Honaunau Elementary School

As a micro-enrollment elementary campus in Captain Cook, Hawaii, Honaunau Elementary School caters to 148 students from grades pre-K through 5, overseen by Hawaii Department of Education. Compared to the state average of about 438 students per school, that is 66% leaner than typical.

Across the 296 schools in Hawaii Department of Education (167,071 students total), Honaunau Elementary School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Looking at the student body, Honaunau Elementary School shows that the most-represented group is Hispanic (41%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups; the rest comes out to 27% Pacific Islander, 16% multiracial, 12% White, 3% Asian. The wider county runs roughly 12% Hispanic, putting the school's mix noticeably more Hispanic than the area baseline.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Honaunau Elementary School has 11 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 13.4:1. The state averages about 13.8:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. About 93% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is higher than Hawaii County's rate of about 59%.

Zooming out to the county, community-level numbers for Hawaii County indicate median household income runs about $78,639, roughly 31% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 10%. Across Hawaii County's 55 public schools (combined enrollment of about 27,129 students), Honaunau Elementary School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Hookena Elementary School, roughly 4.4 miles away. 5 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

Geographically, the school is in a countryside area.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count climbed 6%: 139 students in 2018 compared to 148 in 2025. The Hispanic share of enrollment expanded from 33% to 41% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio rose from 11.1:1 in 2018 to 13.4:1 today.

Within the allk12 community for this school, members of the Honaunau Elementary School community share and discuss enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. The community welcomes input from current and former families.