Public and Private Schools in Hawaii in 2023
Hawaii has a single state-wide public school system. It has one centralized school board, located on Oahu, and governing the entire State of Hawaii all 295 public schools. Funding for each school is determined by the Hawaii Department of Education.
Bringing Your Kids to Hawaii
Bringing your school-aged kids (keiki) to Hawaii to live might seem like a great idea €˜let them breathe the clean air and soak up the sunshine swim with the dolphins!’ Sure. They can do all that. But, they’ll still have to endure the school system. For mainland kids arriving in Hawaii for public or private school it’s usually traumatic.
I’ll catch flak for this but, speaking from the heart – I wouldn’t recommend that anyone bring their kids to Hawaii to live. I just wouldn’t. That’s me. I’ve considered at length whether I would want my daughter to grow up in Hawaii and attend Hawaii’s schools. I’ve decided no, definitely not. We have chosen to live in Thailand and send her to a private school here.
In Hawaii, homeschooling might seem like the best option. I do think Hawaii would be a great place for a child to grow up, I am just unsure about the school system.
Does that mean that all kids going to public schools in Hawaii grow up with problems? No. Personally I know a dozen kids or more that grew up fine, and are respectful of their parents, are hardworking and just all-around good kids. I know kids that went to Punahou and that went on to Yale, and UCLA Berkeley. They are great kids, as far as I can see.
I also know some kids that grew up like local hoodlums and are breaking into cars for a living.
It’s a tough call and I’d say that who your child befriends is probably the biggest predictor of whether or not he or she will have a childhood experience that is in-line with your expectations for your child. Problem is we rarely choose our kids’ friends right?
The Top 10 Public Elementary Schools in Hawaii in 2023:
According to US News:
- Momilani Elementary School
- Noelani Elementary School
- Waikiki Elementary School
- Laie Elementary School
- Ernest Bowen Desilva Elementary School
- Pauoa Elementary School
- Palisades Elementary School
- King Liholiho Elementary School
- Kaelepulu Elementary School
- Maemae Elementary School
The Top 10 Public High Schools on Oahu in 2023:
According to US News:
- President Theodore Roosevelt High School
- Henry J Kaiser High School
- Kalani High School
- Moanalua High School
- Kalaheo High School
- Mililani High School
- Pearl City High School
- President William Mckinley High School
Where your child goes to school is dictated by where you live, though you can apply for what’s called a “District Exception” if you would like your child to attend school in a district other than the one you live in.
I don’t think there are real problems with the teachers in Hawaii. I know they are trying very hard to raise the standards. I do know that there is a serious lack of facilities and funding for some schools.
I think a big part of the problem with Hawaii’s schools, isn’t the schools at all. It’s the social situation that kids find themselves in. There are plenty of kids that are coasting through life and not interested in school at all. Their parents aren’t that interested either they have a view of life that doesn’t’ coincide with my own of working hard and gaining something for yourself.
The Hawaii lifestyle is one of ease and no stress. Many kids are copying their parents in this regard. This sets up examples for your kids to see in school. I don’t know where they get it from, but there are some really hilarious kids. Pidgin’ the local dialect is really quite funny, and most kids want to speak it well and make everyone laugh too.
The kids that speak pidgin’ constantly, instead of proper English for the most part, are probably not the ones that are knocking themselves out to learn at school though.
The social situation for kids in Hawaii is opposite to what you as a parent probably want for your child. Though you might love the laid back atmosphere of Hawaii you’ll probably be fighting the influence it has over your children.
Hawaii Private Schools
Nearly 20% of school children in Hawaii attend one of the 94 private schools. These schools have, on average, better reputations than the public schools, but can be very costly.
The percentage of kids in private school taken in comparison with other states in the USA is the highest in the nation.
Some private schools focus on college-prep, so your child can get into a good university upon graduation from secondary school. Others focus on creativity and the artistic side of development while not neglecting traditional curricula.
Download the 2022 Private School Listing PDF
Our friends at the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools (HAIS) produce this excellent listing of 94 private schools. Download the PDF here.
Here is some information about select private schools and the stats come from the HAIS PDF:
Punahou School
Barack Obama graduated from this private school and became president. This is considered the ultimate private school in Hawaii. There are over 3,700 students running the entire age range from kindergarten to 12th grade. The focus of Punahou is on college preparation, and it is considered one of the best in the entire nation.
Punahou has an excellent athletic program. Facilities include a heated Olympic-size swimming pool and an 8-lane Mondo running track surface. Students can choose from 22 sports!
In addition to a stellar athletics program, students can study dance, drama, and music all nationally recognized programs. Other programs include jewelry, photographic darkroom facilities, and glass-blowing studio!
Cost per year for Punahou tuition in 2022 : $29,000
Iolani School
(ee-o-luh-knee)
Iolani School is a private school with over 2,100 students from pre-school age to grade 12. Iolani School is affiliated with the Episcopal Church in the United States.
Iolani school is in Honolulu on the island of Oahu. The school focuses on college prep as well as athletics. More than 2/3 of all attending students are part of an Iolani athletic team covering 32 competitive sports.
Cost per year for Iolani tuition in 2022: $28,000
A Sample of Christian Schools on Oahu
This is only a sample list. Please see the Private School Listing PDF download for full information.
| School Name | Island | Students | Sex | Grades | Approx Tuition | Type | Last Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryknoll School | Oahu | 951 | Co-ed | K-12 | $20,000 | Roman Catholic | 2022 |
| Sacred Hearts Academy | Oahu | 628 | Girls | K-12 | $18,000 | Roman Catholic | 2022 |
| Damien Memorial School | Oahu | 595 | Co-ed | 6-12 | $14,000 | Roman Catholic | 2022 |
| Seabury Hall | Maui | 503 | Co-ed | 5-12 | $23,000 | Episcopal | 2022 |
| Kauai Christian Academy | Kauai | 185 | Co-ed | PK3-12 | $7,000 | Christian | 2022 |
| Makua Lani Christian Academy | Big Island | 379 | Co-ed | PK-12 | $10,000 | Christian | 2022 |
Other Private Hawaii Schools
This is only a sample list. Please see the Private School Listing PDF download for full information.
| Name | Island | Students | Sex | Grades | Approx Tuition | Last Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu Waldorf School | Oahu | 181 | Co-ed | PK-8 | $17,000 | 2022 |
| Montessori Community School | Oahu | 199 | Co-ed | PK-6 | $16,000 | 2022 |
| Punahou School | Oahu | 3783 | Co-ed | K-12 | $28,960 | 2022 |
| ʻIolani School | Oahu | 2151 | Co-ed | K-12 | $27,175 | 2022 |
| Carden Academy of Maui | Maui | 184 | Co-ed | PK-8 | $13,000 | 2022 |
| Island School | Kauai | 480 | Co-ed | PK-12 | $14,000 | 2022 |
| Hawaii Preparatory Academy | Big Island | 594 | Co-ed | K-12 | $27,000 | 2022 |
List of Hawaii Universities
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii (UH) is a public university that offers bachelor, master, doctoral, and post-doc degrees. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and consists of the following:
- UH Manoa
- I attended this campus part time while serving in the U.S. Air Force many years ago. It’s a lovely campus with a lot of trees for shade. Sometimes classes are held outside on the grass.
- UH Hilo
- UH West Oahu
- UH Maui College
UH Community Colleges
- Hawaii Community College
- Honolulu Community College
- Kapiolani Community College
- Kauai Community College
- Windward Community College
Hawaii Graduate Schools
- John A. Burns School of Medicine
- William S. Richardson School of Law
Private Hawaii Universities
(List subject to change)
- Hawaii Pacific University (HPU)
- Brigham Young University Hawaii (BYU Hawaii)
- Chaminade University of Honolulu. Roman Catholic affiliation.
- Argosy University
- Hawaii Tokai International College (HTIC)
- Honolulu University
- The International College and Graduate School. Christian affiliation.
- Remington College
- Heald College Honolulu
- TransPacific Hawaii College
It bears repeating (Ed: no, it doesn’t!) … I don’t think you should come to Hawaii with kids – unless you can afford to put them in a good private school where there is at least a modicum of control over them. If kids act up too much in a private school – they are terminated. In a public school – what are they going to do? Right, they live with it. That’s why the public schools are such a bad experience.
If you raised your kids in Hawaii’s schools and they were not born there – could you tell your story? Pop it in the comments! Mahalo!
Article originally written by Vern Lovic and any opinions (especially the one about bringing kids to Hawaii!) expressed are his alone
Thailand? This article lost credibility with that single word. I’ve lived in Thailand, it’s a poverty stricken third world country. Beyond that it appears to be without any kind of morals as a society. I’ll not comment on the schools outside of sending my kids to an international or American school which – why even live there if that’s the case? Most ex pats live in Thailand because the cost of living is extremely low and, as with all things you get what you pay for.
I’m confused, from the article: “We have chosen to live in Thailand and send her to a private school here.”
Yet:
“About the Author: Peter Kay
I’ve lived Hawaii since the mid €˜80s when I moved here at the age of 21.”
So, which is it?
Thanks Kevin, this article was originally written by Vern Lovic who has moved to Thailand. I added this note at the bottom of the article thanks to your question.
Ahhh, ok- all clear. Thanks!
Total crock of crap article. After living in Hawaii and returning to the mainland I will say this, Hawaii is way better than living anywhere on the mainland.
What is factually incorrect in this article?
I grew up in Hawaii and went to the public schools and never in a million years would I send a child of mine to the schools there. The violence was unbelievable. And the sexism and sexual harassment and violence. Plus the intensely anti educational culture. If you care about academics that’s physically dangerous
So very interesting! I was curious how it would be to move from Thailand to Hawaii having a 13 years old. We are living in Phuket for the last 10 years. Attended Montessori KG for 2 years, had a Montessori homeschool education with several other kids and now 5 year in British International. Great experience and we would do it all over again! Our son had wonderful sport, music, drama, language education with a best results.
Still I was interested to see why several friends consider Hawaii the Paradise on Earth. I heard life is expenciver, safe too.
Very interesting read but I did not expect the above info.
This family chose to raise up their kids in Thailand. Great. Should you read more? No. Move on to other articles. Born and raised in Thailand here in a healthy & wealthy family. Gone to best and most expensive school there as well. I would say go Hawai’i. Compare to Thailand you can’t go wrong with any Hawaii’s island so.
How dare you call Hawaiian Pidgin “funny”. Your elitist, prescriptivist view of the local dialect is both racist and disgusting. As a teacher seeking employment in Hawaii, I am disappointed in this article.
I speak (or at least spoke) Pidgin for several decades. He may not have described it well, but his second paragraph on Pidgin is spot on.
Those that do not spend the time to learn to speak English eloquently will not advance far in life. Hawaiian Pidgin and other “lazy” languages (like Blackish) should not be embraced. They teach bad habits, do not prepare individuals for life, and help foster division in our society.
I would recommend that you spread your wings and try teaching outside of Hawaii for at least five years before entering into the barren wasteland of the public Hawaiian Teacher ranks. I have seen to many teachers start teaching in Hawaii full of vim and vigor and within one year they are broke by the system that rewards mediocrity and punishes attempts at excellence.
Pidgin, or Hawaii Creole English, is not a “lazy” language; just a language. It is a creole. Educate yourself before passing judgement. True, proficiency in English is important as it is the dominant language in the West, but it doesn’t mean learning English has to be at the expense of another language, including a creole. Why can’t people be bilingual, better yet, multilingual? Many people in other parts of the world do.
Perhaps you need to “learn to speak English eloquently” as I’ve seen too (or is it to?) many people not understand the use of to vs too. Or was it just lazy?
Overreaction much? I really hope you don’t get that teaching job.
Well crap….I have a 2 and 5 year old, hoping to move to HI in the next 4-5 years from Denver. Sounds like I better ask for a raise? Are the private schools, THAT much better to warrant the cost?
In a word, YES. Public Schools are that much worse that it is necessary to pay the cost if you want to give them a reasonable chance to be prepared and/or to get accepted by any University.
I left because I could not afford to put two kids in private school.
There is NO WAY I would consider moving to Hawaii unless I could afford 40-45K+ (2013 prices) for one of the better private schools for my two kids. There are some religious schools that are cheaper but their education levels vary. They do not offer the same large scale of education options that the top 3 or so private high schools do, but might be a viable option depending on what type of education you want your kids to have.
I moved to Hawaii after getting a Masters degree at the University of Texas. After 20 years of living in Hawaii I left due to the education system. I was able to get a district exemption to get my daughter the only primary school that had made the “top 3” public schools ranking for the previous three years, Kahala Elementary School. The “K” teacher was an absolute disaster, the “1st” teacher was excellent, the “2nd” teacher was young motivated and clueless, the “3rd” teacher was mediocre.
Teachers pay is based on years of seniority and not on ability (or desire) to teach.
After moving the Texas, my daughter had to stay after school for failing to be at grade level in 4th grade in math and English. At the end of 5th grade she had progressed to be out in the advanced level of each (pre-algebra) for 6th grade. She wasn’t dumb, but she had not been adequately prepared. Texas is not great, but compared to Hawaii . . .
I know of a teacher that got to sit home for at least one year at full pay because the principal did not want the teacher in the classroom but did not have the ability to fire him. Instead he hired a substitute teacher for the entire year!!!
I could not afford $19K ($24K now) for each child (I have 2) to go to one of the better schools and still be able to afford the paradise tax of living in Hawaii.
Thanks for commenting! I’ve found over the years that schooling is the deal-killer for many families for the reasons you laid out. I’ve found that many people can stomach the huge cost increases and serious pay cuts to live in paradise but when faced with $24k/yr of after-tax expenses to put 2-3 kids through school (i.e. $48-$72k total, meaning it will take about $60-100k in income!) the next thing you hear is a giant sucking sound of folks leaving. Sad. At least you had 20 awesome years!
This is very good information! Thank you for taking time to share. God bless you!
I need some advices how I get a chance to send my daughter to be schooling there. I lived in kiritimati Island closed to hawaii, but i have a plan for my daugther to send there to gain better education for her future. Thank you very much.
Hi Vern,
I came across your website while researching living in Hawaii. I have spent the past 10 years living in Thailand (Bang Saen, Chonburi) and am considering moving to Hawaii to raise my young family. Compared to International Schools in Thailand, do you really think Hawaii public schools are that poor? I had a brief stint working at an IB-accredited international school in Thailand and would NOT consider it a good environment to raise my son in. Kids come and go often, so there is very little consistency. The students consisted mostly of wealthy Thais. I also attended a post-graduate MBA program at Chulalongkorn University and was not too impressed with the level of critical thinking that existed in the classroom. Cheating was rampant and I don’t believe Thai education nurtures the correct values. Right now I’m mostly interested in good primary schools in Hawaii (that will last me at least the next few years). Do you believe the difference in primary school education in Hawaii requires private school education (and tuition)?
Thanks.
Hi Matthew,
I also live in Thailand, and I’ve also considered many times about the education system here vs. mainland USA and Hawaii. Personally, I would never take my kids to Hawaii to live if they had to go to public school. In public school you have kids of parents of all income brackets, except the higher ones. What that means is, prejudice rages throughout the public schools. Hawaii is a real melting point of culture – there are people from Japan, Philippines, Thailand (a few), Korea, China, locals born in Hawaii with or without Hawaiian blood, Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti, Micronesia, mainland USA, Brazil, etc. It’s supposed to be a melting pot, but in the schools I think it’s more like a boiling pot. Public schools have some great teachers and administration that are trying to straighten out the problems between kids of different races and backgrounds, cultures, and it’s impossible. I think if you can’t put your kids in a good private school, don’t consider moving to Hawaii.
I think it’s just not fair to them.
With Thailand schools, I’m up in the air. Sure there is not any sort of standard that could be compared to the USA, UK, or probably another 30 top countries in the world. My daughter is young so at the moment we’re OK with her learning here. School is just fun at this point. I don’t have this notion that kids need to work their asses off in primary school. It’s just for getting some of the basics. Mostly I think it is for social reasons. Learning to get along with others. Sharing. Helping. Competition.
To make sure our daughter learns what she needs to, we teach her at home. We’ll send her to private classes later – in high school if we happen to still be in Thailand. I think we’ll probably move by that time. Whether we move to Hawaii or not will depend if we have the $800 or so per month to send her to a decent school.
Please strongly consider the same!
Cheers man,
Vern
ThailandSnakes.com
Crank101.com
Thanks Vern for the response. So you home school your daughter? I, like you, aren’t tied to a specific location for a wage, so I have flexibility in moving to different areas, or even countries depending on my liking and what I think is best for my family. Does your daughter speak Thai? I found an English language nursery school (Filipino teachers, run by North American missionaries) nearby, but it only works for the next 2 years.
I googled a bit and greatschools.org does rank a few of the public schools in Oaha as 10 out of 10, but I’m unsure if it’s nationwide rankings or just within HI. Do you have any idea of the the cost comparison for accredited international schools in Thailand vs Hawaii. Punahou I think charges like $19k/year vs $14k/year for the nearby international school. Do you think a school like Momilani Elementary would be OK to send a child up until 5th or 6th grade?… and then move to a private school like Punahou? Do the problems you know about in public school in Hawaii exist at the primary school level? or more at the High school level. Thanks for the great blog.
Thoroughly enjoyed your lighthearted overview and insights. I became confused however when I followed the enclosed link for a list of ‘best schools’ as the link confines the analysis to high schools only…no primary. I would like to review any information regarding the public primary schools.
Thank you,
Denise.