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Waimea Elementary School

Summary:

Waimea Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Kamuela, Hawaii, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 465 students. 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.

While Waimea Elementary School has a diverse student population, with a significant percentage of Pacific Islander (41.72%) and students of two or more races (23.66%), its academic performance has consistently underperformed compared to the state average on standardized tests. In the 2022-2023 school year, the school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (42%), Mathematics (31%), and Science (30%) were all below the state averages, a trend that has persisted over the past few years. Additionally, the school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with Hispanic and English Language Learner students performing relatively well, while Asian, Pacific Islander, and Special Education students perform much lower.

Further, Waimea Elementary School faces other challenges, such as a high chronic absenteeism rate of 34.5% and a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 64.09% to 71.76% over the past three school years. These factors may be contributing to the school's academic struggles, which are more pronounced compared to nearby schools like Kohala Elementary and Honokaa Elementary. Addressing these underlying issues and providing targeted interventions for underperforming subgroups could be crucial for improving student outcomes at Waimea Elementary School.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 67-1225 Mamalahoa Hwy
       Kamuela, HI  96743

(808) 887-7636

District: Hawaii Department of Education

SchoolDigger Rank:
139th of 207 Hawaii Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,475 Help


Students who attend Waimea Elementary School usually attend:

High:    Honokaa High & Intermediate School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.2 Help
Number of students:  456

Racial breakdown:

Pacific Islander:
39.5%
Two or more races:
23.7%
Hispanic:
20.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  60.3% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Waimea Elementary School ranks worse than 67.1% of elementary schools in Hawaii. It also ranks 131st 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 37.74. (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
Help
Compare Details Student population at Waimea Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Pacific Islander (39.5%), two or more races (23.7%), Hispanic (20.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 60.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Waimea Elementary School is 14.2. 97 elementary schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Waimea Elementary School employs 32 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Waimea Elementary School is $17,475, which is the 54th highest among 183 elementary schools in the Hawaii Department of Education School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Waimea Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Waimea Elementary School 139th of 207 Hawaii public elementary schools. (See Waimea 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 Waimea Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Waimea Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 20.95 170th 194 12.4%
2007 15.29 179th 192 6.8%
2008 11.92 137th 146 6.2%
2009 18.84 167th 191 12.6%
2010 20.56 157th 183 14.2%
2011 30.32 151st 191 20.9%
2012 36.79 143rd 195 26.7%
2013 45.38 123rd 196 37.2%
2015 14.44 174th 194 10.3%
2016 16.91 174th 195 10.8%
2017 40.23 140th 207 32.4%
2018 16.99 172nd 193 10.9%
2019 15.70 177th 196 9.7%
2021 15.46 173rd 196 11.7%
2022 19.49 161st 193 16.6%
2023 24.45 155th 195 20.5%
2024 37.74 139th 207 32.9%
See the entire list of Hawaii Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Waimea Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 63.86 93rd 198 53.0%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Waimea Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 19.56 181st 207 12.6%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Waimea Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 29.72 169th 203 16.7%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Waimea Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 62.05 84th 165 49.1%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Waimea Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 43.74 125th 196 36.2%
See the entire list of Best Hawaii Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Waimea Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools HI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 52.38 117th 202 42.1%
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.

Waimea Elementary 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 Waimea Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 291 1 703 32 3 n/a n/a 0 1030
1990 353 1 749 27 3 n/a n/a 0 1133
1991 378 29 798 1 5 n/a n/a 0 1211
1992 391 2 757 66 8 n/a n/a 0 1224
1993 404 0 765 76 7 n/a n/a 0 1252
1994 429 0 851 83 8 n/a n/a 0 1371
1995 309 4 797 69 7 n/a n/a -1 1185
1996 309 4 797 69 7 n/a n/a -1 1185
1997 301 8 813 75 5 n/a n/a 7 1209
1998 310 4 868 85 8 n/a n/a 0 1275
1999 259 2 856 82 6 n/a n/a 0 1205
2000 245 1 867 87 5 n/a n/a 0 1205
2001 256 3 827 74 2 n/a n/a 0 1162
2002 86 1 418 43 2 n/a n/a 0 550
2003 86 1 418 43 2 n/a n/a 0 550
2004 87 1 433 44 2 n/a n/a 0 567
2005 82 3 467 43 4 n/a n/a 0 599
2006 105 2 496 39 6 n/a n/a 0 648
2007 129 1 500 41 2 n/a n/a 0 673
2008 127 2 472 37 6 n/a n/a 0 644
2009 121 3 450 24 6 n/a n/a 0 604
2010 117 2 495 27 4 n/a n/a 0 645
2011 68 4 106 14 3 286 104 0 585
2012 66 2 103 36 3 342 57 0 609
2013 55 3 89 51 2 320 51 0 571
2014 58 0 79 73 2 311 69 0 592
2015 53 0 57 51 1 295 94 0 551
2016 44 0 54 72 2 278 109 0 559
2017 37 0 49 89 0 256 120 0 551
2018 29 2 49 101 1 231 117 0 530
2019 27 1 48 101 1 222 118 0 518
2020 36 0 46 100 1 201 123 0 507
2021 35 0 50 99 0 189 126 0 499
2022 32 0 41 91 1 203 110 0 478
2023 22 0 39 99 1 194 110 0 465
2024 30 0 43 94 1 180 108 0 456

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 Waimea Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 1030 54.0 19.0 31.8
1990 1133 58.0 19.5 25.9
1991 1211 64.0 18.9 22.4
1992 1224 67.0 18.2 20.5
1993 1252 69.0 18.1 19.8
1994 1371 74.0 18.5 14.8
1995 1185 63.0 18.8 21.6
1996 1185 63.0 18.8 21.6
1997 1209 66.5 18.2 30.1
1998 1275 72.0 17.7 31
1999 1205 68.5 17.6 43.7
2000 1205 72.5 16.6 44.4
2001 1162 68.5 17.0 55.3
2002 550 35.5 15.5 54.4
2003 550 35.5 15.5 54.4
2004 567 31.5 18.0 53.3
2005 599 36.0 16.6 42.9
2006 648 37.0 17.5 53.4
2007 673 39.0 17.3 45.9
2008 644 38.5 16.7 43.3
2009 604 37.5 16.1 47.8
2010 645 41.0 15.7 57.5
2011 585 40.5 14.4 62.1
2012 609 35.0 17.4 65.8
2013 571 36.0 15.8 68.1
2014 592 36.0 16.4 69.4
2015 551 33.0 16.6 69.9
2016 559 36.0 15.5 69.2
2017 551 33.0 16.6 68.4
2018 530 33.5 15.8 67.9
2019 518 36.0 14.3 67.4
2020 507 37.5 13.5 63.5
2021 499 38.0 13.1 71.7
2022 478 38.0 12.5 71.8
2023 465 32.0 14.5 64.1
2024 456 32.0 14.2 60.3

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 Waimea Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 1030 54.0 19.0 31.8
1990 1133 58.0 19.5 25.9
1991 1211 64.0 18.9 22.4
1992 1224 67.0 18.2 20.5
1993 1252 69.0 18.1 19.8
1994 1371 74.0 18.5 14.8
1995 1185 63.0 18.8 21.6
1996 1185 63.0 18.8 21.6
1997 1209 66.5 18.2 30.1
1998 1275 72.0 17.7 31
1999 1205 68.5 17.6 43.7
2000 1205 72.5 16.6 44.4
2001 1162 68.5 17.0 55.3
2002 550 35.5 15.5 54.4
2003 550 35.5 15.5 54.4
2004 567 31.5 18.0 53.3
2005 599 36.0 16.6 42.9
2006 648 37.0 17.5 53.4
2007 673 39.0 17.3 45.9
2008 644 38.5 16.7 43.3
2009 604 37.5 16.1 47.8
2010 645 41.0 15.7 57.5
2011 585 40.5 14.4 62.1
2012 609 35.0 17.4 65.8
2013 571 36.0 15.8 68.1
2014 592 36.0 16.4 69.4
2015 551 33.0 16.6 69.9
2016 559 36.0 15.5 69.2
2017 551 33.0 16.6 68.4
2018 530 33.5 15.8 67.9
2019 518 36.0 14.3 67.4
2020 507 37.5 13.5 63.5
2021 499 38.0 13.1 71.7
2022 478 38.0 12.5 71.8
2023 465 32.0 14.5 64.1
2024 456 32.0 14.2 60.3

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 Waimea Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,942 (11.1%) $15,533 (88.9%) $17,475

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Waimea 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 177th of 196 Elementary schoolsRanks 155th of 195 Elementary schools
 10.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Waimea Elementary School)3839
 1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5349
 4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Waimea Elementary School)4031
 9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)5652
 4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Waimea Elementary School)2648
 22%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5251
 1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Waimea Elementary School)2942
 13%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)4950
 1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Waimea Elementary School)3038
 8%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Hawaii)5755
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Waimea Elementary School)2820
 8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Hawaii)4444
All Grades English Language Arts (Waimea Elementary School)3242
 10%
All Grades Mathematics (Waimea Elementary School)3331
 2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students518465
 10.2%
African American10
 100%
American Indian11
Asian4839
 18.8%
Hispanic10199
 2%
Pacific Islander222194
 12.6%
White2722
 18.5%
Two or More Races118110
 6.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients67.4%64.1%
 3.3%

Schools Near Waimea Elementary School








Frequently Asked Questions about Waimea Elementary School

In the 2023-24 school year, 456 students attended Waimea Elementary School.

Students at Waimea Elementary School are 39% Pacific Islander, 24% Two or more races, 21% Hispanic, 9% Asian, 7% White.

Waimea Elementary School ranks 139th of 207 Hawaii elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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

High : Honokaa High & Intermediate 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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