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Keaau Middle School

Summary:

Keaau Middle School is a public middle school in Keaau, Hawaii, serving 749 students in grades 6-8. While the school is part of the highly-ranked Hawaii Department of Education district, Keaau Middle School has consistently been ranked in the bottom half of Hawaii middle schools, receiving a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years.

Keaau Middle School faces several challenges, including a very high chronic absenteeism rate of 43.2%, significantly lower test scores compared to nearby Hilo Intermediate School and Waiakea Intermediate School, and a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 75.7% to 82.2%. Additionally, Keaau Middle School has a higher student-teacher ratio of 14.9 compared to 11.5 at Hilo Intermediate and 13.8 at Waiakea Intermediate.

While Keaau Middle School has a diverse student population, with significant representation of Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and students of two or more races, the school's consistent low performance suggests that it may be facing systemic challenges that are not being adequately addressed. Comparing Keaau Middle School to the relatively higher-performing Hilo Intermediate and Waiakea Intermediate schools could provide valuable insights and opportunities to learn from their practices and strategies.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 15-565 Keaau-Pahoa Rd
       Keaau, HI  96749

(808) 982-4200

District: Hawaii Department of Education

SchoolDigger Rank:
68th of 89 Hawaii Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,491 Help


Students who attend Keaau Middle School usually attend:

High:    Keaau High School

Feeder schools for Keaau Middle School:

Elementary:    Keaau Elementary School
    Mountain View Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.3 Help
Number of students:  760

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
30.7%
Pacific Islander:
28.2%
Two or more races:
16.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  73.2% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Keaau Middle School ranks worse than 76.4% of middle schools in Hawaii. It also ranks 35th among 40 ranked middle 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 15.37. (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
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Compare Details Student population at Keaau Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (30.7%), Pacific Islander (28.2%), two or more races (16.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 73.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Keaau Middle School is 14.3, which is the 15th best among 40 middle schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Keaau Middle School employs 53 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Keaau Middle School is $17,491, which is the 5th highest among 40 middle schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Keaau Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Keaau Middle School 68th of 89 Hawaii public middle schools. (See Keaau Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle 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 Keaau Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Keaau Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 25.11 54th 69 21.7%
2007 19.33 61st 71 14.1%
2008 23.35 36th 46 21.7%
2009 30.67 48th 68 29.4%
2010 33.63 46th 65 29.2%
2011 49.94 29th 71 59.2%
2012 43.66 40th 73 45.2%
2013 33.37 55th 76 27.6%
2015 21.84 56th 72 22.2%
2016 23.64 57th 73 21.9%
2017 15.94 60th 82 26.8%
2018 22.70 55th 67 17.9%
2019 21.05 55th 70 21.4%
2021 16.44 63rd 73 13.7%
2022 23.34 55th 72 23.6%
2023 15.75 63rd 73 13.7%
2024 15.37 68th 89 23.6%
See the entire list of Hawaii Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Keaau Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 22.02 57th 81 29.6%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Keaau Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 35.30 51st 89 42.7%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Keaau Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 27.86 62nd 87 28.7%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Keaau Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 28.41 59th 71 16.9%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Keaau Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 9.74 58th 68 14.7%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Keaau Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 28.56 52nd 81 35.8%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Middle Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Keaau Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 27.57 60th 86 30.2%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Middle 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.

Keaau Middle 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 Keaau Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 292 5 574 26 1 n/a n/a 0 898
1990 379 10 731 40 5 n/a n/a 0 1165
1991 419 44 753 11 1 n/a n/a 0 1228
1992 399 7 725 112 5 n/a n/a 0 1248
1993 400 6 770 105 4 n/a n/a 0 1285
1994 420 4 740 108 4 n/a n/a 0 1276
1995 410 12 884 96 6 n/a n/a 0 1408
1996 410 12 884 96 6 n/a n/a 0 1408
1997 375 12 935 93 6 n/a n/a -4 1417
1998 349 12 970 98 9 n/a n/a 0 1438
1999 162 10 399 46 10 n/a n/a 0 627
2000 155 9 413 38 8 n/a n/a 0 623
2001 161 5 480 52 7 n/a n/a 0 705
2002 141 3 434 61 8 n/a n/a 0 647
2003 141 3 434 61 8 n/a n/a 0 647
2004 151 1 407 48 4 n/a n/a 0 611
2005 110 2 426 51 6 n/a n/a 0 595
2006 127 6 445 49 6 n/a n/a 0 633
2007 110 7 444 49 3 n/a n/a 0 613
2008 99 7 449 44 5 n/a n/a 0 604
2009 86 5 450 46 6 n/a n/a 0 593
2010 86 7 472 41 15 n/a n/a 0 621
2011 83 8 154 32 15 309 1 0 602
2012 66 7 145 41 16 317 10 0 602
2013 52 4 154 38 11 301 27 0 587
2014 63 3 153 58 16 284 36 0 613
2015 71 4 139 67 12 297 39 0 629
2016 86 3 136 81 10 311 41 0 668
2017 84 6 137 95 10 327 39 0 698
2018 71 8 133 128 8 290 59 0 697
2019 67 5 121 157 9 259 94 0 712
2020 84 2 99 212 4 227 128 0 756
2021 64 2 84 211 5 217 125 0 708
2022 78 4 74 205 4 215 121 0 701
2023 85 3 86 219 4 224 128 0 749
2024 91 4 87 233 5 214 126 0 760

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 Keaau Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 898 41.0 21.9 49.3
1990 1165 55.5 20.9 47
1991 1228 63.0 19.4 41
1992 1248 68.0 18.3 45
1993 1285 68.0 18.9 40.3
1994 1276 73.0 17.5 18.8
1995 1408 83.0 17.0 21.6
1996 1408 83.0 17.0 21.6
1997 1417 77.5 18.3 63.1
1998 1438 82.0 17.5 48.3
1999 627 42.5 14.8 69.5
2000 623 38.0 16.4 71.6
2001 705 44.5 15.8 71.3
2002 647 43.0 15.0 75.7
2003 647 43.0 15.0 75.7
2004 611 41.0 14.9 77.3
2005 595 45.0 13.2 76.1
2006 633 45.0 14.1 77.6
2007 613 44.0 13.9 73.9
2008 604 47.0 12.9 67.4
2009 593 44.0 13.5 70.2
2010 621 41.0 15.1 71.7
2011 602 43.0 14.0 78.2
2012 602 45.0 13.3 79.6
2013 587 46.0 12.7 79.9
2014 613 43.0 14.2 85.8
2015 629 40.0 15.7 83.9
2016 668 45.0 14.8 86.2
2017 698 48.0 14.5 79.4
2018 697 51.0 13.6 80.9
2019 712 48.0 14.8 80.2
2020 756 50.0 15.1 80.8
2021 708 51.5 13.7 82.2
2022 701 51.5 13.6 80.5
2023 749 50.0 14.9 75.7
2024 760 53.0 14.3 73.2

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 Keaau Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 898 41.0 21.9 49.3
1990 1165 55.5 20.9 47
1991 1228 63.0 19.4 41
1992 1248 68.0 18.3 45
1993 1285 68.0 18.9 40.3
1994 1276 73.0 17.5 18.8
1995 1408 83.0 17.0 21.6
1996 1408 83.0 17.0 21.6
1997 1417 77.5 18.3 63.1
1998 1438 82.0 17.5 48.3
1999 627 42.5 14.8 69.5
2000 623 38.0 16.4 71.6
2001 705 44.5 15.8 71.3
2002 647 43.0 15.0 75.7
2003 647 43.0 15.0 75.7
2004 611 41.0 14.9 77.3
2005 595 45.0 13.2 76.1
2006 633 45.0 14.1 77.6
2007 613 44.0 13.9 73.9
2008 604 47.0 12.9 67.4
2009 593 44.0 13.5 70.2
2010 621 41.0 15.1 71.7
2011 602 43.0 14.0 78.2
2012 602 45.0 13.3 79.6
2013 587 46.0 12.7 79.9
2014 613 43.0 14.2 85.8
2015 629 40.0 15.7 83.9
2016 668 45.0 14.8 86.2
2017 698 48.0 14.5 79.4
2018 697 51.0 13.6 80.9
2019 712 48.0 14.8 80.2
2020 756 50.0 15.1 80.8
2021 708 51.5 13.7 82.2
2022 701 51.5 13.6 80.5
2023 749 50.0 14.9 75.7
2024 760 53.0 14.3 73.2

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 Keaau Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $2,138 (12.2%) $15,353 (87.8%) $17,491

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Keaau Middle 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 55th of 70 Middle schoolsRanks 63rd of 73 Middle schools
 7.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Keaau Middle School)3724
 13%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5351
 2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Keaau Middle School)259
 16%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)4139
 2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Keaau Middle School)4034
 6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5351
 2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Keaau Middle School)2013
 7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)3834
 4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Keaau Middle School)3938
 1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5250
 2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Keaau Middle School)1814
 4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)3831
 7%
All Grades English Language Arts (Keaau Middle School)3931
 8%
All Grades Mathematics (Keaau Middle School)2212
 10%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students712749
 5.2%
African American53
 40%
American Indian94
 55.6%
Asian12186
 28.9%
Hispanic157219
 39.5%
Pacific Islander259224
 13.5%
White6785
 26.9%
Two or More Races94128
 36.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients80.2%75.7%
 4.5%

Schools Near Keaau Middle School








Frequently Asked Questions about Keaau Middle School

Students at Keaau Middle School are 31% Hispanic, 28% Pacific Islander, 17% Two or more races, 12% White, 11% Asian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 760 students attended Keaau Middle School.

Students who attend Keaau Middle School usually go on to attend Keaau High School

Keaau Middle School ranks in the bottom 23.6% of Hawaii middle schools.


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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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