covid-recovery
Every Hawaiian County Moved Further From Pre-COVID Enrollment in 2026
Hawaii's COVID enrollment recovery reversed in 2025-26 as all four counties widened the gap from 2019. The state lost 3,425 students in a single year.
Hawaii Education News & Data
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charter-schools
Hawaii's Charter Schools: A 58-Point Spread from the State's Best Attendance to Near the Worst
Hawaii's charter schools show the widest chronic absenteeism spread of any school category, from Kanuikapono PCS at 1% to Connections PCS at 59%, revealing that charter status alone says nothing about attendance.
enrollment
Hawaii Falls Below 165,000 Students for the First Time
Hawaii enrollment hit 163,651, a new record low. Losses nearly quadrupled in two years as housing costs push families to the mainland.
enrollment
Hawaii Publishes 2025-26 Enrollment Data
HIDOE releases 2025-26 enrollment data showing 163,651 students statewide, down 3,425, the largest non-COVID loss on record.
enrollment
Hawaii on Track to Drop Below 160,000 Students by 2030
At the current rate of decline, Hawaii will enroll fewer than 160,000 public school students within five years, 13,682 below the state's pre-COVID trajectory.
demographics
Every Year, 1,400 Students Appear in Hawaii's 9th Grade
Hawaii's public schools consistently enroll 10-17% more 9th graders than the prior year's 8th grade class, a pattern driven by the state's outsized private school sector.
enrollment
Hawaii Falls Below 170,000 for Second Straight Year
Hawaii enrolled 167,076 students in 2024-25, breaching the 170,000 floor for the second year running. Honolulu accounts for 92% of the loss.
budget
34 Hawaii Schools Fall Below Viability Threshold
With enrollment down 19,774 from its 2014 peak, Hawaii's DOE faces 34 schools below the 250-student funding floor. Redistricting comes first; closures wait until 2028.
demographics
Hawaii's Schools Are Aging From the Bottom Up
Elementary enrollment has fallen 10.5% while high school holds steady. A 2014 policy change and declining births created a demographic wave now reshaping every level.
district-spotlight
Honolulu Nears the 100,000-Student Threshold
Honolulu enrollment fell to 103,985 in 2024-25, its lowest on record. At the current pace, it drops below 100,000 within three years.
school-choice
One Sector Grew Through COVID. The Rest Lost 15,000 Students.
Hawaii's 38 charter schools added 1,198 students since 2020 while traditional schools across all four counties lost 15,210. Charter share hits 7.8%.
demographics
All Four Hawaii Counties at Record Lows
Honolulu, Hawaii County, Maui, and Kauai all hit all-time enrollment lows simultaneously in 2024-25, while charter schools reach a record high.
policy
A Decade After Act 76, K Still 29% Below Peak
Hawaii's 2014 kindergarten age cutoff change wiped out a third of K enrollment overnight. Ten years later, only 15% of the gap has been recovered.
covid-recovery
Hawaii Ranked 2nd in Academic Recovery. Its Students Still Haven't Come Back.
Every Hawaii county has fewer students than before the pandemic. The post-trough losses since 2021 are nearly double the initial COVID hit.
district-spotlight
Maui Lost 807 Students in One Year
The Lahaina wildfire accelerated Maui's enrollment decline to its worst single-year loss on record, with the county now down 13% from its 2014 peak.
