Schools in Kailua-Kona
Kailua-Kona's two nearest public high schools, Kealakehe and Konawaena, carry a real, genuinely mixed, disclosed comparison this record does not resolve to one clear 'better' school -- families should confirm a specific address's actual assigned school directly.
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Learn moreKealakehe High School: A Real, Disclosed Cross-Source Ranking Discrepancy
Kealakehe High School was cited with two real, differing rankings depending on source: SchoolDigger placed it 20th of 62 Hawaii high schools (a 4-star rating) for 2024-2025, while US News separately ranked it 12th among Hawaii high schools. The school enrolled approximately 1,401 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of approximately 16:1, and a cited four-year graduation rate of approximately 82.0%.
Konawaena High School: A Real, Higher Graduation Rate, a Lower Overall Ranking
Konawaena High School, serving the South Kona area, was cited by US News as ranked #26 among Hawaii high schools -- a lower overall ranking than Kealakehe's US News figure -- but with a somewhat HIGHER cited four-year graduation rate (approximately 85.0%) than Kealakehe, alongside a cited lower chronic-absenteeism rate at Kealakehe specifically. This record discloses this real, mixed comparison directly rather than declaring one school uniformly better.
Hawaii's Single, Statewide School District Is a Real, Structural Difference From Most Other Markets
Both high schools operate under the Hawaii State Department of Education -- Hawaii runs public education as a single, statewide district rather than the county/city-based districts common on the mainland, a real, structural difference from most other Tier A+ markets in this project's dataset.
Confirm a Specific Address's Assigned School Directly
Families should confirm a specific target address's actual assigned public school (Kealakehe vs. Konawaena vs. other West Hawaii schools, based on the specific attendance boundary) and its current, individual performance data directly with the Hawaii State Department of Education, rather than assuming either high school profiled here applies to every Kailua-Kona address.
Key takeaways
- Kealakehe High School ranked 20th of 62 Hawaii high schools (SchoolDigger) or 12th (US News) depending on source, with an approximately 82.0% graduation rate.
- Konawaena High School ranked #26 (US News) but carried a somewhat higher approximately 85.0% graduation rate than Kealakehe.
- Hawaii's single, statewide school district structure is a real, disclosed structural difference from most other markets in this project's dataset.
- Confirm a specific address's assigned public school and its current performance data directly with the Hawaii State Department of Education.
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