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SCHOOL COMMUNITY·HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION·NCES 150003000027

Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School

278 Ainako Ave, Hilo, HI 96720 · (808) 974-4855 · Hawaii County
GRADES PK–06ELEMENTARY33-TOWNREGULAR SCHOOL422 STUDENTS
A
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 92% of Hawaii public elementary schools
  • ATest scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
  • ·Beats expectations Not available for this school, so the grade uses the other parts.
  • ·Three-year trend Not available for this school, so the grade uses the other parts.

Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Hawaii public elementary schools

Enrollment
422
Elementary
DISTRICT 438 · STATE 438
Student : Teacher
18.4:1
23 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 13.8:1 · STATE 13.8:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
26%
110 students
DISTRICT 49% · STATE 49%
Community
5
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.

Enrollment by grade, 2024-25

GradeStudentsShare
Pre-K72%
Kindergarten4110%
Grade 14511%
Grade 27117%
Grade 36114%
Grade 47017%
Grade 57117%
Grade 65613%

This year's kindergarten class (41) is 27% smaller than its 6th grade class (56).

Student demographics
76%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 79% · STATE 79% · US 70%
White
4912%
DISTRICT 11% · STATE 11% · US 43%
Hispanic
9623%
DISTRICT 19% · STATE 19% · US 30%
Asian
6014%
DISTRICT 23% · STATE 23% · US 6%
Two+
15136%
DISTRICT 20% · STATE 20% · US 5%
Pacific Islander
6616%
DISTRICT 25% · STATE 25% · US 0%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Male
21952%
Female
20348%

Discussions

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Test scores

Strive HI 2024-25 . % Proficient
English Language Arts
75.0%
HI avg 52.0%
Math
75.0%
HI avg 41.9%

What this means: On the Strive HI, Hawaii's statewide test, about 75 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 75 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Hawaii schools, those numbers are about 52 and 42.

Source: Strive HI. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →

Schools most like Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School

SchoolStudentsLow-incomeProficient
Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School this school42226.1%N/A
Pomaikai Elementary School
Kahului
54525.9%N/A
Maunawili Elementary School
Kailua
36127.1%N/A
Palisades Elementary School
Pearl City
35631.2%N/A
Kamiloiki Elementary School
Honolulu
37017.3%N/A
Kalaheo Elementary School
Kalaheo
37137.5%N/A
Matched among Hawaii elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.

Where Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School ranks

Among elementary schools
MeasureThis schoolIn HawaiiIn Hawaii County
Math proficiency
ranked highest first
75.0%#12 of 178#1 of 27
Reading proficiency
ranked highest first
75.0%#16 of 178#1 of 27
Enrollment
ranked largest first
422#85 of 183#14 of 28
Students per teacher
ranked fewest first
18.4:1#161 of 164#21 of 22
Diversity index
ranked most diverse first
76.2%#44 of 164#6 of 22
Free and reduced lunch
ranked highest share first
26.1%#144 of 179#27 of 27
Enrollment change since 2017-18
ranked steepest decline first
-6.2%#120 of 141#13 of 15
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.

4-year change

SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25
Enrollment
422
-31 (-7%) vs 2020
+18% since 1990-91, when it was 358
Student : Teacher
18.4:1
was 19.7:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Enrollment and staffing by year

School yearStudentsTeachers (FTE)Students per teacherFree and reduced lunch
2024-254222318.4:126% (110)
2023-244652518.6:128% (131)
2022-234862420.3:129% (141)
2020-214532319.7:132% (146)
2017-1845024.518.4:133% (147)
2015-164542418.9:138% (173)
2010-113962218.0:133% (129)
2000-013632117.3:128% (102)
1990-913581918.8:1N/A
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School.

Since 2017-18: students down 6% (450 to 422); teachers down 6% (24.5 to 23).

About Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School

Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School is an elementary school in Hilo, Hawaii, and it is part of Hawaii Department of Education. Grades offered run from pre-K through 6, with 422 students enrolled.

Hawaii Department of Education has 167,071 students spread across 296 schools.

Enrollment at Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School is mixed, with multiracial students the largest group at 36%. The rest of enrollment is 23% Hispanic, 16% Pacific Islander, 14% Asian, and 12% White. The chance that two students picked at random at Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School belong to different racial or ethnic groups, known as the diversity index, is 76%.

The school reports 23 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to about 18.4 students per teacher. The 13.8:1 average for elementary schools in Hawaii is lower than this school's figure. The free or reduced-price lunch share, often used to gauge student poverty, is 26%. The gap from the 59% average for public schools in Hawaii County is 33 points.

Measured against Hawaii public elementary schools, Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School receives an A. The grade weighs proficiency most heavily, then how results compare with what the school's low-income share predicts, then the three-year change.

Census Bureau estimates for Hawaii County show that median household income is about $78,639, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 31% of adults, and the share of residents below the poverty line is 10%. Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School is one of 55 public schools in Hawaii County, which together enroll about 27,129 students.

The shortest distance from Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School to another public school is about 1.4 miles, to Hilo Intermediate School. The five-mile area around Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School holds at least 8 other public schools.

For locale, NCES codes Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School as Town: Remote.

The number of students dropped from 453 to 422 over 4 years. By 2024-25, the school had 18.4 students per teacher, compared with 19.7 in 2020-21.

The discussion area below is open to posts about school events, clubs, and volunteer needs. Questions from prospective families are welcome too.

Hawaii County at a glance

View full county profile
Population
205,769
Census ACS
Median income
$78,639
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
31%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
10%
Below federal line
Schools in county
55
27,129 students

Quick facts

School name
Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School
District
Hawaii Department of Education
Address
278 Ainako Ave, Hilo, HI 96720
Phone
(808) 974-4855
County
Hawaii County
Level
Elementary
Grade range
PK–06
Total enrollment
422
Teachers (FTE)
23
Student–teacher ratio
18.4:1
Free and reduced lunch
110 (26%)
Locale
33-Town: Remote
NCES ID
150003000027
Charter school
No
Virtual school
No

Related schools

Other schools in Hawaii Department of Education
Other schools in Hilo
Nearby schools

Frequently asked questions

About Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School
How large is Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School?
Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School enrolls approximately 422 students in grades PK-06.
What grades does Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School serve?
Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School serves grades PK-06.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School?
The student-to-teacher ratio at Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School is approximately 18.4:1 (23 FTE teachers).
How diverse is Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School?
Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School reports a student body of 12% White, 23% Hispanic, 14% Asian, 36% Two or more.
What district is Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School in?
Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School is part of Hawaii Department of Education.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.
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