Enrollment
924
Hawaii · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Kailua-Kona, HI
Kealakehe Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Kealakehe Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 150003000041
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 38
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kealakehe Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Hawaii schools.
- #2 of 3
- schools in Kailua-Kona · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.8:1
- large classes for Hawaii
- 55.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Kealakehe Elementary School has class sizes larger than 88% of Hawaii schools. Computed live against every Hawaii school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kealakehe Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 schools in Kailua-Kona, HI.
School address
District: Hawaii Department of Education · Hawaii
NCES ID 150003000041 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
55.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 14.1:1 Hawaii avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.7%
vs 40.0% Hawaii avg
+39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kealakehe Elementary School compares with Hawaii and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kealakehe Elementary School
Kealakehe Elementary School is a higher-need, large combined-grade school in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, enrolling 924 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.8:1 is larger than about 88% of Hawaii schools and 19% above the 14.1:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 55.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 924 puts it in the larger third of Hawaii schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 295 scored Hawaii schools.
Among 34 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Hawaii schools statewide, it ranks #29, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander (48%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 308 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 62.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Kailua-Kona's public schools, it stands alongside Kahakai Elementary School (507 students): Kealakehe Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.8:1 vs 14.9:1).
Hawaii Department of Education also operates James Campbell High School (2,890 students) and Waipahu High School (2,538 students) alongside Kealakehe 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 Kealakehe Elementary School compares
Kealakehe 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 | 16.8:1 | ▲ 19% | 14.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.7% | ▲ 39% | 40.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 924 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
924
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% above the Hawaii average of 40.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 88% in Hawaii - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
62.4%
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 308 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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 48.3%
Hispanic or Latino 19.6%
Two or More 18.0%
Asian 8.4%
White 5.7%
Largest group: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander at 48.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.6, Kealakehe Elementary School is about as mixed as the Hawaii school average of 69.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hawaii Department of Education, which includes Kealakehe 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 Kealakehe Elementary 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 | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mililani High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Governor Wallace Rider Farrington High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Moanalua High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kealakehe 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 Kailua-Kona
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~924 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kealakehe Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Kealakehe 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 Kealakehe Elementary School
How many students attend Kealakehe Elementary School?
Kealakehe Elementary School has 924 students enrolled. It is a public school in Kailua-Kona, HI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kealakehe Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Kealakehe Elementary School is 16.8:1, which is 19% higher than the Hawaii average of 14.1:1 and 7% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Kealakehe Elementary School?
55.7% of students at Kealakehe Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Hawaii average of 40.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kealakehe Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Kealakehe Elementary School is Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander at 48.3% of enrollment, in Kailua-Kona, HI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kealakehe Elementary School?
Kealakehe Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 Kealakehe Elementary School rank among schools in Kailua-Kona?
By Resource Investment Index, Kealakehe Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 schools in Kailua-Kona, HI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Kailua-Kona on the city page.
Is Kealakehe Elementary School a good school?
Kealakehe Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% 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 Kealakehe 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.