Is Pahoa Elementary School a good school?

Pahoa Elementary School ranks in the bottom 8.2% of Hawaii elementary schools.

How many students attend Pahoa Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 377 students attended Pahoa Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Pahoa Elementary School?

Students at Pahoa Elementary School are 33% Pacific Islander, 32% Hispanic, 19% Two or more races, 9% White, 6% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Pahoa Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Pahoa Elementary School usually go on to attend: High : Pahoa High & Intermediate School

Pahoa Elementary School

Summary:

Pahoa Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-6 in Pahoa, Hawaii, with a student population of 377. The school is part of the Hawaii Department of Education district, which is ranked 5 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger.

Pahoa Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Hawaii elementary schools, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years. The school's academic performance, as measured by proficiency rates on state assessments, is significantly lower than the state and nearby school averages. For example, in the 2022-2023 school year, the school's proficiency rates were 24% in ELA and 21% in Math, compared to the state averages of 49-55% in ELA and 39-52% in Math. Additionally, Pahoa Elementary School has a very high chronic absenteeism rate of 44.0% in the 2023-2024 school year, which is significantly higher than the state average and the nearby schools.

Pahoa Elementary School's performance lags significantly behind the nearby schools in the district, such as Keaukaha Elementary, Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary, and Waiakeawaena Elementary, which have higher academic proficiency rates, lower chronic absenteeism, and better overall SchoolDigger ratings. The school's challenges appear to be exacerbated by high poverty levels among its student population, with 79.58% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

15-3030 Puna Rd
Pahoa, HI 96778

(808) 965-2141

District: Hawaii Department of Education

SchoolDigger Rank:
190^th of 207 Hawaii Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,183

Students who attend Pahoa Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Pahoa High & Intermediate School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.5

Number of students: 377

Racial breakdown:

Pacific Islander:

33.2%

Hispanic:

31.6%

Two or more races:

18.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 79.6%

See top rated Hawaii elementary schools

Compare Pahoa Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Pahoa Elementary School ranks worse than 91.8% of elementary schools in Hawaii. It also ranks 173^rd 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 13.24. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Pahoa 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 Pahoa Elementary School is $17,183, which is the 65^th highest among 183 elementary schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Pahoa Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Pahoa Elementary School 190^th of 207 Hawaii public elementary schools. (See Pahoa 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.)

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Your rating for Pahoa Elementary School?

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Rank History for Pahoa Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Pahoa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile
2006	19.72	174^th	194	10.3%
2007	23.99	160^th	192	16.7%
2008	21.84	123^rd	146	15.8%
2009	15.71	174^th	191	8.9%
2010	35.25	135^th	183	26.2%
2011	27.00	159^th	191	16.8%
2012	37.21	142^nd	195	27.2%
2013	60.53	73^rd	196	62.8%
2015	45.44	106^th	194	45.4%
2016	33.59	138^th	195	29.2%
2017	31.34	158^th	207	23.7%
2018	20.36	168^th	193	13.0%
2019	25.64	158^th	196	19.4%
2021	13.13	176^th	196	10.2%
2022	9.57	183^rd	193	5.2%
2023	8.98	186^th	195	4.6%
2024	13.24	190^th	207	8.2%

See the entire list of Hawaii Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Pahoa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	33.96	162^nd	198	18.2%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Pahoa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	45.10	132^nd	207	36.2%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Pahoa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	37.95	154^th	203	24.1%

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

Rank History for African American students at Pahoa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	32.29	125^th	160	21.9%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Pahoa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	52.62	95^th	165	42.4%

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

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Pahoa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	39.27	133^rd	196	32.1%

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

Rank History for White students at Pahoa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	HI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	21.02	184^th	202	8.9%

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.

Data source: Hawaii Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Pahoa Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1994	216	9	377	32	8	n/a	n/a	0	642
1995	232	7	400	34	5	n/a	n/a	0	678
1996	232	7	400	34	5	n/a	n/a	0	678
1997	179	11	395	23	10	n/a	n/a	16	634
1998	182	11	369	33	12	n/a	n/a	0	607
1999	190	12	377	33	11	n/a	n/a	0	623
2000	181	13	375	29	9	n/a	n/a	0	607
2001	151	10	359	22	10	n/a	n/a	0	552
2002	106	2	306	23	7	n/a	n/a	0	444
2003	106	2	306	23	7	n/a	n/a	0	444
2004	95	2	268	19	9	n/a	n/a	0	393
2005	87	1	229	13	9	n/a	n/a	0	339
2006	99	3	223	5	12	n/a	n/a	0	342
2007	77	5	247	12	20	n/a	n/a	0	361
2008	76	3	257	13	15	n/a	n/a	0	364
2009	88	4	275	16	14	n/a	n/a	0	397
2010	93	3	283	20	15	n/a	n/a	0	414
2011	71	4	67	16	10	202	54	0	424
2012	64	2	72	37	12	211	49	0	447
2013	51	1	69	78	10	200	61	0	470
2014	54	1	57	94	5	176	45	0	432
2015	56	3	55	90	0	189	57	0	450
2016	49	2	47	102	0	156	67	0	423
2017	50	2	51	118	0	144	73	0	438
2018	34	1	49	119	3	117	76	0	399
2019	26	1	47	108	3	101	76	0	362
2020	33	1	37	124	2	95	74	0	366
2021	22	3	34	108	2	103	71	0	343
2022	41	1	25	118	3	108	67	0	363
2023	35	0	24	119	3	125	71	0	377

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 Pahoa Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	642	35.0	18.3	26.9
1995	678	35.0	19.4	32.3
1996	678	35.0	19.4	32.3
1997	634	37.5	16.9	73.5
1998	607	34.5	17.6	62.9
1999	623	38.5	16.2	73.5
2000	607	36.0	16.9	67.5
2001	552	35.5	15.5	83
2002	444	24.5	18.1	88.3
2003	444	24.5	18.1	88.3
2004	393	25.5	15.4	86
2005	339	22.5	15.1	75.8
2006	342	22.0	15.5	75.7
2007	361	25.0	14.4	75.9
2008	364	23.0	15.8	73.4
2009	397	25.0	15.9	81.1
2010	414	26.0	15.9	79.5
2011	424	26.5	16.0	87.3
2012	447	26.0	17.1	88.1
2013	470	29.0	16.2	89.8
2014	432	31.0	13.9	91.2
2015	450	28.0	16.0	89.3
2016	423	27.0	15.6	89.6
2017	438	28.0	15.6	87.2
2018	399	27.0	14.7	86
2019	362	25.0	14.4	89
2020	366	24.0	15.2	86.6
2021	343	25.0	13.7	89.5
2022	363	25.0	14.5	86.8
2023	377	26.0	14.5	79.6

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 Pahoa Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	642	35.0	18.3	26.9
1995	678	35.0	19.4	32.3
1996	678	35.0	19.4	32.3
1997	634	37.5	16.9	73.5
1998	607	34.5	17.6	62.9
1999	623	38.5	16.2	73.5
2000	607	36.0	16.9	67.5
2001	552	35.5	15.5	83
2002	444	24.5	18.1	88.3
2003	444	24.5	18.1	88.3
2004	393	25.5	15.4	86
2005	339	22.5	15.1	75.8
2006	342	22.0	15.5	75.7
2007	361	25.0	14.4	75.9
2008	364	23.0	15.8	73.4
2009	397	25.0	15.9	81.1
2010	414	26.0	15.9	79.5
2011	424	26.5	16.0	87.3
2012	447	26.0	17.1	88.1
2013	470	29.0	16.2	89.8
2014	432	31.0	13.9	91.2
2015	450	28.0	16.0	89.3
2016	423	27.0	15.6	89.6
2017	438	28.0	15.6	87.2
2018	399	27.0	14.7	86
2019	362	25.0	14.4	89
2020	366	24.0	15.2	86.6
2021	343	25.0	13.7	89.5
2022	363	25.0	14.5	86.8
2023	377	26.0	14.5	79.6

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 Pahoa Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,406 (8.2%)	$15,777 (91.8%)	$17,183

Data source: Hawaii Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Pahoa 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 158^th of 196 Elementary schools	Ranks 186^th of 195 Elementary schools	14.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pahoa Elementary School)	37	23	14%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)	53	49	4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Pahoa Elementary School)	34	26	8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)	56	52	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pahoa Elementary School)	22	23	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)	52	51	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Pahoa Elementary School)	24	23	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)	49	50	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pahoa Elementary School)	61	20	41%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)	57	55	2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Pahoa Elementary School)	43	15	28%
5th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)	44	44
6th Grade English Language Arts (Pahoa Elementary School)	38	27	11%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)	53	51	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Pahoa Elementary School)	32	17	15%
6th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)	41	39	2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pahoa Elementary School)	40	24	16%
All Grades Mathematics (Pahoa Elementary School)	34	21	13%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	362	377	4.1%
African American	1	0	100%
American Indian	3	3
Asian	47	24	48.9%
Hispanic	108	119	10.2%
Pacific Islander	101	125	23.8%
White	26	35	34.6%
Two or More Races	76	71	6.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	89%	79.6%	9.4%

Schools Near Pahoa 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
Pahoa Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	15-3030 Puna Rd	Pahoa	96778	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 965-2141	377	26	14.5	79.6%	35 (9.3%)	0 (0.0%)	119 (31.6%)	24 (6.4%)	3 (0.8%)	125 (33.2%)	71 (18.8%)	13.2	190^th of 207 public elementary schools	8.2%		9	186^th of 195 public elementary schools	4.6%	4	35.2	22.7	19.1	$17,183	$1,406	$15,777
Keonepoko Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	15-890 Kahakai Blvd	Pahoa	96778	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 965-2131	562	43	13.0	74.7%	55 (9.8%)	2 (0.4%)	188 (33.5%)	22 (3.9%)	2 (0.4%)	197 (35.1%)	96 (17.1%)	11.2	192^nd of 207 public elementary schools	7.2%		7.1	190^th of 195 public elementary schools	2.6%	2	20.8	27.7	18.8	$18,851	$2,116	$16,735
Ke Kula o Nawahiokalaniopuu Iki - Laboratory PCS	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	16-120 Opukahaia St	Keaau	96749	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 982-4260	460	40	11.5	56.3%	12 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	73 (15.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	328 (71.3%)	45 (9.8%)	1.7	206^th of 207 public elementary schools	0.5%					(n/a)	14.3	3.7	3.0	$11,792	$3,474	$8,318
Keaau Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	16-680 Keaau-Pahoa Rd	Keaau	96749	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 982-4210	821	54	15.2	63.0%	57 (6.9%)	3 (0.4%)	237 (28.9%)	117 (14.3%)	2 (0.2%)	226 (27.5%)	179 (21.8%)	21.4	171^st of 207 public elementary schools	17.4%		19.8	166^th of 195 public elementary schools	14.9%	5	21.7	34.2	28.6	$16,336	$1,183	$15,153
Mountain View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	18-1235 Volcano Hwy	Mountain View	96771	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 968-2300	493	36	13.8	78.3%	63 (12.8%)	2 (0.4%)	182 (36.9%)	16 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	136 (27.6%)	94 (19.1%)	37.5	140^th of 207 public elementary schools	32.4%		9.8	185^th of 195 public elementary schools	5.1%	45	35.8	41.9	37.9	$17,850	$1,456	$16,394
Na Wai Ola - PCS	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	18-1355 Volcano Hwy	Mountain View	96771	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 968-2318	96	18	5.3	55.2%	18 (18.8%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (26.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (33.3%)	21 (21.9%)	9.1	194^th of 207 public elementary schools	6.3%		11	182^nd of 195 public elementary schools	6.7%	12	14.3	26.3	16.1	$11,373	$3,833	$7,540
Kua o ka La - NCPCS	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	345 Makalika	Hilo	96720	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 981-5866	164	13	12.6	81.7%	31 (18.9%)	2 (1.2%)	46 (28.0%)	2 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (31.1%)	32 (19.5%)	21.2	172^nd of 207 public elementary schools	16.9%		25.1	154^th of 195 public elementary schools	21.0%	18	25.0	39.0	18.8	$17,711	$6,696	$11,015
Waiakeawaena Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2420 Kilauea Ave	Hilo	96720	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 981-7200	684	51	13.4	51.9%	32 (4.7%)	1 (0.1%)	196 (28.7%)	82 (12.0%)	0 (0.0%)	160 (23.4%)	213 (31.1%)	59.6	90^th of 207 public elementary schools	56.5%		55.9	81^st of 195 public elementary schools	58.5%	9	56.5	45.8	51.1	$16,286	$1,496	$14,790
Waiakea Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	180 W Puainako St	Hilo	96720	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 981-7215	789	53	14.8	55.5%	31 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	174 (22.1%)	106 (13.4%)	0 (0.0%)	243 (30.8%)	235 (29.8%)	56.8	97^th of 207 public elementary schools	53.1%		43.2	111^th of 195 public elementary schools	43.1%	14	56.4	47.8	45.7	$15,167	$1,077	$14,090
Keaukaha Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	240 Desha Ave	Hilo	96720	Hawaii County	Hawaii Department of Education	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(808) 974-4181	369	29	12.7	67.8%	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	111 (30.1%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	208 (56.4%)	44 (11.9%)	34.2	146^th of 207 public elementary schools	29.5%		27.5	148^th of 195 public elementary schools	24.1%	2	43.2	41.1	32.9	$18,443	$2,308	$16,135

Pahoa Elementary School

Pahoa Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Hawaii Department of Education:

What do you think?

Rank History for Pahoa Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Pahoa Elementary School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Pahoa Elementary School

Rank History for Special Education students at Pahoa Elementary School

Rank History for Asian students at Pahoa Elementary School

Rank History for African American students at Pahoa Elementary School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Pahoa Elementary School

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Pahoa Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Pahoa Elementary School

Enrollment information for Pahoa Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Pahoa Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Pahoa Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Pahoa Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Pahoa Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Pahoa Elementary School

Frequently Asked Questions about Pahoa Elementary School

Rate Pahoa Elementary School!

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