Is Kula Elementary School a good school?

Kula Elementary School ranks 86 th of 207 Hawaii elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Kula Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 365 students attended Kula Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Kula Elementary School?

Students at Kula Elementary School are 30% Two or more races, 25% Pacific Islander, 22% Hispanic, 19% White, 4% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Kula Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Kula Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Samuel Enoka Kalama Intermediate School High : King Kekaulike High School

Kula Elementary School

Summary:

Kula Elementary School is a public elementary school in Kula, Hawaii, serving 365 students in grades PK-5. 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.

Kula Elementary School has a relatively diverse student population, with a higher percentage of White, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander students compared to nearby schools. The school's academic performance has been mixed, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics generally on par with or slightly below the state averages. However, the school has outperformed some nearby schools, such as Lihikai Elementary, Haiku Elementary, and Kahului Elementary, in both English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency rates. Kula Elementary School also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio compared to nearby schools.

One area of concern for Kula Elementary School is its high chronic absenteeism rate of 31.1%, which is higher than the state average and most nearby schools. Additionally, the school's statewide ranking has declined over the past few years, from 44th out of 193 Hawaii elementary schools in 2017-2018 to 86th out of 207 in 2023-2024. However, the school's English Language Learner and Special Education students have performed particularly well, ranking 19th and 55th out of 198 and 207 Hawaii elementary schools, respectively, in the 2023-2024 school year.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

5000 Kula Hwy
Kula, HI 96790-8110

(808) 876-7610

District: Hawaii Department of Education

SchoolDigger Rank:
86^th of 207 Hawaii Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,886

Students who attend Kula Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Samuel Enoka Kalama Intermediate School
High:	King Kekaulike High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.6

Number of students: 365

Racial breakdown:

Two or more races:

30.1%

Pacific Islander:

24.7%

Hispanic:

21.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 49.9%

See top rated Hawaii elementary schools

Compare Kula Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Kula Elementary School ranks better than 58.5% of elementary schools in Hawaii. It also ranks 84^th among 183 ranked elementary schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.46. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a high 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

Compare Details Kula Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Hawaii Department of Education School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Kula Elementary School is $15,886. 119 elementary schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Kula Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Kula Elementary School 86^th of 207 Hawaii public elementary schools. (See Kula 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 1^st of 1 Hawaii school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Kula Elementary School.

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Your rating for Kula Elementary School?

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Rank History for Kula Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Kula Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile
2006	79.74	24^th	194	87.6%
2007	85.09	18^th	192	90.6%
2008	67.01	39^th	146	73.3%
2009	79.50	23^rd	191	88.0%
2010	71.34	37^th	183	79.8%
2011	70.33	46^th	191	75.9%
2012	71.88	49^th	195	74.9%
2013	70.38	51^st	196	74.0%
2015	66.99	62^nd	194	68.0%
2016	58.77	80^th	195	59.0%
2017	72.11	58^th	207	72.0%
2018	73.74	44^th	193	77.2%
2019	68.51	61^st	196	68.9%
2021	59.01	76^th	196	61.2%
2022	60.54	69^th	193	64.2%
2023	44.20	108^th	195	44.6%
2024	63.46	86^th	207	58.5%

See the entire list of Hawaii Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Kula Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	93.09	19^th	198	90.4%

See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Kula Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	74.08	55^th	207	73.4%

See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Kula Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	67.90	82^nd	203	59.6%

See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Kula Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	93.66	21^st	160	86.9%

See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Kula Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	96.15	18^th	165	89.1%

See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Kula Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	57.62	94^th	196	52.0%

See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Kula Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	64.16	92^nd	202	54.5%

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.

Data source: Hawaii Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, April 27, 2012

Used to be the best school on Maui, but no longer it has deteriorated badly Close Quote

Enrollment information for Kula Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	270	1	202	1	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	474
1989	285	1	224	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	511
1990	260	0	214	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	477
1991	295	2	210	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	507
1992	284	1	192	44	1	n/a	n/a	0	522
1993	282	1	189	39	1	n/a	n/a	0	512
1994	317	2	200	37	1	n/a	n/a	0	557
1995	324	3	192	34	3	n/a	n/a	-1	555
1996	324	3	192	34	3	n/a	n/a	-1	555
1997	300	1	202	39	3	n/a	n/a	31	576
1998	294	1	194	31	2	n/a	n/a	0	522
1999	271	1	207	38	1	n/a	n/a	0	518
2000	227	1	200	37	1	n/a	n/a	0	466
2001	215	1	198	37	0	n/a	n/a	0	451
2002	208	1	180	40	1	n/a	n/a	0	430
2003	208	1	180	40	1	n/a	n/a	0	430
2004	183	1	187	47	3	n/a	n/a	0	421
2005	180	3	193	32	4	n/a	n/a	0	412
2006	180	5	211	35	8	n/a	n/a	0	439
2007	182	3	203	35	5	n/a	n/a	0	428
2008	192	4	224	30	7	n/a	n/a	0	457
2009	162	3	209	25	9	n/a	n/a	0	408
2010	151	3	208	28	3	n/a	n/a	0	393
2011	174	5	43	24	6	152	11	0	415
2012	139	2	31	29	0	130	26	0	357
2013	130	1	30	40	3	128	46	0	378
2014	122	1	25	57	0	121	70	0	396
2015	114	4	21	61	0	118	73	0	391
2016	112	3	20	83	0	120	95	0	433
2017	109	2	18	86	0	107	124	0	446
2018	94	3	11	95	0	107	129	0	439
2019	102	2	14	90	0	108	135	0	451
2020	106	1	13	95	0	100	136	0	451
2021	85	1	13	83	0	89	124	0	395
2022	76	1	13	88	1	98	117	0	394
2023	70	0	14	80	1	90	110	0	365

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 Kula Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	474	23.0	20.6	16.7
1989	511	22.0	23.2	11.2
1990	477	22.0	21.6	10.1
1991	507	22.0	23.0	10.5
1992	522	22.0	23.7	7.5
1993	512	24.0	21.3	5.5
1994	557	27.0	20.6	7.7
1995	555	26.0	21.3	11.5
1996	555	26.0	21.3	11.5
1997	576	27.0	21.3	17.6
1998	522	26.0	20.1	15.1
1999	518	27.0	19.2	25.9
2000	466	26.0	17.9	22.5
2001	451	25.0	18.0	28.2
2002	430	24.0	17.9	28.6
2003	430	24.0	17.9	28.6
2004	421	23.5	17.9	27.6
2005	412	21.0	19.6	26.5
2006	439	22.0	20.0	28.2
2007	428	24.0	17.8	25.7
2008	457	24.0	19.0	21.2
2009	408	23.0	17.7	26.7
2010	393	25.0	15.7	32.8
2011	415	25.0	16.6	42.4
2012	357	24.0	14.8	43.1
2013	378	22.0	17.1	45.5
2014	396	23.0	17.2	50.5
2015	391	25.0	15.6	50.6
2016	433	25.0	17.3	49
2017	446	26.0	17.1	46.6
2018	439	30.0	14.6	44.9
2019	451	32.0	14.0	44.1
2020	451	27.0	16.7	44.1
2021	395	26.0	15.1	45.8
2022	394	26.0	15.1	49.2
2023	365	25.0	14.6	49.9

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 Kula Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	474	23.0	20.6	16.7
1989	511	22.0	23.2	11.2
1990	477	22.0	21.6	10.1
1991	507	22.0	23.0	10.5
1992	522	22.0	23.7	7.5
1993	512	24.0	21.3	5.5
1994	557	27.0	20.6	7.7
1995	555	26.0	21.3	11.5
1996	555	26.0	21.3	11.5
1997	576	27.0	21.3	17.6
1998	522	26.0	20.1	15.1
1999	518	27.0	19.2	25.9
2000	466	26.0	17.9	22.5
2001	451	25.0	18.0	28.2
2002	430	24.0	17.9	28.6
2003	430	24.0	17.9	28.6
2004	421	23.5	17.9	27.6
2005	412	21.0	19.6	26.5
2006	439	22.0	20.0	28.2
2007	428	24.0	17.8	25.7
2008	457	24.0	19.0	21.2
2009	408	23.0	17.7	26.7
2010	393	25.0	15.7	32.8
2011	415	25.0	16.6	42.4
2012	357	24.0	14.8	43.1
2013	378	22.0	17.1	45.5
2014	396	23.0	17.2	50.5
2015	391	25.0	15.6	50.6
2016	433	25.0	17.3	49
2017	446	26.0	17.1	46.6
2018	439	30.0	14.6	44.9
2019	451	32.0	14.0	44.1
2020	451	27.0	16.7	44.1
2021	395	26.0	15.1	45.8
2022	394	26.0	15.1	49.2
2023	365	25.0	14.6	49.9

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 Kula Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,087 (6.8%)	$14,799 (93.2%)	$15,886

Data source: Hawaii Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Kula 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 61^st of 196 Elementary schools	Ranks 108^th of 195 Elementary schools	24.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Kula Elementary School)	65	42	23%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)	53	49	4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Kula Elementary School)	70	41	29%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)	56	52	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Kula Elementary School)	55	52	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)	52	51	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Kula Elementary School)	51	48	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)	49	50	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Kula Elementary School)	67	50	17%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)	57	55	2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Kula Elementary School)	51	35	16%
5th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)	44	44
All Grades English Language Arts (Kula Elementary School)	63	49	14%
All Grades Mathematics (Kula Elementary School)	57	41	16%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	451	365	19.1%
African American	2	0	100%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	14	14
Hispanic	90	80	11.1%
Pacific Islander	108	90	16.7%
White	102	70	31.4%
Two or More Races	135	110	18.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	44.1%	49.9%	5.7%

Schools Near Kula Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				HSA Science (2024)	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts (2024)	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	HSA Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Kula Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5000 Kula Hwy	Kula	96790	Maui County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	No	(808) 876-7610	365	25	14.6	49.9%	70 (19.2%)	0 (0.0%)	80 (21.9%)	14 (3.8%)	1 (0.3%)	90 (24.7%)	110 (30.1%)	63.5	86^th of 207 public elementary schools	58.5%		44.2	108^th of 195 public elementary schools	44.6%	22	68.3	54.6	40.7	$15,886	$1,087	$14,799
Pukalani Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2945 Iolani St	Makawao	96768	Maui County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 573-8760	440	29	15.1	44.8%	55 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	111 (25.2%)	50 (11.4%)	0 (0.0%)	105 (23.9%)	119 (27.0%)	70.6	78^th of 207 public elementary schools	62.3%		63.7	69^th of 195 public elementary schools	64.6%	9	60.9	53.2	56.2	$16,960	$1,640	$15,320
Makawao Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3542 Baldwin Ave	Makawao	96768	Maui County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 573-8770	491	33	14.8	52.1%	100 (20.4%)	0 (0.0%)	131 (26.7%)	19 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	111 (22.6%)	130 (26.5%)	48.5	118^th of 207 public elementary schools	43.0%		39.2	120^th of 195 public elementary schools	38.5%	2	47.2	44.8	43.3	$17,005	$1,607	$15,398
Kamalii Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	180 Kealii Alanui	Kihei	96753	Maui County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	No	(808) 875-6840	396	31	12.7	27.3%	173 (43.7%)	0 (0.0%)	92 (23.2%)	19 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (8.3%)	79 (19.9%)	75.1	68^th of 207 public elementary schools	67.1%		50.1	91^st of 195 public elementary schools	53.3%	23	56.1	62.0	53.2	$16,094	$1,165	$14,929
Kihei Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	250 E Lipoa St	Kihei	96753	Maui County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 875-6818	720	54	13.3	61.8%	113 (15.7%)	3 (0.4%)	188 (26.1%)	152 (21.1%)	1 (0.1%)	129 (17.9%)	134 (18.6%)	45.3	130^th of 207 public elementary schools	37.2%		38.7	122^nd of 195 public elementary schools	37.4%	8	43.9	42.8	42.9	$16,149	$1,485	$14,664
Paia Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	955 Baldwin Ave	Paia	96779	Maui County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 579-2100	404	21	19.2	61.6%	21 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	122 (30.2%)	7 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	200 (49.5%)	53 (13.1%)	34.7	145^th of 207 public elementary schools	30.0%		42	113^th of 195 public elementary schools	42.1%	32	36.8	41.2	35.4	$14,717	$1,314	$13,403
Haiku Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	105 Pauwela Rd	Haiku	96708	Maui County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 575-3000	341	20	17.0	52.8%	160 (46.9%)	1 (0.3%)	71 (20.8%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (13.8%)	60 (17.6%)	52.8	108^th of 207 public elementary schools	47.8%		34.7	129^th of 195 public elementary schools	33.8%	21	60.0	44.4	42.9	$16,016	$1,511	$14,505
Kahului Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	410 S Hina Ave	Kahului	96732	Maui County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 873-3055	848	55	15.4	55.2%	24 (2.8%)	3 (0.4%)	123 (14.5%)	452 (53.3%)	0 (0.0%)	200 (23.6%)	46 (5.4%)	35.5	144^th of 207 public elementary schools	30.4%		32.7	133^rd of 195 public elementary schools	31.8%	11	40.2	40.2	36.0	$14,823	$1,257	$13,566
Pomaikai Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4650 S Kamehameha Ave	Kahului	96732	Maui County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	No	(808) 876-7610	518	35	15.0	17.2%	76 (14.7%)	3 (0.6%)	101 (19.5%)	121 (23.4%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (11.2%)	159 (30.7%)	83.4	43^rd of 207 public elementary schools	79.2%		71.8	54^th of 195 public elementary schools	72.3%	11	56.5	66.3	62.6	$15,889	$1,504	$14,385
Lihikai Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	335 S Papa Ave	Kahului	96732	Maui County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 873-3033	723	46	15.7	63.2%	14 (1.9%)	1 (0.1%)	120 (16.6%)	309 (42.7%)	0 (0.0%)	199 (27.5%)	80 (11.1%)	41	134^th of 207 public elementary schools	35.3%		41.9	115^th of 195 public elementary schools	41.0%	19	29.8	43.6	41.1	$16,212	$1,580	$14,632

Kula Elementary School

Kula Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Hawaii Department of Education:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Kula Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Kula Elementary School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Kula Elementary School

Rank History for Special Education students at Kula Elementary School

Rank History for Asian students at Kula Elementary School

Rank History for African American students at Kula Elementary School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Kula Elementary School

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Kula Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Kula Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Kula Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Kula Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Kula Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Kula Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Kula Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Kula Elementary School

Frequently Asked Questions about Kula Elementary School

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