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Waimea Elementary School

Q: Is Waimea Elementary School a good school?

Waimea Elementary School ranks 141 st of 204 Hawaii elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

141^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 204 Hawaii Elementary Schools

Better than 31% of Hawaii elementary schools

Summary

Waimea Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Kamuela, Hawaii, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 456 students. The school is part of the Hawaii Department of Education district, which is ranked 1 out of 1 in the state and rated 5 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Despite being part of a highly-ranked district, Waimea Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Hawaii elementary schools, ranging from 140th to 177th out of 193-207 schools over the past 10 years. Its test scores in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are also consistently below the state averages. Additionally, the school has a high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 32% to 34.5% in recent years, and a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 60.31% to 71.76% in recent years.

In comparison, nearby schools like Kohala Elementary and Honokaa Elementary, which are also part of the Hawaii Department of Education district, have higher test scores, lower chronic absenteeism rates, and lower percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. This suggests that Waimea Elementary School faces unique challenges that may require targeted interventions and support to improve student outcomes.

474

Students ?

14.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,475

Per pupil spending ?

54%

Free/discounted lunch ?

67-1225 Mamalahoa Hwy
Kamuela, HI 96743

(808) 887-7636

District: Hawaii Department of Education

Students who attend Waimea Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Honokaa High & Intermediate School

Racial breakdown:

Pacific Islander:

38.8%

Two or more races:

24.9%

Hispanic:

20.3%

See top rated Hawaii elementary schools

Compare Waimea Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 10th percentile in 2015 → 31st in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 21 percentile points since 2015

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school39%

141^st of 204

Hawaii public elementary schools ?

Bottom 31%▲ up 21 pts since 2015

From bottom 10% (2015) to bottom 31% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Hawaii Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

133^rd of 182Elementary Schools in the Hawaii Department of Education

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
2025	33.0	141 of 204	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.7	139 of 207	32.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	24.4	155 of 195	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	19.5	161 of 193	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	15.5	173 of 196	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.7	177 of 196	9.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	17.0	172 of 193	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	40.2	140 of 207	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2016	16.9	174 of 195	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	14.4	174 of 194	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	45.4	123 of 196	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2012	36.8	143 of 195	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	30.3	151 of 191	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	20.6	157 of 183	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	18.8	167 of 191	12.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	11.9	137 of 146	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	15.3	179 of 192	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	20.9	170 of 194	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2025	18.8	114 of 125	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	29.7	169 of 203	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2025	37.7	90 of 123	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	63.9	93 of 198	53.0%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	62.0	84 of 165	49.1%	★★★☆☆

Pacific Islander

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2025	21.9	93 of 110	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	43.7	125 of 196	36.2%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2025	40.3	105 of 153	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	19.6	181 of 207	12.6%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2025	39.6	117 of 171	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	52.4	117 of 202	42.1%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Hispanic (2024)49th percentile+16 vs school

White (2025)32nd percentile~ school

Special Education (2025)31st percentile~ school

English Language Learner (2025)27th percentile-4 vs school

Pacific Islander (2025)15th percentile-15 vs school

Asian (2025)9th percentile-22 vs school

By subject vs Hawaii (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts45%

Mathematics36%

Science35%

★

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Schools Near Waimea Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				HSA Science (2025)	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts (2025)	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)	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	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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
Waimea Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	67-1225 Mamalahoa Hwy	Kamuela	96743	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 887-7636	474	33	14.3	54.0%	35 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	96 (20.3%)	41 (8.6%)	0 (0.0%)	184 (38.8%)	118 (24.9%)	33	141^st of 204 public elementary schools	30.9%		37.7	139^th of 207 public elementary schools	32.9%	2	35.0	45.0	36.0	$17,475	$1,942	$15,533
Waikoloa Elementary and Middle School	Public	PK, KG-8	68-1730 Hooko St	Waikoloa	96738	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 883-6808	732	59	12.4	51.5%	119 (16.3%)	0 (0.0%)	164 (22.4%)	71 (9.7%)	3 (0.4%)	226 (30.9%)	149 (20.4%)	32.7	143^rd of 204 public elementary schools	29.9%		30.2	153^rd of 207 public elementary schools	26.1%	10	42.0	41.0	33.0	$16,262	$1,337	$14,925
Honokaa Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	45-534 Pakalana St	Honokaa	96727	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 775-8820	378	20	18.9	52.9%	15 (4.0%)	3 (0.8%)	95 (25.1%)	44 (11.6%)	0 (0.0%)	89 (23.5%)	132 (34.9%)	19.6	167^th of 204 public elementary schools	18.1%		37.2	141^st of 207 public elementary schools	31.9%	26	21.0	37.0	33.0	$15,018	$1,145	$13,873
Kohala Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	54-3609 Akoni Pule Hwy	Kapaau	96755	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 889-7100	381	26	14.6	55.9%	40 (10.5%)	0 (0.0%)	118 (31.0%)	33 (8.7%)	2 (0.5%)	98 (25.7%)	90 (23.6%)	32.8	142^nd of 204 public elementary schools	30.4%		37.2	142^nd of 207 public elementary schools	31.4%		43.0	39.0	34.0	$17,377	$1,199	$16,178

Frequently Asked Questions about Waimea Elementary School

How many students attend Waimea Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 474 students attended Waimea Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Waimea Elementary School attend?

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

High : Honokaa High & Intermediate School

What is the racial makeup of Waimea Elementary School?

Students at Waimea Elementary School are 39% Pacific Islander, 25% Two or more races, 20% Hispanic, 9% Asian, 7% White.

Is Waimea Elementary School a good school?

Waimea Elementary School ranks 141^st of 204 Hawaii elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Waimea Elementary School in?

Hawaii Department of Education

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HIHawaii Elementary School Rankings

HIHawaii District Rankings

Schools in Kamuela, HI

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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.