Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School

Summary:

Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-5 in Honolulu, Hawaii, with a student population of 394. The school is part of the Hawaii Department of Education district, which is ranked 5 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger.

Despite being part of a highly-ranked district, Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School consistently underperforms, ranking in the bottom quarter of Hawaii elementary schools with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are all below 35%, significantly lower than the state averages. Additionally, the school has a high chronic absenteeism rate of 33.4%, much higher than the state average and nearby schools like Kapalama Elementary School, which has a chronic absenteeism rate of only 16.5%.

The school's challenges extend to specific student subgroups as well, with the school ranking 147th out of 196 Hawaii elementary schools for Pacific Islander students, 150th out of 198 for English Language Learners, and 87th out of 207 for Special Education students. However, the school's relatively strong performance for Special Education students suggests there may be opportunities for improvement in other areas. Addressing the school's high percentage of economically disadvantaged students and English Language Learners, as well as the chronic absenteeism issue, could be crucial in helping Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School improve and better serve its community.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1121 Middle St
       Honolulu, HI  96819


(808) 832-3040

District: Hawaii Department of Education

SchoolDigger Rank:
159th of 207 Hawaii Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,487 Help


Students who attend Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    King David Kalakaua Middle School
High:    Governor Wallace Rider Farrington High School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.5 Help
Number of students:  394

Racial breakdown:

Pacific Islander:
50.3%
Asian:
33.8%
Two or more races:
10.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  75.4% Help


 See top rated Hawaii elementary schools

 Compare Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School ranks worse than 76.8% of elementary schools in Hawaii. It also ranks 149th 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 27.26. (See more...)
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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 Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Hawaii Department of Education School District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School is $17,487, which is the 53rd highest among 183 elementary schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School 159th of 207 Hawaii public elementary schools. (See Mayor Joseph J Fern 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:


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 Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 8.24 192nd 194 1.0%
2007 10.80 184th 192 4.2%
2008 5.19 143rd 146 2.1%
2009 10.28 179th 191 6.3%
2010 15.18 169th 183 7.7%
2011 16.71 175th 191 8.4%
2012 27.30 162nd 195 16.9%
2013 22.51 173rd 196 11.7%
2015 12.90 177th 194 8.8%
2016 23.20 156th 195 20.0%
2017 16.28 180th 207 13.0%
2018 11.61 181st 193 6.2%
2019 6.54 191st 196 2.6%
2021 16.42 172nd 196 12.2%
2022 20.52 159th 193 17.6%
2023 18.17 170th 195 12.8%
2024 27.26 159th 207 23.2%
See the entire list of Hawaii Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 40.04 150th 198 24.2%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 64.41 87th 207 58.0%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 35.23 162nd 203 20.2%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 89.18 32nd 160 80.0%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 34.14 147th 196 25.0%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander 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.

Mayor Joseph J Fern 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)
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100%

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Mayor Joseph J Fern 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 27 8 502 6 1 n/a n/a 0 544
1989 21 2 520 7 0 n/a n/a 0 550
1990 19 1 499 7 0 n/a n/a 0 526
1991 26 3 516 2 0 n/a n/a 0 547
1992 42 2 527 10 2 n/a n/a 0 583
1993 45 3 505 18 2 n/a n/a 0 573
1994 53 3 499 18 1 n/a n/a 0 574
1995 40 3 492 15 0 n/a n/a 0 550
1996 40 3 492 15 0 n/a n/a 0 550
1997 38 3 540 15 0 n/a n/a 1 597
1998 34 6 518 20 0 n/a n/a 0 578
1999 27 5 515 22 0 n/a n/a 0 569
2000 30 10 537 13 0 n/a n/a 0 590
2001 28 10 521 13 0 n/a n/a 0 572
2002 39 7 468 8 0 n/a n/a 0 522
2003 39 7 468 8 0 n/a n/a 0 522
2004 42 9 503 7 0 n/a n/a 0 561
2005 49 10 465 6 0 n/a n/a 0 530
2006 61 11 480 10 0 n/a n/a 0 562
2007 58 6 398 8 1 n/a n/a 0 471
2008 71 8 406 7 1 n/a n/a 0 493
2009 81 4 426 7 1 n/a n/a 0 519
2010 71 3 405 13 1 n/a n/a 0 493
2011 8 5 214 7 0 197 71 0 502
2012 6 4 220 7 0 247 53 0 537
2013 7 2 206 18 0 263 20 0 516
2014 12 2 199 26 0 271 29 0 539
2015 10 0 171 32 0 286 40 0 539
2016 5 0 156 39 0 259 49 0 508
2017 1 0 155 36 0 211 51 0 454
2018 1 1 143 34 0 214 45 0 438
2019 2 0 148 37 0 207 51 0 445
2020 1 0 149 30 0 177 52 0 409
2021 0 0 148 27 0 192 48 0 415
2022 0 0 141 20 0 187 42 0 390
2023 3 1 133 19 0 198 40 0 394

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 Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 544 31.0 17.5 54.6
1989 550 28.0 19.6 49.6
1990 526 26.0 20.2 48.5
1991 547 27.0 20.2 39.9
1992 583 31.0 18.8 42.4
1993 573 30.0 19.1 41.2
1994 574 33.0 17.4 32.4
1995 550 28.0 19.6 26.4
1996 550 28.0 19.6 26.4
1997 597 30.0 19.9 60.4
1998 578 31.0 18.6 52.1
1999 569 31.0 18.4 59.8
2000 590 28.5 20.7 66.9
2001 572 30.5 18.8 75
2002 522 31.0 16.8 78.7
2003 522 31.0 16.8 78.7
2004 561 32.0 17.5 80
2005 530 33.0 16.1 77.9
2006 562 35.0 16.1 72.4
2007 471 32.0 14.7 79.2
2008 493 32.0 15.4 64.3
2009 519 32.0 16.2 78.8
2010 493 32.0 15.4 79.1
2011 502 31.0 16.1 81.1
2012 537 34.0 15.7 84.4
2013 516 33.5 15.4 81.6
2014 539 33.5 16.0 84.4
2015 539 35.0 15.4 84.2
2016 508 36.0 14.1 84.3
2017 454 33.5 13.5 83.7
2018 438 30.5 14.3 79.9
2019 445 31.0 14.3 78.9
2020 409 32.0 12.7 77.5
2021 415 33.0 12.5 77.6
2022 390 33.0 11.8 81.3
2023 394 29.0 13.5 75.4

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 Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 544 31.0 17.5 54.6
1989 550 28.0 19.6 49.6
1990 526 26.0 20.2 48.5
1991 547 27.0 20.2 39.9
1992 583 31.0 18.8 42.4
1993 573 30.0 19.1 41.2
1994 574 33.0 17.4 32.4
1995 550 28.0 19.6 26.4
1996 550 28.0 19.6 26.4
1997 597 30.0 19.9 60.4
1998 578 31.0 18.6 52.1
1999 569 31.0 18.4 59.8
2000 590 28.5 20.7 66.9
2001 572 30.5 18.8 75
2002 522 31.0 16.8 78.7
2003 522 31.0 16.8 78.7
2004 561 32.0 17.5 80
2005 530 33.0 16.1 77.9
2006 562 35.0 16.1 72.4
2007 471 32.0 14.7 79.2
2008 493 32.0 15.4 64.3
2009 519 32.0 16.2 78.8
2010 493 32.0 15.4 79.1
2011 502 31.0 16.1 81.1
2012 537 34.0 15.7 84.4
2013 516 33.5 15.4 81.6
2014 539 33.5 16.0 84.4
2015 539 35.0 15.4 84.2
2016 508 36.0 14.1 84.3
2017 454 33.5 13.5 83.7
2018 438 30.5 14.3 79.9
2019 445 31.0 14.3 78.9
2020 409 32.0 12.7 77.5
2021 415 33.0 12.5 77.6
2022 390 33.0 11.8 81.3
2023 394 29.0 13.5 75.4

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 Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,896 (10.8%) $15,591 (89.2%) $17,487

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Mayor Joseph J Fern 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 191st of 196 Elementary schoolsRanks 170th of 195 Elementary schools
 10.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School)2729
 2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5349
 4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School)3227
 5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)5652
 4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School)2544
 19%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5251
 1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School)2136
 15%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)4950
 1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School)1835
 17%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5755
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School)1021
 11%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)4444
All Grades English Language Arts (Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School)2436
 12%
All Grades Mathematics (Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School)2129
 8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students445394
 11.5%
African American01
American Indian00
Asian148133
 10.1%
Hispanic3719
 48.6%
Pacific Islander207198
 4.3%
White23
 50%
Two or More Races5140
 21.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients78.9%75.4%
 3.5%


Schools Near Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School

Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School ranks in the bottom 23.2% of Hawaii elementary schools.

Students at Mayor Joseph J Fern Elementary School are 50% Pacific Islander, 34% Asian, 10% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic.

In the 2022-23 school year, 394 students attended Mayor Joseph J Fern 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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