Kau High & Pahala Elementary School

Kau High & Pahala Elementary School is an average-sized all-grades campus in Pahala, Hawaii, run under Hawaii Department of Education. The school instructs 488 students in grades pre-K through 12.

Within Hawaii Department of Education, which oversees 296 schools and 167,071 students, Kau High & Pahala Elementary School is one campus in the system.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Kau High & Pahala Elementary School shows that 47% of students identify as Pacific Islander, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder consists of 16% multiracial, 15% Hispanic, 13% Asian, 9% White.

In terms of school funding signals, Kau High & Pahala Elementary School reports 44 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 11.2:1. The state averages around 12.4:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. An estimated 67% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Hawaii County (around 59%), the school's rate is north of typical.

Zooming out to the county, Hawaii County reports that the typical household earns roughly $78,639 per year, 31% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Kau High & Pahala Elementary School is one of 55 public schools in Hawaii County (combined enrollment of about 27,129 students).

Nearest neighbor: Naalehu Elementary School, around 11.7 miles off.

The school occupies a low-density site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Kau High & Pahala Elementary School has changed only slightly, going from 482 students in 2018 to 488 in 2025. The Asian share of enrollment declined from 24% to 13% over that span.

On the community side, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.