Enrollment
857
Hawaii · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Hilo, HI
Waiakea Intermediate School
Federal NCES profile for Waiakea Intermediate School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 150003000053
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 21
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Waiakea Intermediate School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Hawaii schools.
- #1 of 16
- public schools in Hilo · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.3:1
- large classes for Hawaii
- 41.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Waiakea Intermediate School has class sizes larger than 70% of Hawaii schools. Computed live against every Hawaii school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Waiakea Intermediate School ranks #1 of 16 public schools in Hilo, HI.
School address
District: Hawaii Department of Education · Hawaii
NCES ID 150003000053 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
56.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.3:1
vs 14.1:1 Hawaii avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.0%
vs 40.0% Hawaii avg
+3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Waiakea Intermediate School compares with Hawaii and U.S. medians
What stands out at Waiakea Intermediate School
Waiakea Intermediate School is a large middle school in Hilo, Hawaii, enrolling 857 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Hawaii schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 41.0% lands close to the Hawaii typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 857 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.
Among 58 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Hawaii schools statewide, it ranks #6, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Two or More (28%) and Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander (27%) (diversity index 77/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 214 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Hilo's middle schools, it stands alongside Hilo Intermediate School (560 students): Waiakea Intermediate School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.3:1 vs 13.7:1).
Hawaii Department of Education also operates James Campbell High School (2,890 students) and Waipahu High School (2,538 students) alongside Waiakea Intermediate 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 Intermediate School compares
Waiakea Intermediate 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 | 15.3:1 | ▲ 9% | 14.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.0% | ▲ 3% | 40.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 857 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.3:1
Leaner classes than 44% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
857
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% 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
15.3:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 70% in Hawaii - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
31.5%
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 214 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
31
in-school suspensions + 69 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.7 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 28.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 26.6%
Hispanic or Latino 23.7%
Asian 16.1%
White 5.1%
African American 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Two or More at 28.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 76.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 76.6, Waiakea Intermediate 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 Waiakea Intermediate 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 Intermediate 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 Waiakea Intermediate 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 in Hilo
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~857 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Waiakea Intermediate School's federal record.
- Compare Waiakea Intermediate 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 Intermediate School
How many students attend Waiakea Intermediate School?
Waiakea Intermediate School has 857 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Hilo, HI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Waiakea Intermediate School?
The student-teacher ratio at Waiakea Intermediate School is 15.3:1, which is 9% higher than the Hawaii average of 14.1:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Waiakea Intermediate School?
41.0% of students at Waiakea Intermediate School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Hawaii average of 40.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Waiakea Intermediate School?
The largest demographic group at Waiakea Intermediate School is Two or More at 28.0% of enrollment, in Hilo, HI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 76.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Waiakea Intermediate School?
Waiakea Intermediate School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Waiakea Intermediate School rank among public schools in Hilo?
By Resource Investment Index, Waiakea Intermediate School ranks #1 of 16 public 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 public schools in Hilo on the city page.
Is Waiakea Intermediate School a good school?
Waiakea Intermediate School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% 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 Waiakea Intermediate 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.