Enrollment
449
Hawaii · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hilo, HI
Hilo Union Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Hilo Union Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 150003000031
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 10
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hilo Union Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 75% of Hawaii schools.
- #12 of 12
- schools in Hilo · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12.5:1
- small classes for Hawaii
- 66.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Hilo Union Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 75% of Hawaii schools. Computed live against every Hawaii school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hilo Union Elementary School ranks #12 of 12 schools in Hilo, HI.
School address
District: Hawaii Department of Education · Hawaii
NCES ID 150003000031 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.5:1
vs 14.1:1 Hawaii avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.8%
vs 40.0% Hawaii avg
+67% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hilo Union Elementary School compares with Hawaii and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hilo Union Elementary School
Hilo Union Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Hilo, Hawaii, enrolling 449 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Hawaii schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 66.8% of students qualify for free meals, 67% above the Hawaii average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 449 students, its enrollment sits close to the Hawaii median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 295 Hawaii schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 36 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Hawaii schools statewide, it ranks #34, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander (37%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%) (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 449 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 58.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Hilo's public schools, it stands alongside Waiakea Elementary School (706 students): Hilo Union Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.5:1 vs 13.3:1).
Hawaii Department of Education also operates James Campbell High School (2,890 students) and Waipahu High School (2,538 students) alongside Hilo Union Elementary 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 Hilo Union Elementary School compares
Hilo Union Elementary 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 | 12.5:1 | ▼ 11% | 14.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.8% | ▲ 67% | 40.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 449 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.5:1
Leaner classes than 71% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
449
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 67% above the Hawaii average of 40.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.5:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 25% in Hawaii - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
58.4%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 449 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 36.7%
Hispanic or Latino 29.8%
Two or More 18.5%
Asian 7.8%
White 6.9%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander at 36.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.1, Hilo Union Elementary School is more mixed than the Hawaii school average of 69.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hawaii Department of Education, which includes Hilo Union Elementary 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 Hilo Union Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Campbell High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Waipahu High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mililani High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Governor Wallace Rider Farrington High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Moanalua High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hilo Union Elementary 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 other schools in Hilo
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Waiakea Elementary School
Standard public school
706 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Waiakeawaena Elementary School
Standard public school
669 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Ernest Bowen Desilva Elementary School
Standard public school
422 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary School
Standard public school
354 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Connections - New Century Pcs
Standard public school
352 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Keaukaha Elementary School
Standard public school
341 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~449 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hilo Union Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Hilo Union Elementary 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 Hilo Union Elementary School
How many students attend Hilo Union Elementary School?
Hilo Union Elementary School has 449 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hilo, HI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hilo Union Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hilo Union Elementary School is 12.5:1, which is 11% lower than the Hawaii average of 14.1:1 and 20% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hilo Union Elementary School?
66.8% of students at Hilo Union Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Hawaii average of 40.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hilo Union Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Hilo Union Elementary School is Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander at 36.7% of enrollment, in Hilo, HI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hilo Union Elementary School?
Hilo Union Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower 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 Hilo Union Elementary School rank among schools in Hilo?
By Resource Investment Index, Hilo Union Elementary School ranks #12 of 12 schools in Hilo, HI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hilo on the city page.
Is Hilo Union Elementary School a good school?
Hilo Union Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 75% of Hawaii schools. 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 Hilo Union Elementary 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.