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Kealakehe High School

Summary:

Kealakehe High School is a public high school in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, serving around 1,450 students in grades 9-12. 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.

Kealakehe High School has had a fluctuating ranking within the state, ranging from 10th to 34th out of 67 Hawaii high schools in recent years, with a relatively stable 3-star rating. The school performs particularly well for Asian and African American students, ranking 12th and 16th out of 65 and 55 Hawaii high schools, respectively, in the 2023-2024 school year. However, the school struggles with Pacific Islander and English Language Learner (ELL) students, ranking 44th and 46th out of 61 and 59 Hawaii high schools, respectively, in the same year. Kealakehe High School has a 75.1% four-year graduation rate, slightly lower than the nearby Konawaena High School at 74.2%.

Kealakehe High School has a relatively high chronic absenteeism rate of 19.5% for the 2023-2024 school year, compared to 31.0% for Konawaena High School and 28.1% for West Hawaii Explorations Academy. In the same year, the school had lower proficiency rates in Smarter Balanced Assessments/English Language Arts, Smarter Balanced Assessments/Mathematics, and HSA/Biology I compared to the nearby schools. Kealakehe High School also has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 47.86% to 56.08% in recent years.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 74-5000 Puohulihuli St
       Kailua Kona, HI  96740

(808) 327-4300

District: Hawaii Department of Education

SchoolDigger Rank:
34th of 67 Hawaii High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,828 Help


Feeder schools for Kealakehe High School:

Elementary:    Holualoa Elementary School
    Kealakehe Elementary School
    Waikoloa Elementary and Middle School
Middle:    Kealakehe Intermediate School

Student/teacher ratio:  17.9 Help
Number of students:  1,450

Racial breakdown:

Pacific Islander:
40.4%
White:
18.9%
Asian:
15.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  47.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Kealakehe High School ranks worse than 50.7% of high schools in Hawaii. It also ranks 27th among 44 ranked high schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 45.79. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Kealakehe High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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
Help
Compare Details Kealakehe High School has the largest high school student body size in the Hawaii Department of Education School District.  (See more...)
Teachers
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Kealakehe High School is $14,828. 34 high schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Kealakehe High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Kealakehe High School 34th of 67 Hawaii public high schools. (See Kealakehe High School in the ranking list.)

High 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 1st of 1 Hawaii school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Kealakehe High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Kealakehe High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 67.52 16th 56 71.4%
2007 45.22 37th 60 38.3%
2008 60.73 15th 39 61.5%
2009 64.00 15th 55 72.7%
2010 67.60 17th 56 69.6%
2011 54.57 23rd 56 58.9%
2012 55.31 29th 58 50.0%
2013 76.20 10th 56 82.1%
2015 47.02 30th 51 41.2%
2016 71.72 12th 53 77.4%
2017 55.17 13th 63 79.4%
2018 64.62 16th 53 69.8%
2019 46.91 31st 52 40.4%
2021 61.19 22nd 48 54.2%
2022 53.22 24th 52 53.8%
2023 65.52 20th 53 62.3%
2024 45.79 34th 67 49.3%
See the entire list of Hawaii High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Kealakehe High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 22.57 46th 59 22.0%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Kealakehe High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 57.72 25th 67 62.7%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Kealakehe High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 72.75 12th 65 81.5%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Kealakehe High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 65.78 16th 55 70.9%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Kealakehe High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 60.90 21st 52 59.6%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Kealakehe High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 24.45 44th 61 27.9%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Kealakehe High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 52.42 31st 64 51.6%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High 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.

Kealakehe High School Test Scores
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Data source: Hawaii Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Kealakehe High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1998 159 4 212 19 8 n/a n/a 0 402
1999 323 9 403 32 12 n/a n/a 0 779
2000 442 11 594 55 17 n/a n/a 0 1119
2001 573 13 796 81 12 n/a n/a 0 1475
2002 521 15 842 50 9 n/a n/a 0 1437
2003 521 15 842 50 9 n/a n/a 0 1437
2004 461 9 895 59 16 n/a n/a 0 1440
2005 489 12 873 66 10 n/a n/a 0 1450
2006 578 7 912 59 9 n/a n/a 0 1565
2007 525 11 935 83 13 n/a n/a 0 1567
2008 588 8 936 93 13 n/a n/a 0 1638
2009 532 10 970 122 16 n/a n/a 0 1650
2010 508 17 958 114 13 n/a n/a 0 1610
2011 396 16 317 81 15 505 208 0 1538
2012 397 18 318 93 14 507 194 0 1541
2013 357 19 325 89 15 514 151 0 1470
2014 360 17 301 87 18 499 114 0 1396
2015 294 16 291 98 15 500 85 0 1299
2016 266 10 273 101 19 497 71 0 1237
2017 277 11 289 110 16 514 64 0 1281
2018 268 8 274 111 12 579 59 0 1311
2019 291 9 259 117 12 620 66 0 1374
2020 286 11 245 121 9 609 76 0 1357
2021 299 8 245 130 11 620 94 0 1407
2022 276 4 231 171 9 563 103 0 1357
2023 274 4 231 217 4 586 134 0 1450

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 Kealakehe High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 402 19.5 20.6 28.9
1999 779 38.0 20.5 39.4
2000 1119 53.5 20.9 36.6
2001 1475 68.5 21.5 28.8
2002 1437 74.5 19.3 28
2003 1437 74.5 19.3 28
2004 1440 74.0 19.5 22.6
2005 1450 74.0 19.6 40.3
2006 1565 75.0 20.9 26.7
2007 1567 76.5 20.5 29.9
2008 1638 85.5 19.2 33.8
2009 1650 79.0 20.9 35.2
2010 1610 85.5 18.8 39.8
2011 1538 88.0 17.4 48.8
2012 1541 83.5 18.4 48.1
2013 1470 81.5 18.0 52
2014 1396 80.5 17.3 51.4
2015 1299 70.0 18.5 53.6
2016 1237 70.0 17.6 51.1
2017 1281 69.0 18.5 50.2
2018 1311 74.0 17.7 51
2019 1374 75.0 18.3 50.5
2020 1357 78.0 17.3 49.7
2021 1407 80.5 17.4 56.1
2022 1357 80.5 16.8 50.3
2023 1450 81.0 17.9 47.9

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 Kealakehe High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 402 19.5 20.6 28.9
1999 779 38.0 20.5 39.4
2000 1119 53.5 20.9 36.6
2001 1475 68.5 21.5 28.8
2002 1437 74.5 19.3 28
2003 1437 74.5 19.3 28
2004 1440 74.0 19.5 22.6
2005 1450 74.0 19.6 40.3
2006 1565 75.0 20.9 26.7
2007 1567 76.5 20.5 29.9
2008 1638 85.5 19.2 33.8
2009 1650 79.0 20.9 35.2
2010 1610 85.5 18.8 39.8
2011 1538 88.0 17.4 48.8
2012 1541 83.5 18.4 48.1
2013 1470 81.5 18.0 52
2014 1396 80.5 17.3 51.4
2015 1299 70.0 18.5 53.6
2016 1237 70.0 17.6 51.1
2017 1281 69.0 18.5 50.2
2018 1311 74.0 17.7 51
2019 1374 75.0 18.3 50.5
2020 1357 78.0 17.3 49.7
2021 1407 80.5 17.4 56.1
2022 1357 80.5 16.8 50.3
2023 1450 81.0 17.9 47.9

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 Kealakehe High School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,132 (7.6%) $13,696 (92.4%) $14,828

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Kealakehe High 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 31st of 52 High schoolsRanks 20th of 53 High schools
 21.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (Kealakehe High School)5660
 4%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5959
11th Grade Mathematics (Kealakehe High School)2728
 1%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)3025
 5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Kealakehe High School)5352
 1%
All Grades Mathematics (Kealakehe High School)2622
 4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students13741450
 5.5%
African American94
 55.6%
American Indian124
 66.7%
Asian259231
 10.8%
Hispanic117217
 85.5%
Pacific Islander620586
 5.5%
White291274
 5.8%
Two or More Races66134
 103%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients50.5%47.9%
 2.6%

Schools Near Kealakehe High School








Frequently Asked Questions about Kealakehe High School

Kealakehe High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Holualoa Elementary School
Elementary : Kealakehe Elementary School
Elementary : Waikoloa Elementary and Middle School
Middle : Kealakehe Intermediate School

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,450 students attended Kealakehe High School.

Students at Kealakehe High School are 40% Pacific Islander, 19% White, 16% Asian, 15% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races.

Kealakehe High School ranks 34th of 67 Hawaii high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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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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