Enrollment
185
Hawaii · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hilo, HI
Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs
Federal NCES profile for Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 150003000288Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 63
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Hawaii median.
- #4 of 12
- schools in Hilo · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- students per teacher
- 70.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs has class sizes near the Hawaii median. Computed live against every Hawaii school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs ranks #4 of 12 schools in Hilo, HI.
School address
District: Hawaii Department of Education · Hawaii
NCES ID 150003000288 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 14.1:1 Hawaii avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.1%
vs 40.0% Hawaii avg
+75% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs compares with Hawaii and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs
Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs is a higher-need, small charter combined-grade school in Hilo, Hawaii, enrolling 185 students.
At 14.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Hawaii median, within a few percentage points of the 14.1:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 70.1% of students qualify for free meals, 75% above the Hawaii average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 185 puts it in the smaller third of Hawaii schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 295 scored Hawaii schools.
Its student body is led by Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander (35%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%) (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 185 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.5% 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): Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.2:1 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 Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs.
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 Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs compares
Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs on the metrics families compare, against Hawaii and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Hawaii | Hawaii avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.2:1 | ▲ 1% | 14.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.1% | ▲ 75% | 40.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 185 | top 89% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
185
Bigger than 18% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 75% 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
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 53% in Hawaii - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
40.5%
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 185 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 35.1%
Hispanic or Latino 26.5%
Two or More 20.5%
White 15.1%
Asian 2.7%
Largest group: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander at 35.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.1, Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs 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 Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs.
$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 Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mililani High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Governor Wallace Rider Farrington High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Moanalua High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs'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
Hilo Union Elementary School
Standard public school
449 students 12.5:1 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
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 (~185 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs's federal record.
- Compare Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs 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 Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs
How many students attend Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs?
Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs has 185 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hilo, HI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs?
The student-teacher ratio at Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs is 14.2:1, which is 1% higher than the Hawaii average of 14.1:1 and 10% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs?
70.1% of students at Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Hawaii average of 40.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs?
The largest demographic group at Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs is Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander at 35.1% of enrollment, in Hilo, HI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs?
Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs rank among schools in Hilo?
By Resource Investment Index, Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs ranks #4 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 Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs a good school?
Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs earns 34/100 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 Kua O Ka La - Ncpcs, 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.