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West Hawaii Explorations Academy

Q: Is West Hawaii Explorations Academy a good school?

West Hawaii Explorations Academy ranks 32 nd of 65 Hawaii high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades 6-12

32^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 65 Hawaii High Schools

Better than 51% of Hawaii high schools

Summary

West Hawaii Explorations Academy (WHEA) is a small public school at 73-4500 Kahilihili St in Kailua Kona, on Hawaii's Big Island, serving 286 students in grades 6–12 as part of the Hawaii Department of Education. At roughly 41 students per grade, it is about one-fifth the size of Kealakehe High School (1,401 students) and one-third the size of Konawaena High School (955 students), and a much smaller share of its families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch — 20.6%, versus about 51% at both nearby high schools.

WHEA's overall standing has slipped steadily, from the 81st percentile (4 stars) in 2022-23 to the 51st percentile (3 stars) in 2025-26. The sharpest contrast is with Kealakehe High School, which WHEA outranked in 2023-24 (73rd percentile versus 49th) but now trails clearly (51st versus 82nd). English language arts is where the gap shows most: 46% of WHEA students are proficient, compared with 64% at Kealakehe and 75% at Konawaena, and WHEA's own ELA results have fallen from 59% to 46% over four years. Math tells the opposite story — WHEA's 23% is roughly level with Kealakehe (26%) and 9 points above Konawaena (14%). That math-versus-ELA split is the most distinctive feature of this school's profile.

Other numbers parents should weigh: the graduation rate fell to 75.0% in 2024-25, a 12.8-point single-year drop and the lowest of the three schools, while chronic absenteeism improved slightly to 26.0%. Students per teacher has climbed from 10.9 to 16.8 in three years, erasing what was once a small-school staffing advantage. Low-income students perform above the school's overall average (55th percentile), but students in special education (16th percentile) and English language learners (19th percentile) rank near the bottom statewide. The bottom line: a small school with competitive math and science results and real strengths among its core population, but a multi-year decline driven by reading and graduation outcomes — though its own history shows it has reached the low 80s in percentile before.

286

Students ?

16.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,444

Per pupil spending ?

20.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

73-4500 Kahilihili St
Kailua Kona, HI 96740

(808) 327-4751

District: Hawaii Department of Education

Racial breakdown:

White:

39.2%

Two or more races:

24.1%

Hispanic:

17.8%

See top rated Hawaii high schools

Compare West Hawaii Explorations Academy to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 83rd percentile in 2019 → 51st in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Hawaii median (51st percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 83rd-percentile peak (2019) to 51st (2026)

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school37%

Middle school

45^th of 85

Hawaii public middle schools ?

Bottom 47%▼ down 27 pts since 2016

From top 26% (2016) to bottom 47% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Hawaii Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

32^nd of 65

Hawaii public high schools ?

Top 49%▲ up 26 pts since 2016

From bottom 25% (2016) to top 49% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Hawaii High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

27^th of 42High 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)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	31.8	45 of 85	47.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	34.9	39 of 84	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	59.7	21 of 89	76.4%	★★★★☆
2023	51.6	27 of 73	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	60.0	21 of 72	70.8%	★★★★☆
2021	60.7	20 of 73	72.6%	★★★★☆
2019	59.4	23 of 70	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	69.6	15 of 67	77.6%	★★★★☆
2017	49.0	22 of 82	73.2%	★★★★☆
2016	66.1	19 of 73	74.0%	★★★★☆
2015	56.1	24 of 72	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2013	64.7	20 of 76	73.7%	★★★★☆
2012	72.9	14 of 73	80.8%	★★★★☆
2011	78.6	9 of 71	87.3%	★★★★☆
2010	74.2	9 of 65	86.2%	★★★★☆
2009	79.5	8 of 68	88.2%	★★★★☆
2007	81.5	7 of 71	90.1%	★★★★★
2006	87.7	5 of 69	92.8%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	49.0	38 of 71	46.5%	★★☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	1.5	55 of 56	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	7.7	50 of 55	9.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	36.1	58 of 87	33.3%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	18.3	64 of 81	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	80.4	8 of 68	88.2%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	35.2	40 of 84	52.4%	★★★☆☆

Pacific Islander

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	84.3	7 of 81	91.4%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	0.0	76 of 89	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	21.9	52 of 75	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	27.2	42 of 74	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.6	40 of 86	53.5%	★★★☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	31.8	32 of 65	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	34.9	29 of 62	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	59.7	18 of 67	73.1%	★★★★☆
2023	77.8	10 of 53	81.1%	★★★★☆
2022	49.4	30 of 52	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	71.1	14 of 48	70.8%	★★★★☆
2019	78.5	9 of 52	82.7%	★★★★☆
2018	39.3	34 of 53	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2017	49.0	18 of 63	71.4%	★★★★☆
2016	33.1	40 of 53	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	36.8	35 of 51	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2013	62.1	19 of 56	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2012	94.1	1 of 58	98.3%	★★★★★
2011	51.5	27 of 56	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2010	67.8	16 of 56	71.4%	★★★★☆
2009	98.1	1 of 55	98.2%	★★★★★
2007	88.2	5 of 60	91.7%	★★★★★
2006	45.5	31 of 56	44.6%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	49.0	35 of 55	36.4%	★★☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	1.5	39 of 40	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	7.7	38 of 41	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	36.1	50 of 65	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	18.3	48 of 59	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	80.4	5 of 52	90.4%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	35.2	29 of 64	54.7%	★★★☆☆

Pacific Islander

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	84.3	6 of 61	90.2%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2024	0.0	56 of 67	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Hawaii percentile	Rating
2026	21.9	36 of 53	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	27.2	34 of 51	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.6	38 of 64	40.6%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Middle school

Pacific Islander (2024)91st percentile+15 vs school

Hispanic (2024)88th percentile+12 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)52nd percentile+5 vs school

African American (2024)46th percentile-30 vs school

White (2026)31st percentile-16 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)21st percentile-55 vs school

Special Education (2024)15th percentile-62 vs school

Asian (2026)2nd percentile-45 vs school

High school

Hispanic (2024)90th percentile+17 vs school

Pacific Islander (2024)90th percentile+17 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)55th percentile+4 vs school

African American (2024)36th percentile-37 vs school

White (2026)32nd percentile-19 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)19th percentile-54 vs school

Special Education (2024)16th percentile-57 vs school

Asian (2026)2nd percentile-48 vs school

By subject vs Hawaii (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts46%

Science42%

Mathematics23%

5.0

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What people are saying

by a teacher
Thursday, March 5, 2009

It is a public charter school, and not a private school.
www.whea.info Close Quote

Schools Near West Hawaii Explorations Academy

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				HSA Science (2026)	HSA Biology I (2026)	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts (2026)	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2026)	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 (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	HSA Science All Grades	HSA Biology I 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
West Hawaii Explorations Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	73-4500 Kahilihili St	Kailua Kona	96740	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(808) 327-4751	286	17	16.8	20.6%	112 (39.2%)	2 (0.7%)	51 (17.8%)	16 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (12.6%)	69 (24.1%)	31.8	32^nd of 65 public high schools	50.8%		34.9	29^th of 62 public high schools	53.2%	3	42.0		46.0	23.0	$8,444	$619	$7,825
Kealakehe High School	Public	9-12	74-5000 Puohulihuli St	Kailua Kona	96740	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 327-4300	1,401	88	16.0	51.1%	200 (14.3%)	3 (0.2%)	281 (20.1%)	206 (14.7%)	1 (0.1%)	519 (37.0%)	191 (13.6%)	57.4	12^th of 65 public high schools	81.5%		44	20^th of 62 public high schools	67.7%	8		44.0	64.0	26.0	$14,828	$1,132	$13,696
Konawaena High School	Public	9-12	81-1043 Konawaena School Rd	Kealakekua	96750	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 323-4500	955	53	18.0	51.7%	158 (16.5%)	3 (0.3%)	235 (24.6%)	111 (11.6%)	1 (0.1%)	292 (30.6%)	155 (16.2%)	46.4	15^th of 65 public high schools	76.9%		34.2	32^nd of 62 public high schools	48.4%	17		32.0	75.0	14.0	$16,244	$1,596	$14,648

Frequently Asked Questions about West Hawaii Explorations Academy

What is the racial makeup of West Hawaii Explorations Academy?

Students at West Hawaii Explorations Academy are 39% White, 24% Two or more races, 18% Hispanic, 13% Pacific Islander, 6% Asian.

Is West Hawaii Explorations Academy a good school?

West Hawaii Explorations Academy ranks 32^nd of 65 Hawaii high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend West Hawaii Explorations Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 286 students attended West Hawaii Explorations Academy.

What district is West Hawaii Explorations Academy in?

Hawaii Department of Education

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Latest Hawaii data All new data »

2025–26 graduation ratesNewSep 19, 2026

2025–26 HSA & Smarter Balanced Assessments scoresNewSep 19, 2026

2024–25 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 18, 2025

2024–25 HSA & Smarter Balanced Assessments scoresSep 18, 2025

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.