2024 Best Public Elementary Schools in Hawaii

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 3.89 out of 5  150 reviews

Senior: University Laboratory School is a small public-charter school that is nearby the UH Manoa Campus. There are 8 required classes everyday (including art and music from 6-12 grade) and the average school day lasts from 7:45-3:15. I think that although the school day is long, it's refreshing to be able to participate in different classes everyday. The curriculum is different and really depends on the teacher that you receive, but learning and experimenting is encouraged. There are many different ways to learn things and with the small classroom and grade levels, it's easy to connect with other students and ask for help. The school has limited clubs and extra curricular activities, but as someone who loves to be involved, I've found myself busy with things since 6th grade. There are also many athletic opportunities for students.... Read 150 reviews

• grade A

• Students 449

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.21 out of 5  24 reviews

Senior: I love the teachers and the work I do here. I enjoy the opportunities they provide us and I would love to give a shoutout to my counselor, Ms. Waterhouse a shout out for all the helpful information and help she's given me throughout my high school life. The one thing though is that it doesn't provide enough opportunities for students to socialize. There aren't enough field trips and/ or things like student concerts or talent shows. But, this year their hoping to change that which I'm extremely excited for!... Read 24 reviews

• grade A

• Students 542

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.58 out of 5  73 reviews

Parent: First impressions matter. When we came to take ID photos, we were warmly greeted by each staff member. Right before classes started, we received emails from each teacher welcoming us to HTA and giving us their cell numbers if we needed help. In contrast, we came from a school where the teachers were not as available. On the first day of elementary classes, my son forgot his lunch. When I went to deliver it to the school, I was pleasantly shocked that the attendance clerk knew who I and my son was before I even told her our names. Brent was extremely shy in his previous school and had low grades but his teachers worked closely with him to be a confident, expressive and successful student within a short time. Ethan went though a tough time with the loss of two grandparents within two weeks and dealt with other hurts. His teachers gave their time, love, encouragement and humor. My kids felt valued by the staff from the time they talked and laughed with them. This is priceless!... Read 73 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,363

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  4 reviews

Niche User: The teachers, staff, students, and families are very respectful, caring, and supportive. The school priorities safety and well-being of everyone. The school sets high expectations for everyone and works well together as a team.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A

• Students 271

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 513

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-6

• grade A minus

• Students 407

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-5

• •
  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Parent: Mililani Mauka is a wonderful school in every way. My children receive the best quality of instruction and they are challenged everyday. I have had such positive interactions with all staff on campus. They truly care about all of their students.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 698

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-5

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

Middle School Student: I was a student at waikiki elementary school for kindergarten through 5th grade. All of the teachers are really nice and they give you a good education for you to be prepared for middle school. I felt safe and was very excited to go to school everyday. The food is like every other school and in my opinion, I didn't like it so I brought home lunch a lot. They serve breakfast too and it's actually not as bad as how school food usually is. The school is extremely small for a elementary school, but that's what makes it nice. There's a lot of parent participation when it comes to different activities and assemblies.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 544

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-5

• •
  Rating 4.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Alum: The school is in a nice area, and the weather is usually fairly nice too. The school feels safe and teaches students not only academics, but basic morals and manners. Students all come out well-rounded.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 502

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 338

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-5

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  2 reviews

Alum: Great teacher and staff. One of the best elementary schools in district and island. Staff and teacher there were very friendly and prepared me for the person that I am today. Attending Noelani a public school, today I am a college student and it shows that you don't need to go to a private school in order to succeed in life.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 418

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-6

• grade A minus

• Students 338

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 540

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-5

• •
  Rating 4.25 out of 5  8 reviews

Alum: Maemae Elementary School is a very great school. I am now a college student but looking back now, I can say that maemae prepared me very well for middle school. The academics were great. I moved to a different middle school outside of the district which was a little lower ranked acedemic school, but compared to how my classmates were prepared by their elementary school could not compared to how maemae prepared me. I also enjoyed how it was family oriented. Having family fun nights are definitely the highlights of my childhood!... Read 8 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 659

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-6

• grade A minus

• Students 188

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-6

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

Other: The small community, focus on the Hawaiian culture and the incredible opportunities provided make this a school like no other. The name was changed from Lanikai to its rightful name of Ka’ōhao in 2017 after a passionate effort to resurrect the correct name of the community. The name Lanikai was created by a developer in the 1920s, but the schools kumu researched taught the kids about the true name and they worked to change the name. Long tradition of student success, and of learning and empowering leaders.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 323

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 3.65 out of 5  91 reviews

Senior: I enjoyed the environment at Kihei Charter and appreciated the doors that it opened for me. During my sophomore year, I had the privilege of enrolling in my first college course, which was a stepping stone for my academic growth. I was truly fortunate to benefit from the school-funding which covered half the course tuition. I firmly believe that other high school should take advantage of this fantastic opportunity. Throughout my academic years, I wished for a more structured and organized school experience. Despite the best efforts of my educators, I often found a lack of direction and guidance. The scheduling of classes posed a consistent issue at the beginning of each year, and it wasn't uncommon for issues to persist until the second quarter. I strongly believe that a more comprehensive and thoughtful approach to planning and organization could have greatly enhanced the schools productivity and overall quality. However, because of these challenges, I learned to be self sufficient.... Read 91 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 723

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-5

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

Parent: My daughter is in Kindergarten at Pauoa Elementary and we feel very fortunate that our district school is one of such high caliber. I have been impressed with the fact that all the kindergarten students know each other, across the three classes and the teachers know all the students. Class sizes are very respectable with 18-20 in each kindergarten class and I feel like my child gets a good amount of one on one interaction with her teacher. This smaller size elementary school allows your child to be known, not just by their teacher but by most of the staff on campus, making the school feel like a real family community.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 356

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-6

• •
  Rating 3.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Parent: ‘Aikahi is a wonderful school with incredible teachers. They provide meaningful learning experiences, communicate effectively, and it’s a very warm and welcoming place to be.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 484

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-6

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Niche User: I went to this school when I was very young and I thought it was a great school. The teachers were wonderful and it was an overall great experience. May not be as high tech as many rising schools these days, but still good. I wouldn't mind enrolling my children in such a school.... Read 1 review

• grade A minus

• Students 463

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-6

• grade A minus

• Students 464

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-6

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

• grade A minus

• Students 554

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-6

• grade A minus

• Students 292

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-6

• grade A minus

• Students 441

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Hawaii Department of Education, HI•

• PK, K-6

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Alum: This school is definitely the best in the Leeward district. With the education I received from here, I got into a private school and I can look back and proudly say that this school was able to teach me things that I would not have learned in any other elementary school. The teachers are very supportive, and teach the students to love school.... Read 1 review

• grade A minus

• Students 538

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1