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Hilo High School

Summary:

Hilo High School is a public high school serving 1,317 students in grades 9-12 in Hilo, Hawaii. The school is part of the Hawaii Department of Education district, which is ranked 1 out of 1 in the state and rated 5 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Hilo High School has a diverse student population, with a significant percentage of Pacific Islander (42.9%) and Asian (15.49%) students. The school's academic performance is mixed, with strong performance in certain subject areas like 11th grade English Language Arts, but lagging behind in others like Mathematics. However, Hilo High School has a relatively high four-year graduation rate of 89.5%, which is higher than the nearby Pahoa High & Intermediate School (81.4%) and Keaau High School (87.3%). The school's chronic absenteeism rate of 22.6% is lower than Pahoa High & Intermediate School (56.2%) and Keaau High School (37.4%), but still higher than the state's average.

Interestingly, Hilo High School performs exceptionally well in certain student subgroups, such as Asian, African American, Pacific Islander, and English Language Learner students, ranking among the top schools in the state for these groups. However, the nearby Waiakea High School, located just 2.05 miles away, consistently outperforms Hilo High School in academic metrics, suggesting that there may be opportunities for Hilo High School to learn from its higher-performing neighbor.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 556 Waianuenue Ave
       Hilo, HI  96720

(808) 974-4021

District: Hawaii Department of Education

SchoolDigger Rank:
29th of 67 Hawaii High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,046 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  16.8 Help
Number of students:  1,317

Racial breakdown:

Pacific Islander:
42.9%
Hispanic:
18.4%
Two or more races:
15.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  51.6% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Hilo High School ranks better than 56.7% of high schools in Hawaii. It also ranks 23rd among 44 ranked high 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 46.88. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Hilo High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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
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Compare Details Hilo High School has the largest high school student body size in the Hawaii Department of Education School District.  (See more...)
Teachers
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hilo High School is $17,046, which is the 11th highest among 44 high schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Hilo High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Hilo High School 29th of 67 Hawaii public high schools. (See Hilo High School in the ranking list.)

High 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 Hilo High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Hilo High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 54.21 24th 56 57.1%
2007 43.74 39th 60 35.0%
2008 39.95 28th 39 28.2%
2009 48.13 28th 55 49.1%
2010 40.86 36th 56 35.7%
2011 33.25 39th 56 30.4%
2012 59.21 25th 58 56.9%
2013 32.93 40th 56 28.6%
2015 40.86 32nd 51 37.3%
2016 36.70 36th 53 32.1%
2017 26.27 36th 63 42.9%
2018 43.99 32nd 53 39.6%
2019 59.44 22nd 52 57.7%
2021 67.26 17th 48 64.6%
2022 50.94 28th 52 46.2%
2023 47.61 31st 53 41.5%
2024 46.88 29th 67 56.7%
See the entire list of Hawaii High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Hilo High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 92.08 3rd 59 94.9%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Hilo High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 73.83 15th 67 77.6%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Hilo High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 72.64 13th 65 80.0%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Hilo High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 69.44 13th 55 76.4%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Hilo High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 39.24 43rd 52 17.3%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Hilo High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 63.96 14th 61 77.0%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Hilo High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 47.95 34th 64 46.9%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High 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.

Hilo High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Hawaii Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Hilo High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 354 5 1077 45 7 n/a n/a 0 1488
1989 362 1 1072 48 8 n/a n/a 0 1491
1990 313 5 1040 49 8 n/a n/a 0 1415
1991 319 41 1087 8 6 n/a n/a 0 1461
1992 240 12 1095 140 4 n/a n/a 0 1491
1993 276 13 1165 142 6 n/a n/a 0 1602
1994 323 10 1166 138 4 n/a n/a 0 1641
1995 284 4 1300 146 5 n/a n/a 0 1739
1996 284 4 1300 146 5 n/a n/a 0 1739
1997 238 5 106 246 4 n/a n/a 1180 1779
1998 310 2 1335 143 3 n/a n/a 0 1793
1999 330 4 1289 135 5 n/a n/a 0 1763
2000 333 9 1319 144 7 n/a n/a 0 1812
2001 346 7 1274 139 11 n/a n/a 0 1777
2002 278 9 1181 117 5 n/a n/a 0 1590
2003 278 9 1181 117 5 n/a n/a 0 1590
2004 291 4 1102 106 8 n/a n/a 0 1511
2005 293 10 1122 118 15 n/a n/a 0 1558
2006 311 9 1099 124 15 n/a n/a 0 1558
2007 293 8 1099 132 17 n/a n/a 0 1549
2008 278 9 1062 125 17 n/a n/a 0 1491
2009 274 15 988 110 12 n/a n/a 0 1399
2010 256 21 935 89 9 n/a n/a 0 1310
2011 202 23 325 45 9 550 83 0 1237
2012 189 19 323 66 11 515 84 0 1207
2013 172 13 296 78 9 539 127 0 1234
2014 163 11 294 78 10 560 133 0 1249
2015 149 7 243 82 9 605 129 0 1224
2016 117 3 231 72 10 612 115 0 1160
2017 121 6 251 68 8 599 81 0 1134
2018 126 5 229 71 7 614 84 0 1136
2019 120 3 240 90 4 642 79 0 1178
2020 118 6 250 104 2 648 91 0 1219
2021 108 7 226 138 1 673 119 0 1272
2022 103 5 210 194 0 670 140 0 1322
2023 96 3 204 242 0 565 207 0 1317

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 Hilo High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1488 77.5 19.2 19.8
1989 1491 69.5 21.4 19.2
1990 1415 75.0 18.8 16.6
1991 1461 79.0 18.4 21.4
1992 1491 80.0 18.6 12.1
1993 1602 89.5 17.9 18.1
1994 1641 88.5 18.5 9.6
1995 1739 92.0 18.9 11.8
1996 1739 92.0 18.9 11.8
1997 1779 92.5 19.2 108.5
1998 1793 101.5 17.7 31.8
1999 1763 100.0 17.6 41.1
2000 1812 99.0 18.3 41.3
2001 1777 101.0 17.6 42.6
2002 1590 90.5 17.6 46.2
2003 1590 90.5 17.6 46.2
2004 1511 90.5 16.7 44.4
2005 1558 97.0 16.1 45.4
2006 1558 101.5 15.3 41.5
2007 1549 103.0 15.0 40.4
2008 1491 100.5 14.8 36.7
2009 1399 91.0 15.4 46.2
2010 1310 83.0 15.7 49.4
2011 1237 81.0 15.2 53.2
2012 1207 78.0 15.4 54.4
2013 1234 78.0 15.8 55.8
2014 1249 78.0 16.0 52.8
2015 1224 76.0 16.1 61.4
2016 1160 78.0 14.8 56.4
2017 1134 79.0 14.3 53.2
2018 1136 78.0 14.5 57.1
2019 1178 81.0 14.5 53
2020 1219 79.0 15.4 52.5
2021 1272 84.0 15.1 56.5
2022 1322 84.0 15.7 57.1
2023 1317 78.0 16.8 51.6

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 Hilo High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1488 77.5 19.2 19.8
1989 1491 69.5 21.4 19.2
1990 1415 75.0 18.8 16.6
1991 1461 79.0 18.4 21.4
1992 1491 80.0 18.6 12.1
1993 1602 89.5 17.9 18.1
1994 1641 88.5 18.5 9.6
1995 1739 92.0 18.9 11.8
1996 1739 92.0 18.9 11.8
1997 1779 92.5 19.2 108.5
1998 1793 101.5 17.7 31.8
1999 1763 100.0 17.6 41.1
2000 1812 99.0 18.3 41.3
2001 1777 101.0 17.6 42.6
2002 1590 90.5 17.6 46.2
2003 1590 90.5 17.6 46.2
2004 1511 90.5 16.7 44.4
2005 1558 97.0 16.1 45.4
2006 1558 101.5 15.3 41.5
2007 1549 103.0 15.0 40.4
2008 1491 100.5 14.8 36.7
2009 1399 91.0 15.4 46.2
2010 1310 83.0 15.7 49.4
2011 1237 81.0 15.2 53.2
2012 1207 78.0 15.4 54.4
2013 1234 78.0 15.8 55.8
2014 1249 78.0 16.0 52.8
2015 1224 76.0 16.1 61.4
2016 1160 78.0 14.8 56.4
2017 1134 79.0 14.3 53.2
2018 1136 78.0 14.5 57.1
2019 1178 81.0 14.5 53
2020 1219 79.0 15.4 52.5
2021 1272 84.0 15.1 56.5
2022 1322 84.0 15.7 57.1
2023 1317 78.0 16.8 51.6

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 Hilo High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,569 (9.2%) $15,477 (90.8%) $17,046

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Hilo High 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 22nd of 52 High schoolsRanks 31st of 53 High schools
 16.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (Hilo High School)6049
 11%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5959
11th Grade Mathematics (Hilo High School)3119
 12%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)3025
 5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Hilo High School)5441
 13%
All Grades Mathematics (Hilo High School)2916
 13%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students11781317
 11.8%
African American33
American Indian40
 100%
Asian240204
 15%
Hispanic90242
 168.9%
Pacific Islander642565
 12%
White12096
 20%
Two or More Races79207
 162%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients53%51.6%
 1.3%

Schools Near Hilo High School








Frequently Asked Questions about Hilo High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,317 students attended Hilo High School.

Students at Hilo High School are 43% Pacific Islander, 18% Hispanic, 16% Two or more races, 15% Asian, 7% White.

Hilo High School ranks 29th of 67 Hawaii high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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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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