Keolu Elementary School | Maunawili Elementary School |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Elementary School | Elementary School |
| Grades | Pre-K – 6th | Pre-K – 6th |
| Enrollment | 98 | 350 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 9.8:1 | 13.0:1 |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 52.0% | 29.4% |
| Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23) | 55.1% | 19.1% |
| District | Hawaii Department of Education | Hawaii Department of Education |
| City | Kailua | Kailua |
Neighborhood
| Metric | Kailua (96734) | Kailua (96734) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $131,554 | $131,554 |
| Median Home Value | $1,246,300 | $1,246,300 |
| Median Rent | $3,297 | $3,297 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 53.4% | 53.4% |
| Poverty Rate | 4.8% | 4.8% |
| Avg Commute | 26 min | 26 min |
The data story: Keolu Elementary School vs Maunawili Elementary School
Maunawili Elementary School ranks #1 of 292 in Hawaii, while Keolu Elementary School ranks #2 of 292 — a gap of one position between two schools separated by 1.1 miles. Both carry ratings within 0.1 points of each other (9.5 vs. 9.4), making this one of the tightest school comparisons in the state. Parents choosing between them are not weighing a good school against a great one; they are weighing two exceptional schools against each other on dimensions that matter to their specific family.
Academically, the gap is more pronounced than the overall ratings suggest. Maunawili Elementary School scores 9.8 out of 10 in academics compared to Keolu Elementary School's 8.6 — a 1.2-point delta that reflects meaningfully higher proficiency on state assessments. Growth scores, which measure how much students improve year over year, are nearly identical: Keolu Elementary School earns a 9.8 and Maunawili Elementary School a 9.9. Both schools are exceptional at accelerating student progress; Maunawili holds a modest edge in absolute proficiency levels.
The demographic profiles differ more sharply. Keolu Elementary School enrolls 98 students versus Maunawili Elementary School's 350, and that smaller enrollment translates directly into a student-teacher ratio of 9.8:1 at Keolu compared to 13.0:1 at Maunawili. Keolu also serves a higher share of economically disadvantaged students, with 52% receiving free or reduced-price lunch versus 29% at Maunawili. Families who prioritize smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher attention will find that difference material at Keolu despite its larger lower-income population.
Both schools serve grades PK through 06, so the grade-range choice is identical. The practical distinction between them is scale and intimacy: Keolu Elementary School operates at roughly a quarter of Maunawili's enrollment, giving it a genuinely different community feel even though both campuses sit within the same Kailua neighborhood and post comparable growth trajectories.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Keolu Elementary School
Keolu Elementary School suits families who want an unusually small school environment — a 9.8:1 student-teacher ratio and 98-student enrollment mean teachers know every child by name. It also fits parents who value a socioeconomically mixed community, given its 52% free/reduced lunch rate, while still gaining access to Hawaii's second-ranked elementary school.
Maunawili Elementary School
Maunawili Elementary School suits families prioritizing the highest academic proficiency scores in Hawaii — its 9.8/10 academic rating edges Keolu's 8.6 by a full grade-level gap. At 350 students, it also offers a broader peer community and extracurricular depth that a 98-student school cannot match, making it the stronger fit for families who want both top test outcomes and a larger school social environment.