Keaau Elementary School

Keaau Elementary School is one of the sprawling K-5 schools in Keaau, Hawaii, part of Hawaii Department of Education, with 829 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 5. That puts it 89% above the typical public school in Hawaii, which averages around 438 students.

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

On demographics, Keaau Elementary School lists that 29% of students identify as Hispanic, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder is composed of 28% Pacific Islander, 22% multiracial, 13% Asian, 7% White. By comparison, Hawaii County as a whole is about 12% Hispanic, so the school skews visibly more Hispanic than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, Keaau Elementary School logs 56 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 14.8:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.8:1, putting Keaau Elementary School higher than the state norm the norm. Roughly 63% of students at Keaau Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

Across the wider county, community-level numbers for Hawaii County indicate 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. In all, Hawaii County runs 55 public schools (combined enrollment of about 27,129 students), of which Keaau Elementary School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Keaau High School, around 0.2 miles off. Within five miles, there are 4 other public schools.

The school occupies a small-town site.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Keaau Elementary School has decreased 5%, going from 875 students in 2018 to 829 in 2025. Class-load math has narrowed: from 18.2:1 in 2018 to 14.8:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, posts here usually surface around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.