Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Waiau Elementary School

Q: Is Waiau Elementary School a good school?

Waiau Elementary School ranks 83 rd of 204 Hawaii elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-6

83^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 204 Hawaii Elementary Schools

Better than 59% of Hawaii elementary schools

Summary

Waiau Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Pearl City, Hawaii, serving grades PK-6 with a total enrollment of 479 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 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger.

Waiau Elementary School has consistently performed well on standardized tests, with a high percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science across all grade levels. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school's proficiency rates were 60% in ELA, 51% in Mathematics, and 52% in Science, all of which are above the state averages. The school has also seen a decrease in its chronic absenteeism rate, from 24.1% in 2023-2024 to 21.0% in 2024-2025. Additionally, Waiau Elementary School has maintained a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger for several years, ranking in the top quarter of Hawaii elementary schools.

While Waiau Elementary School's academic performance is generally stronger than the nearby schools, such as Palisades Elementary and Momilani Elementary, which rank among the top 5 and 3 elementary schools in the state, respectively, the school's performance for certain student subgroups, such as African American and Special Education students, presents an area for continued improvement. Additionally, Waiau Elementary School has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which may contribute to the school's slightly lower academic performance compared to the top-ranked schools in the area.

498

Students ?

14.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,633

Per pupil spending ?

49.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

98-450 Hookanike St
Pearl City, HI 96782

(808) 453-6530

District: Hawaii Department of Education

Students who attend Waiau Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Highlands Intermediate School
High:	Pearl City High School

Racial breakdown:

Two or more races:

28.9%

Pacific Islander:

28.5%

Hispanic:

25.3%

See top rated Hawaii elementary schools

Compare Waiau Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 81st percentile in 2017 → 59th in 2025

Strengths

✓Above the Hawaii median (59th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 81st-percentile peak (2017) to 59th (2025)

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school54%

83^rd of 204

Hawaii public elementary schools ?

Top 41%▲ up 9 pts since 2015

From top 50% (2015) to top 41% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Hawaii Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

81^st 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	66.6	83 of 204	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.7	96 of 207	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	72.4	51 of 195	73.8%	★★★★☆
2022	75.8	44 of 193	77.2%	★★★★☆
2021	72.4	50 of 196	74.5%	★★★★☆
2019	72.8	52 of 196	73.5%	★★★★☆
2018	71.7	49 of 193	74.6%	★★★★☆
2017	86.2	40 of 207	80.7%	★★★★☆
2016	68.0	56 of 195	71.3%	★★★★☆
2015	50.4	97 of 194	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2013	46.3	118 of 196	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2012	54.2	91 of 195	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2011	57.0	77 of 191	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2010	67.0	53 of 183	71.0%	★★★★☆
2009	60.3	66 of 191	65.4%	★★★☆☆
2008	55.6	65 of 146	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2007	55.9	83 of 192	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2006	45.8	103 of 194	46.9%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	44.2	113 of 160	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2025	60.8	65 of 125	48.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	78.3	53 of 203	73.9%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	80.7	56 of 198	71.7%	★★★★☆

Pacific Islander

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2025	61.7	44 of 110	60.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.4	84 of 196	57.1%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2025	38.1	108 of 153	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	42.5	143 of 207	30.9%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2025	70.7	57 of 171	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	58.0	104 of 202	48.5%	★★☆☆☆

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)

English Language Learner (2024)72nd percentile+18 vs school

White (2025)67th percentile+7 vs school

Pacific Islander (2025)60th percentile~ school

Asian (2025)48th percentile-11 vs school

Special Education (2025)29th percentile-30 vs school

African American (2024)29th percentile-24 vs school

By subject vs Hawaii (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts60%

Science52%

Mathematics51%

5.0

2 ratings · 1 written review

5★2

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Waiau Elementary School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a student
Friday, October 14, 2016

i went to this school! Waiau Elementary has many opportunities for children. The teachers and staff there are absolutely amazing! To me, i think that Waiau Elementary is the one of the best elementary schools is Pearl city. Close Quote

Schools Near Waiau 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
Waiau Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	98-450 Hookanike St	Pearl City	96782	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 453-6530	498	34	14.6	49.6%	9 (1.8%)	4 (0.8%)	126 (25.3%)	73 (14.7%)	0 (0.0%)	142 (28.5%)	144 (28.9%)	66.6	83^rd of 204 public elementary schools	59.3%		57.7	96^th of 207 public elementary schools	53.6%	13	52.0	60.0	51.0	$16,633	$1,345	$15,288
Waimalu Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	98-825 Moanalua Rd	Aiea	96701	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 483-7210	312	26	12.2	50.0%	8 (2.6%)	2 (0.6%)	55 (17.6%)	109 (34.9%)	0 (0.0%)	75 (24.0%)	63 (20.2%)	34.5	137^th of 204 public elementary schools	32.8%		43.1	132^nd of 207 public elementary schools	36.2%	5	23.0	48.0	43.0	$18,370	$1,613	$16,757
Pearl City Highlands School	Public	PK, KG-6	1419 Waimanalo Home Rd	Pearl City	96782	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	No	(808) 453-6470	515	32	16.3	26.2%	11 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	83 (16.1%)	216 (41.9%)	0 (0.0%)	64 (12.4%)	141 (27.4%)	93.2	15^th of 204 public elementary schools	92.6%		89.9	25^th of 207 public elementary schools	87.9%	10	84.0	71.0	71.0	$14,317	$841	$13,476
Pearl Ridge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	98-940 Moanalua Rd	Aiea	96701	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	No	(808) 483-7250	409	29	14.1	24.0%	21 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	71 (17.4%)	143 (35.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (9.8%)	134 (32.8%)	81.7	48^th of 204 public elementary schools	76.5%		88.3	31^st of 207 public elementary schools	85.0%	17	58.0	68.0	64.0	$14,945	$904	$14,041
Momilani Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	2130 Hookiekie St	Pearl City	96782	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	No	(808) 453-6444	412	24	17.5	16.5%	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (13.6%)	184 (44.7%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (8.0%)	134 (32.5%)	97.9	3^rd of 204 public elementary schools	98.5%		96.7	5^th of 207 public elementary schools	97.6%	2	87.0	82.0	83.0	$14,779	$976	$13,803
Pearl City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1090 Waimano Home Rd	Pearl City	96782	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 453-6455	396	32	12.3	50.3%	25 (6.3%)	14 (3.5%)	83 (21.0%)	114 (28.8%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (15.2%)	100 (25.3%)	79.6	54^th of 204 public elementary schools	73.5%		81.2	48^th of 207 public elementary schools	76.8%	6	62.0	61.0	64.0	$16,325	$1,300	$15,025
Lehua Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	791 Lehua Ave	Pearl City	96782	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 453-6490	248	20	12.4	49.2%	20 (8.1%)	9 (3.6%)	46 (18.5%)	44 (17.7%)	0 (0.0%)	74 (29.8%)	55 (22.2%)	60.5	93^rd of 204 public elementary schools	54.4%		69.2	81^st of 207 public elementary schools	60.9%	12	67.0	43.0	50.0	$18,424	$1,746	$16,678
Manana Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1147 Kumano St	Pearl City	96782	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	No	(808) 453-6430	270	21	12.8	34.8%	6 (2.2%)	1 (0.4%)	48 (17.8%)	114 (42.2%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (11.5%)	70 (25.9%)	95.9	11^th of 204 public elementary schools	94.6%		93.8	16^th of 207 public elementary schools	92.3%	5	79.0	77.0	80.0	$17,645	$1,611	$16,034
Alvah A Scott Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	98-1230 Moanalua Rd	Aiea	96701	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 483-7220	433	30	14.4	48.5%	24 (5.5%)	9 (2.1%)	79 (18.2%)	140 (32.3%)	1 (0.2%)	84 (19.4%)	96 (22.2%)	48.3	110^th of 204 public elementary schools	46.1%		53.3	107^th of 207 public elementary schools	48.3%	3	43.0	50.0	45.0	$15,974	$1,183	$14,791
Palisades Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	2306 Auhuhu St	Pearl City	96782	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	No	(808) 453-6550	356	21	16.9	31.2%	12 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	84 (23.6%)	79 (22.2%)	0 (0.0%)	78 (21.9%)	103 (28.9%)	97.3	5^th of 204 public elementary schools	97.5%		96.3	8^th of 207 public elementary schools	96.1%	3	78.0	84.0	85.0	$15,793	$1,100	$14,693

Frequently Asked Questions about Waiau Elementary School

What district is Waiau Elementary School in?

Hawaii Department of Education

What is the racial makeup of Waiau Elementary School?

Students at Waiau Elementary School are 29% Two or more races, 29% Pacific Islander, 25% Hispanic, 15% Asian, 2% White.

What schools do graduates of Waiau Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Highlands Intermediate School
High : Pearl City High School

How many students attend Waiau Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 498 students attended Waiau Elementary School.

Is Waiau Elementary School a good school?

Waiau Elementary School ranks 83^rd of 204 Hawaii elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Waiau Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

HIHawaii Elementary School Rankings

HIHawaii District Rankings

Schools in Pearl City, HI

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Waiau Elementary School!

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.