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Waiakea Elementary School

Q: Is Waiakea Elementary School a good school?

Waiakea Elementary School ranks 128 th of 203 Hawaii elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

128^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 203 Hawaii Elementary Schools

Better than 37% of Hawaii elementary schools

Summary

Waiakea Elementary School is a PK–5 school in Hilo, HI, serving 706 students as part of the Hawaii Department of Education. In 2025–26 it ranks 128th of 203 ranked schools statewide—37th percentile with 2 stars—a lower-middle standing that has slipped from 97th of 207 (53rd percentile, 3 stars) in 2023–24. Current proficiency is 42% in English language arts, 34% in math, and 51% in science. Science is a relative bright spot, but math has fallen sharply from 45.65% two years earlier; ELA has fallen and then stabilized.

Compared with nearby Hilo schools, the school sits below the local median and behind Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School, Kaumana Elementary School, Haaheo Elementary School, Waiakeawaena Elementary School, and Hilo Union Elementary School. It is slightly below Keaukaha Elementary School and ahead of Prince Jonah Kalanianaole Elementary School, Keaau Elementary School, Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary School, and Ke Kula o Nawahiokalaniopuu Iki - Laboratory PCS. Its math (34%) is below the nearby median, while its science (51%) is above it. Several nearby schools with higher poverty rates, such as Hilo Union and Keaukaha, still post higher ELA and sometimes math results, so demographics alone do not explain the outcomes. Chronic absenteeism is 25%, better than the local median but worse than top performers and stable. Its 15:1 student-teacher ratio is higher than the local median, and 2018–19 per-student spending of $15,167 is lower than the local median.

Subgroup results are uneven: Special Education students are a standout at the 74th percentile with 4 stars, while English Language Learner students are at the 15th percentile with 1 star, and low-income students are near the middle at the 42nd percentile with 2 stars. With 706 students, it is one of the largest local elementaries, which can support broader programming but may make it harder to match smaller, more nimble nearby schools. Overall, the school has real strengths in science and special education, but math proficiency, ELL outcomes, and its recent rank decline are the main concerns. Reducing chronic absenteeism and providing more targeted math and ELL support are plausible levers for improvement.

706

Students ?

15.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

53.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

180 W Puainako St
Hilo, HI 96720

(808) 981-7215

District: Hawaii Department of Education

Students who attend Waiakea Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Waiakea Intermediate School
High:	Waiakea High School

Racial breakdown:

Pacific Islander:

29.5%

Two or more races:

28.9%

Hispanic:

23.5%

See top rated Hawaii elementary schools

Compare Waiakea Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 52nd percentile in 2016 → 37th in 2026

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 15 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school42%

128^th of 203

Hawaii public elementary schools ?

Bottom 37%▼ down 15 pts since 2016

From top 48% (2016) to bottom 37% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Hawaii Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 1Hawaii Department of Education among Hawaii districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	41.3	128 of 203	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	42.3	120 of 204	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	56.8	97 of 207	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	43.2	111 of 195	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	53.4	85 of 193	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	48.2	100 of 196	49.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.4	93 of 196	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	45.3	111 of 193	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	58.8	93 of 207	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2016	54.3	94 of 195	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2015	44.7	110 of 194	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2013	47.1	114 of 196	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2012	63.3	69 of 195	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2011	58.4	75 of 191	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2010	56.8	81 of 183	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2009	54.0	89 of 191	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2008	46.6	88 of 146	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2007	50.5	100 of 192	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2006	53.8	78 of 194	59.8%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	65.3	73 of 160	54.4%	★★★☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	37.9	89 of 130	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	31.3	103 of 125	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	64.9	95 of 203	53.2%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	27.1	99 of 116	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	46.9	78 of 123	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	35.5	157 of 198	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	38.0	7 of 13	46.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	81.0	40 of 165	75.8%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	44.6	118 of 202	41.6%	★★☆☆☆

Pacific Islander

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	50.2	60 of 115	47.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	63.3	41 of 110	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	45.6	118 of 196	39.8%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	71.9	40 of 155	74.2%	★★★★☆
2025	49.5	85 of 153	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	46.8	125 of 207	39.6%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	33.7	130 of 173	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	32.6	127 of 171	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	45.3	133 of 202	34.2%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Special Education (2026)74th percentile+37 vs school

African American (2024)54th percentile~ school

Pacific Islander (2026)48th percentile+11 vs school

Hispanic (2026)46th percentile+9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)42nd percentile+5 vs school

Asian (2026)32nd percentile-5 vs school

White (2026)25th percentile-12 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)15th percentile-22 vs school

By subject vs Hawaii (2025-2026) ?

Science51%

English Language Arts42%

Mathematics34%

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, January 16, 2019

I have a mildly autistic child with IEP. Staff and teachers were very accommodating and very willing to work with parents to improve his social goals as well as academic goals. School has onsite after school program run by private entity with very reasonable price and great schedule for working parents. Very happy with 2+ years experience with them. (Moved for job relocation) Close Quote

Schools Near Waiakea Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				HSA Science (2026)	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts (2026)	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	HSA Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Waiakea Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	180 W Puainako St	Hilo	96720	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 981-7215	706	47	15.0	53.1%	24 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	166 (23.5%)	104 (14.7%)	0 (0.0%)	208 (29.5%)	204 (28.9%)	41.3	128^th of 203 public elementary schools	36.9%		42.3	120^th of 204 public elementary schools	41.2%	8	51.0	42.0	34.0	$15,167	$1,077	$14,090
Waiakeawaena Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2420 Kilauea Ave	Hilo	96720	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 981-7200	669	52	12.8	51.4%	23 (3.4%)	1 (0.1%)	182 (27.2%)	80 (12.0%)	0 (0.0%)	155 (23.2%)	228 (34.1%)	66	79^th of 203 public elementary schools	61.1%		46.8	112^th of 204 public elementary schools	45.1%	33	52.0	55.0	54.0	$16,286	$1,496	$14,790
Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	966 Kilauea Ave	Hilo	96720	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 974-4160	354	25	14.1	65.0%	14 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	81 (22.9%)	42 (11.9%)	0 (0.0%)	129 (36.4%)	88 (24.9%)	20.7	172^nd of 203 public elementary schools	15.3%		9.9	191^st of 204 public elementary schools	6.4%	19	38.0	29.0	26.0	$17,738	$1,684	$16,054
Hilo Union Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	506 Waianuenue Ave	Hilo	96720	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 933-0900	449	38	11.9	68.4%	31 (6.9%)	1 (0.2%)	134 (29.8%)	35 (7.8%)	0 (0.0%)	165 (36.7%)	83 (18.5%)	61.2	90^th of 203 public elementary schools	55.7%		41.9	122^nd of 204 public elementary schools	40.2%	32	49.0	58.0	46.0	$18,068	$1,957	$16,111
Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	278 Ainako Ave	Hilo	96720	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	No	(808) 974-4855	422	23	18.3	26.1%	49 (11.6%)	0 (0.0%)	96 (22.7%)	60 (14.2%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (15.6%)	151 (35.8%)	89.8	24^th of 203 public elementary schools	88.2%		93.2	14^th of 204 public elementary schools	93.1%	10	62.0	74.0	73.0	$15,582	$1,242	$14,340
Keaukaha Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	240 Desha Ave	Hilo	96720	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 974-4181	341	28	12.1	68.3%	5 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	91 (26.7%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	201 (58.9%)	41 (12.0%)	42.7	124^th of 203 public elementary schools	38.9%		36.9	130^th of 204 public elementary schools	36.3%	6	43.0	46.0	40.0	$18,443	$2,308	$16,135
Haaheo Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	121 Haaheo Rd	Hilo	96720	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 974-4111	122	11	11.0	50.8%	22 (18.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (25.4%)	13 (10.7%)	1 (0.8%)	28 (23.0%)	27 (22.1%)	81.3	50^th of 203 public elementary schools	75.4%		78	55^th of 204 public elementary schools	73.0%	5		63.0	61.0	$16,116	$1,394	$14,722
Kaumana Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1710 Kaumana Dr	Hilo	96720	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 974-4190	238	15	15.8	51.7%	17 (7.1%)	0 (0.0%)	90 (37.8%)	12 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (17.2%)	78 (32.8%)	82.5	45^th of 203 public elementary schools	77.8%		88.2	28^th of 204 public elementary schools	86.3%	17	80.0	58.0	60.0	$17,553	$1,304	$16,249
Keaau Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	16-680 Keaau-Pahoa Rd	Keaau	96749	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 982-4210	829	56	14.8	62.6%	59 (7.1%)	7 (0.8%)	239 (28.8%)	106 (12.8%)	2 (0.2%)	236 (28.5%)	180 (21.7%)	25.9	164^th of 203 public elementary schools	19.2%		25	161^st of 204 public elementary schools	21.1%	3	27.0	41.0	35.0	$16,336	$1,183	$15,153
Prince Jonah Kalanianaole Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	27-330 Old Mamalahoa Hwy	Papaikou	96781	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 313-5200	183	15	12.2	70.5%	17 (9.3%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (30.6%)	23 (12.6%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (29.0%)	34 (18.6%)	26.2	160^th of 203 public elementary schools	21.2%		29	148^th of 204 public elementary schools	27.5%	12	29.0	42.0	33.0	$19,667	$2,665	$17,002

Frequently Asked Questions about Waiakea Elementary School

Is Waiakea Elementary School a good school?

Waiakea Elementary School ranks 128^th of 203 Hawaii elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Waiakea Elementary School?

Students at Waiakea Elementary School are 29% Pacific Islander, 29% Two or more races, 24% Hispanic, 15% Asian, 3% White.

How many students attend Waiakea Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 706 students attended Waiakea Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Waiakea Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Waiakea Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Waiakea Intermediate School
High : Waiakea High School

What district is Waiakea Elementary School in?

Hawaii Department of Education

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Latest Hawaii data All new data »

2025–26 graduation ratesSep 19, 2026

2025–26 HSA & Smarter Balanced Assessments scoresSep 19, 2026

2024–25 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 18, 2025

2024–25 HSA & Smarter Balanced Assessments scoresSep 18, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Hawaii State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.