Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School

Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School, an average-sized elementary campus in Hilo, Hawaii, operated by Hawaii Department of Education, hosts 422 students, covering grades pre-K through 6.

Hawaii Department of Education runs 296 schools in total, collectively educating 167,071 students. Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School is one of those campuses.

Demographically, Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School shows that 36% of students identify as multiracial, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder reads as 23% Hispanic, 16% Pacific Islander, 14% Asian, 12% White.

In terms of school funding signals, Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School records 23 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 18.4:1. That figure is higher than the state norm's 13.8:1 average. Roughly 26% of students at Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Hawaii County runs at roughly 59%, so the school's eligibility rate is below the surrounding baseline.

In the broader community, Hawaii County reports that median household earnings sit near $78,639, roughly 31% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 10%. Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School is one of 55 public schools in Hawaii County (combined enrollment of about 27,129 students).

Hilo Intermediate School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 1.4 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

The campus sits in a small-town setting.

Over the past 7-year window. Over the past 7-year window, the student count fell 6%: 450 students in 2018 compared to 422 in 2025. The Hispanic share of enrollment edged up from 17% to 23% over that span.

On the community side, posts here usually surface around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.