Summary:
ZIP code 96813 contains two middle schools, both serving grades 6–8 and both part of the Hawaii Department of Education: Prince David Kawananakoa Middle School with 602 students and Princess Ruth Keelikolani Middle School with 354 students, for a combined enrollment of 956. Because both schools share the same district, the district-level ratings look identical for each; the real differences show up in school-level academics, attendance, and demographics.
Prince David Kawananakoa Middle School is the standout. It ranked 13th of 85 statewide middle schools in 2025–26, placing at the 85th percentile with 4 stars, and improved from 20th of 89 in 2023–24 while holding 4 stars all three years. In 2025–26, 59% of students were proficient in ELA, 43% in math, and 57% in science — 19, 19, and 22 points above its neighbor. It also recorded lower chronic absenteeism (17.0% vs. 27.0%) and a lower free/reduced lunch rate (57.14% vs. 77.12%).
Princess Ruth Keelikolani Middle School ranked 55th of 85 in 2025–26, at the 35th percentile with 2 stars, up from 61st of 89 in 2023–24 and 2 stars across all three years. Its 2025–26 proficiency was 40% in ELA, 24% in math, and 35% in science; ELA and math were unchanged from 2024–25 at both schools, while science rose slightly at each. Average proficiency across the three subjects differed by exactly 20 points in both years. Notably, Princess Ruth Keelikolani has a slightly smaller student-teacher ratio (13.6 vs. 14) and higher historical per-student spending from 2018–19 ($17,324 vs. $15,554), so resources alone do not track with outcomes here. The data documents a large, consistent gap without explaining its causes.
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