Kainalu Elementary School

Summary:

Kainalu Elementary School is a high-performing public elementary school in Kailua, Hawaii, serving grades PK-6 with a total enrollment of 517 students. The school consistently ranks in the top 15% of Hawaii Department of Education elementary schools, excelling academically with strong proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science.

Kainalu Elementary School stands out for its diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 45.26% White, 17.79% Hispanic, 8.7% Pacific Islander, and 24.18% two or more races. The school also has a relatively low chronic absenteeism rate of 14.5% and a low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at 16.63%. In comparison, nearby schools like Puohala Elementary, Keolu Elementary, and Reverend Benjamin Parker Elementary have lower proficiency rates in core subjects.

Kainalu Elementary School's consistent high performance, with its students ranking in the top 15-20% of Hawaii elementary schools since the 2014-2015 school year, is a notable achievement. The school's strong academic results across various student subgroups, as well as its proximity to other high-performing elementary schools in the Kailua area, suggest a robust educational ecosystem that benefits the community.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 165 Kaiholu St
       Kailua, HI  96734


(808) 266-7835

District: Hawaii Department of Education

SchoolDigger Rank:
29th of 207 Hawaii Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,045 Help


Students who attend Kainalu Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Kailua Intermediate School
High:    Kalaheo High School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.2 Help
Number of students:  517

Racial breakdown:

White:
45.3%
Two or more races:
24.2%
Hispanic:
17.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  16.6% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Kainalu Elementary School ranks better than 86% of elementary schools in Hawaii. It also ranks 28th among 183 ranked elementary schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 88.74. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Kainalu Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Hawaii Department of Education School District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Kainalu Elementary School is $17,045, which is the 72nd highest among 183 elementary schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Kainalu Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Kainalu Elementary School 29th of 207 Hawaii public elementary schools. (See Kainalu Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
Pacific Islander students:
White students:


Hawaii Department of Education:

SchoolDigger ranks Hawaii Department of Education 1st of 1 Hawaii school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Kainalu Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Kainalu Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 66.79 50th 194 74.2%
2007 68.99 51st 192 73.4%
2008 64.63 48th 146 67.1%
2009 54.57 87th 191 54.5%
2010 65.21 56th 183 69.4%
2011 76.44 36th 191 81.2%
2012 74.97 41st 195 79.0%
2013 76.53 36th 196 81.6%
2015 85.27 28th 194 85.6%
2016 75.53 38th 195 80.5%
2017 84.22 43rd 207 79.2%
2018 80.07 35th 193 81.9%
2019 76.50 44th 196 77.6%
2021 83.26 32nd 196 83.7%
2022 85.41 28th 193 85.5%
2023 88.32 22nd 195 88.7%
2024 88.74 29th 207 86.0%
See the entire list of Hawaii Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Kainalu Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 56.10 112th 198 43.4%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Kainalu Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 68.80 74th 207 64.3%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Kainalu Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 65.29 93rd 203 54.2%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Kainalu Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 81.13 44th 160 72.5%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Kainalu Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 93.75 21st 165 87.3%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Kainalu Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 82.01 41st 196 79.1%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Kainalu Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 80.66 40th 202 80.2%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Hawaii State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Kainalu Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
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State Scores:    
  
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Data source: Hawaii Department of Education

Review counts

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Enrollment information for Kainalu Elementary School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 310 20 353 21 1 n/a n/a 0 705
1989 346 37 358 19 1 n/a n/a 0 761
1990 329 36 394 27 2 n/a n/a 0 788
1991 343 22 354 22 2 n/a n/a 0 743
1992 336 19 337 68 2 n/a n/a 0 762
1993 383 20 337 65 3 n/a n/a -1 807
1994 326 33 337 66 4 n/a n/a 0 766
1995 239 22 345 55 6 n/a n/a 0 667
1996 239 22 345 55 6 n/a n/a 0 667
1997 210 9 313 50 7 n/a n/a 4 593
1998 204 4 309 45 5 n/a n/a 0 567
1999 203 5 306 50 4 n/a n/a 0 568
2000 196 5 315 40 2 n/a n/a 0 558
2001 188 19 306 48 3 n/a n/a 0 564
2002 249 48 290 46 2 n/a n/a 0 635
2003 249 48 290 46 2 n/a n/a 0 635
2004 224 43 290 40 2 n/a n/a 0 599
2005 203 36 307 39 3 n/a n/a 0 588
2006 200 30 271 47 0 n/a n/a 0 548
2007 200 19 274 45 0 n/a n/a 0 538
2008 195 25 283 42 0 n/a n/a 0 545
2009 188 12 306 38 3 n/a n/a 0 547
2010 174 7 305 31 1 n/a n/a 0 518
2011 178 2 64 10 1 174 43 0 472
2012 195 4 52 16 0 160 43 0 470
2013 229 6 48 36 0 161 39 0 519
2014 268 9 47 38 0 144 45 0 551
2015 224 4 42 44 1 119 58 0 492
2016 242 7 39 50 1 109 48 0 496
2017 217 8 38 56 1 94 50 0 464
2018 194 4 37 58 1 81 70 0 445
2019 166 3 31 67 1 65 91 0 424
2020 184 5 24 75 3 52 99 0 442
2021 205 3 19 70 3 50 115 0 465
2022 235 4 20 78 2 48 113 0 500
2023 234 3 17 92 1 45 125 0 517

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Kainalu Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 705 38.0 18.5 22.4
1989 761 41.0 18.5 15.9
1990 788 45.0 17.5 13.3
1991 743 45.0 16.5 12.5
1992 762 45.0 16.9 12.1
1993 807 47.5 17.0 9.8
1994 766 47.5 16.1 11.7
1995 667 39.0 17.1 16.3
1996 667 39.0 17.1 16.3
1997 593 34.0 17.4 30.7
1998 567 34.0 16.7 26.1
1999 568 30.0 18.9 36.4
2000 558 33.0 16.9 40
2001 564 35.0 16.1 44.3
2002 635 39.5 16.1 36.4
2003 635 39.5 16.1 36.4
2004 599 37.5 16.0 37.1
2005 588 38.5 15.3 38.4
2006 548 36.5 15.0 41.2
2007 538 34.5 15.6 38.8
2008 545 36.5 14.9 39.1
2009 547 35.5 15.4 41.5
2010 518 37.5 13.8 39.2
2011 472 32.0 14.7 39.4
2012 470 32.0 14.6 42.6
2013 519 33.0 15.7 38.5
2014 551 32.5 16.9 32.3
2015 492 31.0 15.8 29.9
2016 496 30.0 16.5 29.6
2017 464 29.0 16.0 25.6
2018 445 27.0 16.4 25.4
2019 424 27.0 15.7 22.2
2020 442 29.0 15.2 20.6
2021 465 29.5 15.7 18.9
2022 500 29.5 16.9 15.2
2023 517 34.0 15.2 16.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Kainalu Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 705 38.0 18.5 22.4
1989 761 41.0 18.5 15.9
1990 788 45.0 17.5 13.3
1991 743 45.0 16.5 12.5
1992 762 45.0 16.9 12.1
1993 807 47.5 17.0 9.8
1994 766 47.5 16.1 11.7
1995 667 39.0 17.1 16.3
1996 667 39.0 17.1 16.3
1997 593 34.0 17.4 30.7
1998 567 34.0 16.7 26.1
1999 568 30.0 18.9 36.4
2000 558 33.0 16.9 40
2001 564 35.0 16.1 44.3
2002 635 39.5 16.1 36.4
2003 635 39.5 16.1 36.4
2004 599 37.5 16.0 37.1
2005 588 38.5 15.3 38.4
2006 548 36.5 15.0 41.2
2007 538 34.5 15.6 38.8
2008 545 36.5 14.9 39.1
2009 547 35.5 15.4 41.5
2010 518 37.5 13.8 39.2
2011 472 32.0 14.7 39.4
2012 470 32.0 14.6 42.6
2013 519 33.0 15.7 38.5
2014 551 32.5 16.9 32.3
2015 492 31.0 15.8 29.9
2016 496 30.0 16.5 29.6
2017 464 29.0 16.0 25.6
2018 445 27.0 16.4 25.4
2019 424 27.0 15.7 22.2
2020 442 29.0 15.2 20.6
2021 465 29.5 15.7 18.9
2022 500 29.5 16.9 15.2
2023 517 34.0 15.2 16.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Kainalu Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,216 (7.1%) $15,829 (92.9%) $17,045

Data source: Hawaii Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Kainalu Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 44th of 196 Elementary schoolsRanks 22nd of 195 Elementary schools
 11.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Kainalu Elementary School)5876
 18%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5349
 4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Kainalu Elementary School)7386
 13%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)5652
 4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Kainalu Elementary School)7180
 9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5251
 1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Kainalu Elementary School)5076
 26%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)4950
 1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Kainalu Elementary School)7472
 2%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5755
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Kainalu Elementary School)5352
 1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)4444
6th Grade English Language Arts (Kainalu Elementary School)7873
 5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5351
 2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Kainalu Elementary School)5766
 9%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)4139
 2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Kainalu Elementary School)7075
 5%
All Grades Mathematics (Kainalu Elementary School)5970
 11%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students424517
 21.9%
African American33
American Indian11
Asian3117
 45.2%
Hispanic6792
 37.3%
Pacific Islander6545
 30.8%
White166234
 41%
Two or More Races91125
 37.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients22.2%16.6%
 5.5%


Schools Near Kainalu Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Kainalu Elementary School

Students who attend Kainalu Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Kailua Intermediate School
High : Kalaheo High School

Kainalu Elementary School ranks 29th of 207 Hawaii elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Kainalu Elementary School are 45% White, 24% Two or more races, 18% Hispanic, 9% Pacific Islander, 3% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 517 students attended Kainalu Elementary School.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Hawaii State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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