Enrollment
706
Hawaii · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hilo, HI
Waiakea Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Waiakea Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 150003000051
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Waiakea Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Hawaii median.
- #9 of 12
- schools in Hilo · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.3:1
- students per teacher
- 47.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Waiakea Elementary School has class sizes near the Hawaii median. Computed live against every Hawaii school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Waiakea Elementary School ranks #9 of 12 schools in Hilo, HI.
School address
District: Hawaii Department of Education · Hawaii
NCES ID 150003000051 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
53.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 14.1:1 Hawaii avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.7%
vs 40.0% Hawaii avg
+19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Waiakea Elementary School compares with Hawaii and U.S. medians
What stands out at Waiakea Elementary School
Waiakea Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Hilo, Hawaii, enrolling 706 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Hawaii schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 47.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 706 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 76 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Hawaii schools statewide, it ranks #58, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander (30%) and Two or More (29%) (diversity index 75/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 353 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 54.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Hilo's public schools, it stands alongside Waiakeawaena Elementary School (669 students): Waiakea Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.3:1 vs 13.1:1).
Hawaii Department of Education also operates James Campbell High School (2,890 students) and Waipahu High School (2,538 students) alongside Waiakea 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 Waiakea Elementary School compares
Waiakea 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 | 13.3:1 | ▼ 6% | 14.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.7% | ▲ 19% | 40.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 706 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
706
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
47.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 36% in Hawaii - lower ratio than 64% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
54.1%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 353 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
22
in-school suspensions + 29 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.2 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 29.5%
Two or More 28.9%
Hispanic or Latino 23.5%
Asian 14.7%
White 3.4%
Largest group: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander at 29.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.1, Waiakea 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 Waiakea 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 Waiakea 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 | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Moanalua High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Waiakea 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.
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
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 (~706 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Waiakea Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Waiakea 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 Waiakea Elementary School
How many students attend Waiakea Elementary School?
Waiakea Elementary School has 706 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hilo, HI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Waiakea Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Waiakea Elementary School is 13.3:1, which is 6% lower than the Hawaii average of 14.1:1 and 15% 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 Waiakea Elementary School?
47.7% of students at Waiakea Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Hawaii average of 40.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Waiakea Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Waiakea Elementary School is Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander at 29.5% of enrollment, in Hilo, HI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Waiakea Elementary School?
Waiakea Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (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 Waiakea Elementary School rank among schools in Hilo?
By Resource Investment Index, Waiakea Elementary School ranks #9 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 Waiakea Elementary School a good school?
Waiakea Elementary School earns 27/100 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 Waiakea 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.