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Public elementary school · Hawaii Department of Education · Hilo, Hawaii

Waiakeawaena Elementary School

Waiakeawaena Elementary School rates 5.5, below most Hawaii Department of Education elementary schools, whose rated median is 6.8.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
5.5this school

5.5 on a one-to-ten scale; the Hawaii Department of Education median is 6.8.

#204 of 292 schools in Hawaii · Hawaii Department of Education: 183 elementary schools rated, median 6.8

The brief

A Hawaii Department of Education elementary school serving grades Pre-K – 5th.

Students at Waiakeawaena Elementary School score 46% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 44%).

It ranks 204 of 292 schools in Hawaii and 204 of 292 in Hawaii Department of Education.

Math43%7 points below the Hawaii average of 50%Grades 3–5 · 2025 SBAC
Reading50%3 points below the Hawaii average of 53%Grades 3–5 · 2025 SBAC
Proficiency has held near 46% across the 2-year record (2024–2025).2025 SBAC; 40 test records from HI state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
3.7
50% of the rating
Academics
6.7
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
8.1
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 6 sources, 2019–2025

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 46% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 53% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 SBAC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 SBAC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 96720; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Waiakeawaena Elementary School and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$78,537
Median home value
$458,100
Median rent
$1,346/mo
College educated
33.7%
Homeownership
66%
Poverty rate
13.8%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 96720; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
45
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
28
Somewhat Bikeable
County reported crime
2,201/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 county residents, counting every city police department, sheriff's office and county police department that reported a full year to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program. Shown only where those agencies cover at least 80% of the county's residents. Not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
53.1%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 8.2Compare →
  2. Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs1.1 mi · charter
    7.9Compare →
  3. 7.2Compare →
  4. 6.8Compare →
  5. Waiakeawaena Elementary Schoolthis school
    5.5
  6. Ka Umeke Kaeo - Pcs4.1 mi · charter
    5.5Compare →
  7. 4.3Compare →
  8. 3.8Compare →
  9. 3.6Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and four rate higher than Waiakeawaena Elementary School.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Waiakeawaena Elementary School serve?

Waiakeawaena Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Waiakeawaena Elementary School?

Waiakeawaena Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 672 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Waiakeawaena Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Waiakeawaena Elementary School is 13.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Waiakeawaena Elementary School rank in HI?

Waiakeawaena Elementary School ranks #204 of 292 schools in HI.

What is Waiakeawaena Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Waiakeawaena Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Waiakeawaena Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Waiakeawaena Elementary School has 46% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 53% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Waiakeawaena Elementary School a charter school?

No, Waiakeawaena Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Waiakeawaena Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Waiakeawaena Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Waiakeawaena Elementary School?

53.1% of students at Waiakeawaena Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
672
Student-teacher ratio
13.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
51
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Remote Town
County
Hawaii County
Rank in district
#204 of 292
Schools in district
295
District spending per student
$20,056
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.7%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 96720)
50,971
Area average commute
20.2 min
Area median age
42.6

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

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.