Summary
Makakilo Elementary School is a PK–5 public school at 92-675 Anipeahi St in Kapolei, Hawaii, serving 454 students — the smallest enrollment among the Kapolei-area elementaries — as part of the statewide Hawaii Department of Education. For 2025-26 it ranks 73rd of 203 Hawaii elementary schools (64th percentile, 3 stars), placing it in the top third of the state. Current proficiency is 63% in English language arts, 59% in math, and 44% in science; roughly 47% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, chronic absenteeism is 21%, and the student-teacher ratio is 14.1.
The defining story here is a turnaround that stuck. Makakilo spent the late 2010s in the bottom third of the state (2017-18: rank 139 of 193, 28th percentile, 1 star), then climbed sharply around 2021-22 and has now held the 62nd–67th percentile with 3 stars for five straight years, with both reading and math rising together. The most telling comparison is Ewa Elementary School, which serves a nearly identical share of low-income students: Makakilo posts 16 points more ELA proficiency and 7 more in math, with lower absenteeism and a much better staffing ratio. Kapolei Elementary School, Hookele Elementary School, Keoneula Elementary School, and Holomua Elementary School score higher but enroll considerably more affluent families, while Barbers Point Elementary School, Nanaikapono Elementary School, Nanakuli Elementary School, and Ka Waihona o ka Naauao - PCS trail well behind.
The school's standout strength is how well it serves specific groups of students: its English-learner and Pacific Islander students rank in the top 20% statewide, and its low-income students sit at the 70th percentile — above the school's own overall 64th percentile, which is unusual for a higher-poverty school. Science is the clear soft spot: 44% proficiency, down from 52% the prior year, trails every higher-performing neighbor by 15–25 points, and is 25 points behind Hookele despite identical ELA results. Special-education results also swung sharply in 2025-26 after a 4-star year; with small per-group cohorts, one year is worth watching rather than over-reading. Mid-pack spending ($15,720 per student) suggests the results come from practice, not budget.
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