Waiau Elementary School

Summary:

Waiau Elementary School is a public elementary school in Pearl City, Hawaii, serving 458 students in grades PK-6. 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.

Academically, Waiau Elementary School consistently ranks in the top 50 elementary schools in Hawaii, with 47.3% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 50% in Mathematics. The school outperforms the state average in several grade-level assessments, particularly in 5th and 6th grade English Language Arts and 5th grade Mathematics. However, the school's chronic absenteeism rate of 24.1% is higher than nearby schools like Palisades Elementary (16.2%) and Momilani Elementary (5.9%), and it has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (46.94%).

Waiau Elementary School's student population is more racially diverse than many of the surrounding schools, with a higher percentage of Hispanic (26.2%) and Pacific Islander (27.29%) students. This diversity could provide unique learning opportunities and cultural experiences for the students. While the school's academic performance is generally strong, the higher chronic absenteeism and free/reduced lunch rates suggest that the school may face unique challenges in supporting its student population, which could be an area of focus for further analysis and improvement.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 98-450 Hookanike St
       Pearl City, HI  96782


(808) 453-6530

District: Hawaii Department of Education

SchoolDigger Rank:
96th of 207 Hawaii Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,633 Help


Students who attend Waiau Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Highlands Intermediate School
High:    Pearl City High School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.0 Help
Number of students:  479

Racial breakdown:

Pacific Islander:
29.0%
Two or more races:
26.7%
Hispanic:
25.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  49.3% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Waiau Elementary School ranks better than 53.6% of elementary schools in Hawaii. It also ranks 93rd 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 57.72. (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 Waiau Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Pacific Islander (29%), two or more races (26.7%), Hispanic (25.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 49.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Waiau Elementary School is 14. 92 elementary schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Waiau Elementary School employs 34 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Waiau Elementary School is $16,633, which is the 84th highest among 183 elementary schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Waiau Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Waiau Elementary School 96th of 207 Hawaii public elementary schools. (See Waiau 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:
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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Your rating for Waiau Elementary School?

Rank History for Waiau Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Waiau Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 45.76 103rd 194 46.9%
2007 55.94 83rd 192 56.8%
2008 55.57 65th 146 55.5%
2009 60.32 66th 191 65.4%
2010 67.01 53rd 183 71.0%
2011 57.02 77th 191 59.7%
2012 54.23 91st 195 53.3%
2013 46.28 118th 196 39.8%
2015 50.43 97th 194 50.0%
2016 67.97 56th 195 71.3%
2017 86.16 40th 207 80.7%
2018 71.68 49th 193 74.6%
2019 72.84 52nd 196 73.5%
2021 72.40 50th 196 74.5%
2022 75.75 44th 193 77.2%
2023 72.44 51st 195 73.8%
2024 57.72 96th 207 53.6%
See the entire list of Hawaii Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Waiau Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 80.68 56th 198 71.7%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Waiau Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 42.50 143rd 207 30.9%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Waiau Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 78.28 53rd 203 73.9%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Waiau Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 44.18 113th 160 29.4%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Waiau Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 62.43 84th 196 57.1%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Waiau Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 58.01 104th 202 48.5%
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.

Waiau Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Hawaii Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Friday, October 14, 2016

Open Quote i went to this school! Waiau Elementary has many opportunities for children. The teachers and staff there are absolutely amazing! To me, i think that Waiau Elementary is the one of the best elementary schools is Pearl city. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Waiau Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 84 12 429 3 n/a n/a n/a 0 528
1989 85 12 453 5 0 n/a n/a 0 555
1990 81 12 473 5 1 n/a n/a 0 572
1991 74 3 474 13 1 n/a n/a 0 565
1992 98 9 471 11 1 n/a n/a 0 590
1993 107 11 460 14 2 n/a n/a -1 593
1994 95 14 483 16 1 n/a n/a 0 609
1995 103 18 410 20 1 n/a n/a 0 552
1996 103 18 410 20 1 n/a n/a 0 552
1997 99 20 420 21 1 n/a n/a 9 570
1998 94 22 474 24 1 n/a n/a 0 615
1999 95 25 515 20 0 n/a n/a 0 655
2000 99 20 537 21 1 n/a n/a 0 678
2001 94 19 539 21 1 n/a n/a 0 674
2002 89 18 513 16 0 n/a n/a 0 636
2003 89 18 513 16 0 n/a n/a 0 636
2004 81 26 501 14 3 n/a n/a 0 625
2005 85 24 499 16 1 n/a n/a 0 625
2006 78 17 507 11 3 n/a n/a 0 616
2007 84 13 465 12 5 n/a n/a 0 579
2008 67 17 470 12 3 n/a n/a 0 569
2009 65 17 460 16 3 n/a n/a 0 561
2010 61 22 478 11 2 n/a n/a 0 574
2011 32 15 188 35 0 259 38 0 567
2012 22 21 177 63 1 242 38 0 564
2013 19 15 153 103 0 212 64 0 566
2014 13 12 147 108 0 193 74 0 547
2015 12 6 112 119 0 171 82 0 502
2016 7 5 99 119 0 147 109 0 486
2017 4 4 89 119 0 136 124 0 476
2018 2 1 83 127 0 136 133 0 482
2019 8 0 82 131 0 141 127 0 489
2020 11 1 77 138 0 127 135 0 489
2021 9 1 76 138 0 122 130 0 476
2022 6 2 70 144 0 126 122 0 470
2023 10 2 76 120 0 125 125 0 458
2024 12 4 73 123 0 139 128 0 479

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 Waiau Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 528 27.0 19.5 8.1
1989 555 28.0 19.8 7.9
1990 572 28.0 20.4 10.5
1991 565 31.0 18.2 8.3
1992 590 33.5 17.6 12
1993 593 33.0 18.0 9.9
1994 609 33.0 18.5 9.2
1995 552 24.0 23.0 10.9
1996 552 24.0 23.0 10.9
1997 570 28.0 20.4 18.4
1998 615 32.0 19.2 17.4
1999 655 32.0 20.5 28.2
2000 678 37.0 18.3 32.3
2001 674 41.0 16.4 41.4
2002 636 39.0 16.3 37.9
2003 636 39.0 16.3 37.9
2004 625 38.0 16.4 35.2
2005 625 37.0 16.9 35.4
2006 616 39.0 15.8 36.7
2007 579 48.0 12.1 33.9
2008 569 37.0 15.4 37.4
2009 561 36.0 15.6 37.3
2010 574 36.0 15.9 37.8
2011 567 35.0 16.2 43
2012 564 36.0 15.6 43.4
2013 566 36.0 15.7 46.8
2014 547 35.0 15.6 46.3
2015 502 33.0 15.2 45
2016 486 34.0 14.2 45.1
2017 476 34.0 14.0 44.3
2018 482 35.0 13.7 49
2019 489 36.0 13.5 46.4
2020 489 34.0 14.3 48.3
2021 476 34.0 14.0 47.9
2022 470 34.0 13.8 49.1
2023 458 34.0 13.4 46.9
2024 479 34.0 14.0 49.3

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 Waiau Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 528 27.0 19.5 8.1
1989 555 28.0 19.8 7.9
1990 572 28.0 20.4 10.5
1991 565 31.0 18.2 8.3
1992 590 33.5 17.6 12
1993 593 33.0 18.0 9.9
1994 609 33.0 18.5 9.2
1995 552 24.0 23.0 10.9
1996 552 24.0 23.0 10.9
1997 570 28.0 20.4 18.4
1998 615 32.0 19.2 17.4
1999 655 32.0 20.5 28.2
2000 678 37.0 18.3 32.3
2001 674 41.0 16.4 41.4
2002 636 39.0 16.3 37.9
2003 636 39.0 16.3 37.9
2004 625 38.0 16.4 35.2
2005 625 37.0 16.9 35.4
2006 616 39.0 15.8 36.7
2007 579 48.0 12.1 33.9
2008 569 37.0 15.4 37.4
2009 561 36.0 15.6 37.3
2010 574 36.0 15.9 37.8
2011 567 35.0 16.2 43
2012 564 36.0 15.6 43.4
2013 566 36.0 15.7 46.8
2014 547 35.0 15.6 46.3
2015 502 33.0 15.2 45
2016 486 34.0 14.2 45.1
2017 476 34.0 14.0 44.3
2018 482 35.0 13.7 49
2019 489 36.0 13.5 46.4
2020 489 34.0 14.3 48.3
2021 476 34.0 14.0 47.9
2022 470 34.0 13.8 49.1
2023 458 34.0 13.4 46.9
2024 479 34.0 14.0 49.3

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 Waiau Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,345 (8.1%) $15,288 (91.9%) $16,633

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Waiau 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 52nd of 196 Elementary schoolsRanks 51st of 195 Elementary schools
 0.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Waiau Elementary School)5951
 8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5349
 4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Waiau Elementary School)5753
 4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)5652
 4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Waiau Elementary School)6358
 5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5251
 1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Waiau Elementary School)5056
 6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)4950
 1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Waiau Elementary School)7064
 6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5755
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Waiau Elementary School)5968
 9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)4444
6th Grade English Language Arts (Waiau Elementary School)7182
 11%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5351
 2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Waiau Elementary School)6360
 3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)4139
 2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Waiau Elementary School)6650
 16%
All Grades Mathematics (Waiau Elementary School)5947
 12%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students489458
 6.3%
African American02
American Indian00
Asian8276
 7.3%
Hispanic131120
 8.4%
Pacific Islander141125
 11.3%
White810
 25%
Two or More Races127125
 1.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients46.4%46.9%
 0.5%


Schools Near Waiau Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Waiau Elementary School

In the 2023-24 school year, 479 students attended Waiau Elementary School.

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

Middle : Highlands Intermediate School
High : Pearl City High School

Waiau Elementary School ranks 96th of 207 Hawaii elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Waiau Elementary School are 29% Pacific Islander, 27% Two or more races, 26% Hispanic, 15% Asian, 3% White.


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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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