Summary:
ZIP code 96755 covers Kapaau on Hawaii's Kohala coast, where three public schools serve the area from preschool through 12th grade: Kohala Elementary School (PK–5, 381 students), Kohala Middle School (6–8, 172 students), and Kohala High School (9–12, 259 students). All three belong to the Hawaii Department of Education and together enroll 812 students.
For parents comparing options, each school has a distinct profile. Kohala Elementary School is the academic standout, with the highest math proficiency in the area at 54% in 2025–26 and gains in every subject, including a 20-point jump in math. Its rank rose to the 52nd percentile with 3 stars. Kohala High School holds the strongest overall standing at the 63rd percentile with 3 stars and an 86% graduation rate, but only 17% of students are proficient in math, far below its 50% in ELA. Kohala Middle School is the smallest and lowest-performing on current scores — 38% ELA, 31% math, and 31% science — with 2 stars and the highest student-teacher ratio at 17.2.
Some patterns are shared across the whole ZIP code. All three schools improved in every reported subject year over year, with average proficiency rising by roughly 6 points in ELA, 11 points in math, and 2 points in science/biology. Chronic absenteeism, however, is a concern everywhere: 26.0% at the elementary and middle schools, and 35.0% at the high school. Resources do not track simply with results — Kohala High School has the lowest student-teacher ratio (12.3) and highest per-student spending ($22,548, from 2018–19), yet the weakest math proficiency. The clearest bright spot remains the elementary school's academic momentum.
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