Kaala Elementary School

Summary:

Kaala Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Wahiawa, Hawaii, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 384 students. The school has a diverse student population, with the largest racial groups being Pacific Islander (40.1%), Hispanic (28.65%), and Asian (17.19%). Kaala Elementary 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.

Kaala Elementary School has consistently ranked in the lower half of Hawaii elementary schools, maintaining a 2-star rating out of 5 from SchoolDigger for the majority of the years, indicating below-average performance compared to other Hawaii elementary schools. The school's proficiency rates in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts and Mathematics are generally lower than the state averages, with only around 45-50% of students proficient or better. Additionally, Kaala Elementary School has a high chronic absenteeism rate of 28.3% in the 2023-2024 school year, which is significantly higher than the state average.

Interestingly, Kaala Elementary School's performance is generally lower than the nearby schools in the Wahiawa and Mililani areas, such as Iliahi Elementary, Kipapa Elementary, and Mililani Mauka Elementary, which have higher rankings, proficiency rates, and lower chronic absenteeism. Addressing the challenges faced by Kaala Elementary School, such as high chronic absenteeism and lower academic performance, through targeted strategies and interventions could be crucial for improving student outcomes.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 130 California Ave
       Wahiawa, HI  96786


(808) 622-6366

District: Hawaii Department of Education

SchoolDigger Rank:
106th of 207 Hawaii Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,745 Help


Students who attend Kaala Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Wahiawa Middle School
High:    Leilehua High School

Student/teacher ratio:  11.9 Help
Number of students:  383

Racial breakdown:

Pacific Islander:
38.6%
Hispanic:
25.8%
Asian:
19.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  69.2% Help


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 Compare Kaala Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Kaala Elementary School ranks worse than 51.2% of elementary schools in Hawaii. It also ranks 101st 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 54.13. (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 Kaala Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Pacific Islander (38.6%), Hispanic (25.8%), Asian (19.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 69.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Kaala Elementary School is 11.9, which is the 21st best among 183 elementary schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Kaala Elementary School employs 32 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Kaala Elementary School is $17,745, which is the 42nd highest among 183 elementary schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Kaala Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Kaala Elementary School 106th of 207 Hawaii public elementary schools. (See Kaala Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Asian 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 Kaala Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Kaala Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 15.11 180th 194 7.2%
2007 36.86 133rd 192 30.7%
2008 47.43 87th 146 40.4%
2009 57.07 78th 191 59.2%
2010 46.36 112th 183 38.8%
2011 39.00 129th 191 32.5%
2012 57.24 82nd 195 57.9%
2013 48.67 105th 196 46.4%
2015 39.14 122nd 194 37.1%
2016 54.58 93rd 195 52.3%
2017 66.98 73rd 207 64.7%
2018 46.17 104th 193 46.1%
2019 48.28 101st 196 48.5%
2021 31.58 130th 196 33.7%
2022 32.85 134th 193 30.6%
2023 41.70 116th 195 40.5%
2024 54.13 106th 207 48.8%
See the entire list of Hawaii Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Kaala Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 78.73 61st 198 69.2%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Kaala Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 50.50 117th 207 43.5%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Kaala Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 60.49 107th 203 47.3%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Kaala Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 0.00 138th 165 16.4%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Kaala Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 60.28 89th 196 54.6%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Kaala Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 72.27 71st 202 64.9%
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.

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



Data source: Hawaii Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
0%

0%

100%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Sunday, December 12, 2010

Open Quote Ka'ala is focused on student academic achievement and addressing the needs of all students. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Kaala 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 68 21 415 27 6 n/a n/a 0 537
1989 67 17 427 27 4 n/a n/a 0 542
1990 66 14 463 23 7 n/a n/a 0 573
1991 89 24 442 19 7 n/a n/a 0 581
1992 81 15 456 38 6 n/a n/a 0 596
1993 80 19 419 32 6 n/a n/a -1 555
1994 66 16 427 41 6 n/a n/a 0 556
1995 73 19 437 29 5 n/a n/a 0 563
1996 73 19 437 29 5 n/a n/a 0 563
1997 75 23 419 25 5 n/a n/a 3 550
1998 75 23 440 31 4 n/a n/a 0 573
1999 66 18 431 30 4 n/a n/a 0 549
2000 52 22 426 26 3 n/a n/a 0 529
2001 49 22 430 26 2 n/a n/a 0 529
2002 71 13 395 23 0 n/a n/a 0 502
2003 71 13 395 23 0 n/a n/a 0 502
2004 70 8 396 27 3 n/a n/a 0 504
2005 68 6 384 33 2 n/a n/a 0 493
2006 50 8 357 27 1 n/a n/a 0 443
2007 56 8 344 22 3 n/a n/a 0 433
2008 40 7 351 20 0 n/a n/a 0 418
2009 39 18 337 24 0 n/a n/a 0 418
2010 39 10 356 31 1 n/a n/a 0 437
2011 17 9 132 24 1 212 57 0 452
2012 11 9 125 32 1 228 58 0 464
2013 8 5 113 42 2 206 66 0 442
2014 10 7 122 80 1 245 46 0 511
2015 10 4 100 87 1 188 47 0 437
2016 9 4 96 108 0 155 46 0 418
2017 16 2 99 93 0 150 52 0 412
2018 14 3 94 89 1 156 54 0 411
2019 7 3 98 113 1 175 57 0 454
2020 5 2 90 112 1 178 53 0 441
2021 6 3 91 115 1 186 57 0 459
2022 7 3 77 125 0 163 47 0 422
2023 5 3 66 110 0 154 46 0 384
2024 5 1 74 99 0 148 56 0 383

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 Kaala Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 537 30.0 17.9 43
1989 542 27.0 20.0 42.4
1990 573 28.0 20.4 37.3
1991 581 30.0 19.3 30.1
1992 596 30.0 19.8 33.9
1993 555 30.0 18.5 27.9
1994 556 30.0 18.5 21.4
1995 563 31.0 18.2 22.9
1996 563 31.0 18.2 22.9
1997 550 28.0 19.6 48.1
1998 573 27.0 21.2 42.9
1999 549 28.0 19.6 51.9
2000 529 31.0 17.1 63.9
2001 529 32.0 16.5 73.5
2002 502 32.0 15.7 72.1
2003 502 32.0 15.7 72.1
2004 504 33.0 15.3 73.4
2005 493 34.5 14.3 81.7
2006 443 32.5 13.6 78.8
2007 433 32.5 13.3 77.4
2008 418 30.5 13.7 78
2009 418 28.5 14.7 75.6
2010 437 29.5 14.8 78.7
2011 452 32.5 13.9 81.9
2012 464 32.5 14.2 82.3
2013 442 32.0 13.8 83.9
2014 511 29.0 17.6 86.5
2015 437 28.0 15.6 85.8
2016 418 28.0 14.9 82.5
2017 412 29.0 14.2 77.7
2018 411 29.0 14.1 74.9
2019 454 30.0 15.1 73.3
2020 441 33.0 13.3 69.6
2021 459 33.0 13.9 71
2022 422 33.0 12.7 74.6
2023 384 32.0 12.0 70.6
2024 383 32.0 11.9 69.2

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 Kaala Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 537 30.0 17.9 43
1989 542 27.0 20.0 42.4
1990 573 28.0 20.4 37.3
1991 581 30.0 19.3 30.1
1992 596 30.0 19.8 33.9
1993 555 30.0 18.5 27.9
1994 556 30.0 18.5 21.4
1995 563 31.0 18.2 22.9
1996 563 31.0 18.2 22.9
1997 550 28.0 19.6 48.1
1998 573 27.0 21.2 42.9
1999 549 28.0 19.6 51.9
2000 529 31.0 17.1 63.9
2001 529 32.0 16.5 73.5
2002 502 32.0 15.7 72.1
2003 502 32.0 15.7 72.1
2004 504 33.0 15.3 73.4
2005 493 34.5 14.3 81.7
2006 443 32.5 13.6 78.8
2007 433 32.5 13.3 77.4
2008 418 30.5 13.7 78
2009 418 28.5 14.7 75.6
2010 437 29.5 14.8 78.7
2011 452 32.5 13.9 81.9
2012 464 32.5 14.2 82.3
2013 442 32.0 13.8 83.9
2014 511 29.0 17.6 86.5
2015 437 28.0 15.6 85.8
2016 418 28.0 14.9 82.5
2017 412 29.0 14.2 77.7
2018 411 29.0 14.1 74.9
2019 454 30.0 15.1 73.3
2020 441 33.0 13.3 69.6
2021 459 33.0 13.9 71
2022 422 33.0 12.7 74.6
2023 384 32.0 12.0 70.6
2024 383 32.0 11.9 69.2

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 Kaala Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,753 (9.9%) $15,992 (90.1%) $17,745

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Kaala 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 101st of 196 Elementary schoolsRanks 116th of 195 Elementary schools
 8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Kaala Elementary School)4956
 7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5349
 4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Kaala Elementary School)5352
 1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)5652
 4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Kaala Elementary School)6050
 10%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5251
 1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Kaala Elementary School)5149
 2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)4950
 1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Kaala Elementary School)5237
 15%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5755
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Kaala Elementary School)4033
 7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)4444
All Grades English Language Arts (Kaala Elementary School)5348
 5%
All Grades Mathematics (Kaala Elementary School)4945
 4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students454384
 15.4%
African American33
American Indian10
 100%
Asian9866
 32.7%
Hispanic113110
 2.7%
Pacific Islander175154
 12%
White75
 28.6%
Two or More Races5746
 19.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients73.3%70.6%
 2.8%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Kaala Elementary School

Kaala Elementary School ranks 106th of 207 Hawaii elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Kaala Elementary School are 39% Pacific Islander, 26% Hispanic, 19% Asian, 15% Two or more races, 1% White.

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

Middle : Wahiawa Middle School
High : Leilehua High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 383 students attended Kaala 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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