Kua o ka La - NCPCS

Kua o ka La - NCPCS, a compact K-12 campus in Hilo, Hawaii, overseen by Hawaii Department of Education, serves 185 students, covering grades pre-K through 9. That puts it 55% smaller than the typical public school in Hawaii, which averages around 412 students.

Hawaii Department of Education comprises 296 schools with combined enrollment of 167,071 students; Kua o ka La - NCPCS is among them.

Looking at the student body, Kua o ka La - NCPCS records that the most-represented group is Pacific Islander (35%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups; the rest looks like 26% Hispanic, 21% multiracial, 15% White, 3% Asian.

Looking at school resources, The school employs 13 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 14.8:1. The state averages around 12.4:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Around 74% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy. Set against Hawaii County (around 59%), the school's rate is somewhat above typical.

In the area at large, ACS estimates for Hawaii County put the typical household earns roughly $78,639 per year, roughly 31% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Kua o ka La - NCPCS is one of 55 public schools in Hawaii County (combined enrollment of about 27,129 students).

Nearest neighbor: Waiakeawaena Elementary School, around 1.1 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

Kua o ka La - NCPCS operates from a small-town location. Kua o ka La - NCPCS is a charter school, which puts it inside the public-school system but outside the standard district-managed model.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count edged down 7%: 200 students in 2018 compared to 185 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 28% to 15% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio grew from 10.9:1 in 2018 to 14.8:1 today.

On allk12, recent activity here tends to focus on school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.