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Kohala High School

Summary:

Kohala High School is a public high school located in Kapaau, Hawaii, serving 275 students in grades 9-12. As part of the Hawaii Department of Education district, the school has a unique racial makeup, with a higher percentage of Pacific Islander (38.18%) and Asian (22.91%) students compared to the state average.

Kohala High School's academic performance has been mixed, with fluctuations in its statewide ranking over the years. While the school performs well in certain subject areas, such as English Language Arts (60.94% proficient or better), it struggles in Mathematics (13.85% proficient or better) and Biology I (21.13% proficient or better). Interestingly, the school excels in specific student subgroups, ranking 2nd out of 52 Hawaii high schools for Hispanic students and 2nd out of 67 high schools for Special Education students, both with a 5-star rating.

Despite its strong four-year graduation rate of 92.6%, Kohala High School faces challenges with a high chronic absenteeism rate of 38.9%. Additionally, the school serves a socioeconomically disadvantaged population, with a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (52.73% to 63.2%) and a relatively high per-student spending of $22,548.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 54-3611 Akoni Pule Hwy
       Kapaau, HI  96755

(808) 889-7117

District: Hawaii Department of Education

SchoolDigger Rank:
24th of 67 Hawaii High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $22,548 Help


Feeder schools for Kohala High School:

Elementary:    Kohala Elementary School
Middle:    Kohala Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  11.2 Help
Number of students:  252

Racial breakdown:

Pacific Islander:
35.7%
Two or more races:
22.6%
Asian:
21.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  56% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Kohala High School ranks better than 64.2% of high schools in Hawaii. It also ranks 20th among 44 ranked high 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 54.25. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Kohala 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
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Compare Details Student population at Kohala High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Pacific Islander (35.7%), two or more races (22.6%), Asian (21%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 56% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Kohala High School is 11.2, which is the 4th best among 44 high schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Kohala High School employs 22.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Kohala High School is $22,548, which is the 2nd highest among 44 high schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Kohala High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Kohala High School 24th of 67 Hawaii public high schools. (See Kohala High School in the ranking list.)

High 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 Kohala High School

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Rank History for all students at Kohala High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 49.78 28th 56 50.0%
2007 46.44 35th 60 41.7%
2008 27.95 34th 39 12.8%
2009 14.16 51st 55 7.3%
2010 66.44 18th 56 67.9%
2011 29.60 44th 56 21.4%
2012 61.06 21st 58 63.8%
2013 56.05 25th 56 55.4%
2016 29.30 42nd 53 20.8%
2017 65.88 7th 63 88.9%
2018 68.89 13th 53 75.5%
2019 56.13 25th 52 51.9%
2021 43.48 29th 48 39.6%
2022 29.55 38th 52 26.9%
2023 32.31 39th 53 26.4%
2024 54.25 24th 67 64.2%
See the entire list of Hawaii High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Kohala High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 37.10 27th 59 54.2%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Kohala High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 92.66 2nd 67 97.0%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Kohala High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 37.42 48th 65 26.2%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Kohala High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 96.15 2nd 52 96.2%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Kohala High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 64.97 12th 61 80.3%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii High Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Kohala High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 68.85 8th 64 87.5%
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.

Kohala High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Hawaii Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Kohala High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 148 0 542 54 0 n/a n/a 0 744
1990 165 1 614 54 0 n/a n/a 0 834
1991 165 49 651 0 0 n/a n/a 0 865
1992 188 1 694 77 0 n/a n/a 0 960
1993 223 1 719 78 2 n/a n/a 0 1023
1994 212 3 757 68 0 n/a n/a 0 1040
1995 146 2 440 43 3 n/a n/a 0 634
1996 146 2 440 43 3 n/a n/a 0 634
1997 132 1 448 40 2 n/a n/a -1 622
1998 119 1 449 39 4 n/a n/a 0 612
1999 112 1 442 31 4 n/a n/a 0 590
2000 101 1 420 31 3 n/a n/a 0 556
2001 87 1 409 34 2 n/a n/a 0 533
2002 54 2 215 17 2 n/a n/a 0 290
2003 54 2 215 17 2 n/a n/a 0 290
2004 60 2 214 18 2 n/a n/a 0 296
2005 46 2 213 13 2 n/a n/a 0 276
2006 53 2 213 16 1 n/a n/a 0 285
2007 53 2 220 21 1 n/a n/a 0 297
2008 47 1 212 18 5 n/a n/a 0 283
2009 45 1 216 15 4 n/a n/a 0 281
2010 32 1 220 15 4 n/a n/a 0 272
2011 29 0 92 12 5 103 18 0 259
2012 46 0 93 14 5 105 3 0 266
2013 38 1 94 19 5 104 3 0 264
2014 42 1 93 21 4 112 3 0 276
2015 41 0 88 18 5 108 5 0 265
2016 33 0 87 10 4 110 7 0 251
2017 42 1 68 13 6 110 9 0 249
2018 40 0 80 13 5 102 13 0 253
2019 42 0 72 17 4 113 17 0 265
2020 42 0 65 18 4 119 18 0 266
2021 38 0 65 22 2 113 29 0 269
2022 37 0 57 22 1 117 40 0 274
2023 31 0 63 20 2 105 54 0 275
2024 29 0 53 23 0 90 57 0 252

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 Kohala High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 744 43.5 17.1 32.4
1990 834 50.0 16.6 27.1
1991 865 53.0 16.3 24.5
1992 960 61.5 15.6 27.9
1993 1023 64.5 15.9 24
1994 1040 61.0 17.0 19.2
1995 634 48.0 13.2 34.4
1996 634 48.0 13.2 34.4
1997 622 39.0 15.9 28.9
1998 612 38.0 16.1 27.6
1999 590 39.0 15.1 40.8
2000 556 40.0 13.9 46.6
2001 533 39.5 13.5 51.6
2002 290 24.5 11.8 49
2003 290 24.5 11.8 49
2004 296 25.5 11.6 42.9
2005 276 22.5 12.3 35.5
2006 285 24.5 11.6 35.4
2007 297 24.5 12.1 34.7
2008 283 25.0 11.3 43.8
2009 281 24.0 11.7 45.2
2010 272 24.0 11.3 50
2011 259 22.0 11.7 57.1
2012 266 22.0 12.0 60.9
2013 264 18.5 14.2 62.9
2014 276 20.5 13.4 64.5
2015 265 21.0 12.6 61.5
2016 251 21.0 11.9 62.5
2017 249 19.5 12.7 55.4
2018 253 20.0 12.6 55.7
2019 265 20.0 13.2 57
2020 266 19.5 13.6 54.1
2021 269 19.5 13.7 63.2
2022 274 19.5 14.0 59.9
2023 275 22.5 12.2 52.7
2024 252 22.5 11.2 56

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 Kohala High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 744 43.5 17.1 32.4
1990 834 50.0 16.6 27.1
1991 865 53.0 16.3 24.5
1992 960 61.5 15.6 27.9
1993 1023 64.5 15.9 24
1994 1040 61.0 17.0 19.2
1995 634 48.0 13.2 34.4
1996 634 48.0 13.2 34.4
1997 622 39.0 15.9 28.9
1998 612 38.0 16.1 27.6
1999 590 39.0 15.1 40.8
2000 556 40.0 13.9 46.6
2001 533 39.5 13.5 51.6
2002 290 24.5 11.8 49
2003 290 24.5 11.8 49
2004 296 25.5 11.6 42.9
2005 276 22.5 12.3 35.5
2006 285 24.5 11.6 35.4
2007 297 24.5 12.1 34.7
2008 283 25.0 11.3 43.8
2009 281 24.0 11.7 45.2
2010 272 24.0 11.3 50
2011 259 22.0 11.7 57.1
2012 266 22.0 12.0 60.9
2013 264 18.5 14.2 62.9
2014 276 20.5 13.4 64.5
2015 265 21.0 12.6 61.5
2016 251 21.0 11.9 62.5
2017 249 19.5 12.7 55.4
2018 253 20.0 12.6 55.7
2019 265 20.0 13.2 57
2020 266 19.5 13.6 54.1
2021 269 19.5 13.7 63.2
2022 274 19.5 14.0 59.9
2023 275 22.5 12.2 52.7
2024 252 22.5 11.2 56

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 Kohala High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $3,369 (14.9%) $19,179 (85.1%) $22,548

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Kohala 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 25th of 52 High schoolsRanks 39th of 53 High schools
 25.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (Kohala High School)5656
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5959
11th Grade Mathematics (Kohala High School)337
 26%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)3025
 5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Kohala High School)5656
All Grades Mathematics (Kohala High School)337
 26%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students265275
 3.8%
African American00
American Indian42
 50%
Asian7263
 12.5%
Hispanic1720
 17.6%
Pacific Islander113105
 7.1%
White4231
 26.2%
Two or More Races1754
 217.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients57%52.7%
 4.3%

Schools Near Kohala High School








Frequently Asked Questions about Kohala High School

Kohala High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Kohala Elementary School
Middle : Kohala Middle School

In the 2023-24 school year, 252 students attended Kohala High School.

Students at Kohala High School are 36% Pacific Islander, 23% Two or more races, 21% Asian, 12% White, 9% Hispanic.

Kohala High School ranks 24th 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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