Summary
Highlands Intermediate School is a grades 7–8 middle school serving 824 students in Pearl City, Hawaii, within the Hawaii Department of Education, and it currently ranks among the strongest middle schools in the state.
In 2025–2026, Highlands ranked 7th of 85 Hawaii middle schools — the 92nd percentile — earning a 5-star rating, its best recent statewide standing. Students posted 71% proficient in English language arts, 61% in math, and 57% in science, all up from 2023–2024, when results were roughly 62%, 53%, and 50%. Math is a particular standout: 61% is far above the nearby-school median of about 43%. Compared with Moanalua Middle School, Highlands ties in math (61%) while trailing in ELA (71% vs. 75%) and science (57% vs. 72%), even though it serves a higher share of low-income students. Highlands now outranks Mililani Middle School and posts higher scores in all three subjects. Only Kulia Academy, a much smaller school of about 98 students in grades 6–7, ranks higher.
Subgroup results are a signature strength: Asian, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and low-income students all perform in the 92nd–95th percentile range, and English learner and special education students rank in the top third or better. Chronic absenteeism is the clearest relative weakness at 19.0% in 2024–2025 — improved from 21.5%, but still above Moanalua (10%), Mililani (15%), and Aliamanu Middle School (15%). Class size is favorable, with a 14.2 student-teacher ratio versus a nearby median of about 14.9. The most recent spending figure, $15,658 per student, dates to 2018–2019. Overall, Highlands is a high-performing, upward-trending school, and attendance is its main opportunity for further growth.
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