Enrollment
826
Hawaii · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lihue, HI
Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 150003000266
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Hawaii median.
- #1 of 5
- public schools in Lihue · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 36.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School has class sizes near the Hawaii median. Computed live against every Hawaii school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School ranks #1 of 5 public schools in Lihue, HI.
School address
District: Hawaii Department of Education · Hawaii
NCES ID 150003000266 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
56.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 14.1:1 Hawaii avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.4%
vs 40.0% Hawaii avg
-9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School compares with Hawaii and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School
Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Lihue, Hawaii, enrolling 826 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Hawaii schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 36.4% lands close to the Hawaii typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 826 puts it in the larger third of Hawaii schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 295 scored Hawaii schools.
Against 59 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #14.
Its student body is led by Two or More (26%) and Asian (26%) (diversity index 78/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 275 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Hawaii Department of Education also operates James Campbell High School (2,890 students) and Waipahu High School (2,538 students) alongside Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School compares
Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Hawaii and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Hawaii | Hawaii avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.8:1 | ▲ 5% | 14.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.4% | ▼ 9% | 40.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 826 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
826
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% below the Hawaii average of 40.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 63% in Hawaii - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
30.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$17,420
per pupil, district-wide
- above Hawaii avg of $17,420
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 275 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
28
in-school suspensions + 37 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Two or More 26.4%
Asian 26.2%
Hispanic or Latino 19.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 19.6%
White 8.2%
Largest group: Two or More at 26.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.8, Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School is more mixed than the Hawaii school average of 69.6.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hawaii Department of Education, which includes Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School.
$17,420
Per student
+0%
vs Hawaii
Avg $17,420
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 0.8%
State 84.7%
Federal 14.5%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Campbell High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Waipahu High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mililani High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Governor Wallace Rider Farrington High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Moanalua High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,890
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,538
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 2,382
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 2,094
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,966
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Hawaii, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~826 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Hawaii Department of Education's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School
How many students attend Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School?
Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School has 826 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lihue, HI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School is 14.8:1, which is 5% higher than the Hawaii average of 14.1:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School?
36.4% of students at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Hawaii average of 40.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School is Two or More at 26.4% of enrollment, in Lihue, HI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School?
Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School rank among public schools in Lihue?
By Resource Investment Index, Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School ranks #1 of 5 public schools in Lihue, HI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Lihue on the city page.
Is Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School a good school?
Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Hawaii median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Hawaii Department of Education?
Besides Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, Hawaii Department of Education also operates James Campbell High School (2,890 students), Waipahu High School (2,538 students), and Mililani High School (2,382 students). See the Hawaii Department of Education district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.