Summary
Keonepoko Elementary School is a PK–6 public elementary school in Pahoa, HI, with 565 students, part of the Hawaii Department of Education, serving a community where 69.91% of students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch in 2024–2025.
In 2025–2026, Keonepoko ranked 183 out of 203 Hawaii elementary schools—the 10th percentile—with 1 star, unchanged from 2024–2025. Its most recent proficiency rates were 24% in English Language Arts, 20% in math, and 33% in science. Science is the clearest bright spot, rising from 20.78% in 2023–2024 to 25% in 2024–2025 and 33% in 2025–2026; it is now at the middle of the nearby comparison group. ELA and math remain the main challenges, with ELA falling from 30% in 2024–2025 to 24% in 2025–2026. Chronic absenteeism was 36.0% in 2024–2025, down from 39.5% but still high. Nearby schools with similar poverty rates, such as Hilo Union Elementary School and Keaukaha Elementary School, posted much higher proficiency, suggesting poverty alone does not explain the school’s results. Keonepoko’s student-teacher ratio is favorable at 12.5, and its 2018–2019 per-student spending of $18,851 was the highest among nearby schools listed.
Compared with the closest school, Pahoa Elementary School (4th percentile), Keonepoko is relatively stronger in science and attendance, though both schools struggle in ELA and math. Keonepoko remains near the bottom statewide, but its recent 10th-percentile results are a slight stabilization after several years in the 3rd–7th percentile range. Subgroup results vary: some groups perform better relative to other schools, while students learning English, low-income students, and special education students rank low, and small group sizes make some figures hard to interpret. Overall, Keonepoko’s strengths are science, a favorable student-teacher ratio, and improved attendance, while core academic proficiency and chronic absenteeism are the key areas to watch.
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