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Honowai Elementary School

Q: Is Honowai Elementary School a good school?

Honowai Elementary School ranks 138 th of 204 Hawaii elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-6

138^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 204 Hawaii Elementary Schools

Better than 32% of Hawaii elementary schools

Summary

Honowai Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Waipahu, Hawaii, serving grades PK-6 with a total enrollment of 579 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, Honowai Elementary School has consistently struggled, ranking in the bottom half of Hawaii elementary schools between 132-163 out of 193-207 schools over the past 10 years. It has also maintained a low 1-2 star rating out of 5 from SchoolDigger during this time period. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are consistently below the state averages across all grade levels, and it has high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching 19.8% in 2023-2024, significantly above the state average. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 59-69% over the past few years, indicating a high-need student population.

When comparing Honowai Elementary to nearby schools in the same district, such as Lehua Elementary, Pearl City Elementary, and Kanoelani Elementary, it consistently underperforms, with higher statewide rankings, test scores, and lower chronic absenteeism rates. Honowai Elementary School's performance has also declined over the past 10 years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 148 out of 207 schools in 2016-2017 to 138 out of 204 schools in 2024-2025. These challenges suggest a need for targeted improvement efforts to address the root causes of the school's struggles and provide the necessary support for its students.

568

Students ?

12.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,506

Per pupil spending ?

57.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

94-600 Honowai St
Waipahu, HI 96797

(808) 675-0165

District: Hawaii Department of Education

Students who attend Honowai Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Waipahu Intermediate School
High:	Waipahu High School

Racial breakdown:

Asian:

53.3%

Pacific Islander:

19.4%

Hispanic:

14.8%

See top rated Hawaii elementary schools

Compare Honowai Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 11th percentile in 2015 → 32nd 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%

138^th of 204

Hawaii public elementary schools ?

Bottom 32%▲ up 21 pts since 2015

From bottom 11% (2015) to bottom 32% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Hawaii Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

131^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	34.2	138 of 204	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.0	150 of 207	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	32.8	132 of 195	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	30.3	141 of 193	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	19.8	163 of 196	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	30.7	141 of 196	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	31.2	144 of 193	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	35.2	148 of 207	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	24.1	153 of 195	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	14.9	172 of 194	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	19.8	176 of 196	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	15.6	181 of 195	7.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	17.6	174 of 191	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	10.4	174 of 183	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	19.4	165 of 191	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	21.4	124 of 146	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	29.4	148 of 192	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	22.4	168 of 194	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	20.0	134 of 160	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	9.6	195 of 203	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2025	47.7	77 of 123	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.6	139 of 198	29.8%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	0.0	138 of 165	16.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Pacific Islander

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2025	42.1	73 of 110	33.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.9	138 of 196	29.6%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	0.0	183 of 207	11.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	23.9	179 of 202	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆

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 (2025)37th percentile+5 vs school

Pacific Islander (2025)34th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2024)16th percentile-11 vs school

African American (2024)16th percentile-11 vs school

Special Education (2024)12th percentile-16 vs school

White (2024)11th percentile-16 vs school

Asian (2024)4th percentile-24 vs school

By subject vs Hawaii (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts44%

Mathematics39%

Science35%

★

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Schools Near Honowai 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
Honowai Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	94-600 Honowai St	Waipahu	96797	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 675-0165	568	46	12.3	57.6%	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	84 (14.8%)	303 (53.3%)	0 (0.0%)	110 (19.4%)	68 (12.0%)	34.2	138^th of 204 public elementary schools	32.4%		31	150^th of 207 public elementary schools	27.5%	12	35.0	44.0	39.0	$16,506	$1,534	$14,972
Kaleiopuu Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	94-665 Kaaholo St	Waipahu	96797	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 675-0266	727	49	14.8	47.9%	11 (1.5%)	1 (0.1%)	99 (13.6%)	381 (52.4%)	0 (0.0%)	103 (14.2%)	132 (18.2%)	67.4	81^st of 204 public elementary schools	60.3%		56.4	99^th of 207 public elementary schools	52.2%	18	60.0	58.0	47.0	$14,778	$911	$13,867
Waipahu Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	94-465 Waipahu St	Waipahu	96797	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 675-0150	827	66	12.5	73.2%	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	80 (9.7%)	303 (36.6%)	0 (0.0%)	358 (43.3%)	82 (9.9%)	25.5	158^th of 204 public elementary schools	22.5%		28.9	154^th of 207 public elementary schools	25.6%	4	31.0	37.0	36.0	$17,139	$1,711	$15,428
Waikele Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	94-1035 Kukula St	Waipahu	96797	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	No	(808) 677-6100	515	33	15.6	41.6%	10 (1.9%)	10 (1.9%)	70 (13.6%)	217 (42.1%)	0 (0.0%)	86 (16.7%)	122 (23.7%)	86.1	34^th of 204 public elementary schools	83.3%		78	60^th of 207 public elementary schools	71.0%	26	68.0	68.0	63.0	$17,614	$1,443	$16,171
August Ahrens Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	94-1170 Waipahu St	Waipahu	96797	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 675-0202	1,152	85	13.6	59.5%	4 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	98 (8.5%)	841 (73.0%)	0 (0.0%)	70 (6.1%)	138 (12.0%)	59.5	94^th of 204 public elementary schools	53.9%		64.6	85^th of 207 public elementary schools	58.9%	9	43.0	56.0	55.0	$16,178	$1,442	$14,736
Ewa Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	91-1280 Renton Rd	Ewa Beach	96706	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 681-8202	1,226	66	18.5	48.7%	41 (3.3%)	15 (1.2%)	259 (21.1%)	354 (28.9%)	0 (0.0%)	215 (17.5%)	342 (27.9%)	47.3	111^th of 204 public elementary schools	45.6%		51.4	109^th of 207 public elementary schools	47.3%	2	44.0	47.0	46.0	$15,232	$1,351	$13,881
Kanoelani Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	94-1091 Oli Lp	Waipahu	96797	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	No	(808) 675-0195	735	52	14.1	37.1%	28 (3.8%)	3 (0.4%)	149 (20.3%)	277 (37.7%)	0 (0.0%)	97 (13.2%)	181 (24.6%)	87.1	32^nd of 204 public elementary schools	84.3%		85.6	39^th of 207 public elementary schools	81.2%	7	71.0	68.0	63.0	$14,806	$976	$13,830
Holomua Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	91-1561 Keaunui Dr	Ewa Beach	96706	Honolulu County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	No	(808) 685-2000	1,107	74	14.9	35.6%	76 (6.9%)	19 (1.7%)	203 (18.3%)	406 (36.7%)	1 (0.1%)	152 (13.7%)	250 (22.6%)	72.5	69^th of 204 public elementary schools	66.2%		76.8	63^rd of 207 public elementary schools	69.6%	6	51.0	64.0	58.0	$16,136	$1,141	$14,995
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
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Honowai Elementary School

Is Honowai Elementary School a good school?

Honowai Elementary School ranks 138^th of 204 Hawaii elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Honowai Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Waipahu Intermediate School
High : Waipahu High School

How many students attend Honowai Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 568 students attended Honowai Elementary School.

What district is Honowai Elementary School in?

Hawaii Department of Education

What is the racial makeup of Honowai Elementary School?

Students at Honowai Elementary School are 53% Asian, 19% Pacific Islander, 15% Hispanic, 12% Two or more races.

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Schools in Waipahu, 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.