Enrollment
515
Hawaii · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Waipahu, HI
Waikele Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Waikele Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 150003000257
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Waikele Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Hawaii median.
- #1 of 7
- schools in Waipahu · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.1:1
- students per teacher
- 31.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Waikele Elementary School has class sizes near the Hawaii median. Computed live against every Hawaii school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Waikele Elementary School ranks #1 of 7 schools in Waipahu, HI.
School address
District: Hawaii Department of Education · Hawaii
NCES ID 150003000257 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 14.1:1 Hawaii avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.5%
vs 40.0% Hawaii avg
-21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Waikele Elementary School compares with Hawaii and U.S. medians
What stands out at Waikele Elementary School
Waikele Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Waipahu, Hawaii, enrolling 515 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Hawaii schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 31.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 515 students, its enrollment sits close to the Hawaii median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 295 scored Hawaii schools.
Against 79 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #10.
Its student body is led by Asian (42%) and Two or More (24%) (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 258 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Waipahu's public schools, it stands alongside Hawaii Technology Academy - Pcs (1,924 students): Waikele Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.1:1 vs 22.1:1).
Hawaii Department of Education also operates James Campbell High School (2,890 students) and Waipahu High School (2,538 students) alongside Waikele 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 Waikele Elementary School compares
Waikele 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 | 15.1:1 | ▲ 7% | 14.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.5% | ▼ 21% | 40.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 515 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
515
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% below the Hawaii average of 40.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 69% in Hawaii - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.0%
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 258 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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
Asian 42.1%
Two or More 23.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 16.7%
Hispanic or Latino 13.6%
White 1.9%
African American 1.9%
Largest group: Asian at 42.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.9, Waikele Elementary 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 Waikele 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 Waikele Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Campbell High School | Larger | Similar 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 | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Moanalua High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Waikele 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 Waipahu
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Hawaii Technology Academy - Pcs
Standard public school
1,924 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
August Ahrens Elementary School
Standard public school
1,152 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Waipahu Elementary School
Standard public school
827 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
Kanoelani Elementary School
Standard public school
735 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Kaleiopuu Elementary School
Standard public school
727 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Honowai Elementary School
Standard public school
568 students 12.6:1 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 (~515 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Waikele Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Waikele 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 Waikele Elementary School
How many students attend Waikele Elementary School?
Waikele Elementary School has 515 students enrolled. It is a public school in Waipahu, HI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Waikele Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Waikele Elementary School is 15.1:1, which is 7% higher than the Hawaii average of 14.1:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Waikele Elementary School?
31.5% of students at Waikele Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Hawaii average of 40.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Waikele Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Waikele Elementary School is Asian at 42.1% of enrollment, in Waipahu, HI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Waikele Elementary School?
Waikele Elementary 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 Waikele Elementary School rank among schools in Waipahu?
By Resource Investment Index, Waikele Elementary School ranks #1 of 7 schools in Waipahu, HI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Waipahu on the city page.
Is Waikele Elementary School a good school?
Waikele Elementary School earns 47/100 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 Waikele 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.