Hawaii Education Statistics 2026: Schools, Enrollment & Spending
Hawaii operated 296 public and charter schools serving 165,340 students in school year 2024–25. The system consists of one statewide public school district organized into 15 regional complex areas.
The latest federal finance release reports $23,878 in current public school spending per pupil for FY2024. School counts, enrollment, finance data, and budget shares use their respective official reporting periods.
Hawaii Education Snapshot
Published values use the latest final statewide enrollment report and FY2024 federal school finance release available in 2026.
Enrollment by School Type
Enrollment categories follow the 2024–25 Statewide Strive HI school classification.
Students Enrolled by School Category
HIDOE school levels and public charter schools, school year 2024–25
Elementary schools account for the largest enrollment category. Charter enrollment is reported separately because the state report does not divide charter schools into the four HIDOE level categories.
Chart analysis
- Elementary HIDOE schools enrolled 73,811 students, or 44.6% of statewide public enrollment.
- High schools enrolled 43,124 students, the second-largest category.
- Middle and intermediate schools enrolled 27,458 students.
- Public charter schools enrolled 13,070 students, representing 7.9% of the statewide total.
- Multi-level HIDOE schools enrolled 7,877 students.
Hawaii Public School and Enrollment Table
The table includes every school-level category published in the 2024–25 statewide report, plus HIDOE and statewide totals.
| School category | Sector | Schools | Enrollment | Enrollment share | Students per school | School year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | HIDOE | 169 | 73,811 | 44.6% | 437 | 2024–25 |
| Middle/Intermediate | HIDOE | 39 | 27,458 | 16.6% | 704 | 2024–25 |
| High | HIDOE | 34 | 43,124 | 26.1% | 1,268 | 2024–25 |
| Multi-Level | HIDOE | 16 | 7,877 | 4.8% | 492 | 2024–25 |
| All Department Schools | HIDOE | 258 | 152,270 | 92.1% | 590 | 2024–25 |
| Public Charter Schools | Charter | 38 | 13,070 | 7.9% | 344 | 2024–25 |
| All Public Schools | Statewide total | 296 | 165,340 | 100.0% | 559 | 2024–25 |
Table analysis
- Hawaii’s public system contained 296 schools and 165,340 students.
- The 258 HIDOE schools served 92.1% of statewide public enrollment.
- The 38 charter schools represented 12.8% of schools and 7.9% of enrollment.
- Elementary schools represented 57.1% of all public schools and 44.6% of enrollment.
- High schools averaged 1,268 students per school, the highest average among the HIDOE level categories.
- Charter schools averaged 344 students, compared with 590 across HIDOE schools.
- All schools belong to one statewide public education system organized into 15 regional complex areas.
Public School Spending and Funding
Federal expenditure statistics and state budget shares describe different accounting periods and measures.
Hawaii and U.S. Current Spending per Pupil
Public elementary-secondary school systems, FY2024
Current spending covers public pre-K–12 operating costs and excludes capital outlay, debt service, and non-elementary-secondary programs.
Chart analysis
- Hawaii spent $6,259 more per pupil than the national average.
- Hawaii’s value was 35.5% above the U.S. figure.
- Hawaii ranked 7th among the 50 states and District of Columbia for this indicator.
- Dollar values are nominal and are not adjusted for Hawaii’s regional price level.
HIDOE Operating Budget Funding Mix
Share of expenditure ceiling resources, FY2025–26
General funds provide 83.7% of HIDOE operating resources. These budget shares are not equivalent to the Census Bureau’s school-system revenue categories.
Budget analysis
- General funds account for 83.7% of operating resources.
- Federal funds account for 12.0%.
- Special and trust funds together account for 4.3%.
- The four published shares total 100.0%.
FY2024 Spending Comparison Table
Current spending per pupil uses the Census Bureau’s uniform public elementary-secondary expenditure measure.
| Geography | Current spending per pupil | Difference from U.S. | U.S. index | Rank context | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $23,878 | +$6,259 | 135.5 | 7th of 51 | FY2024 |
| United States | $17,619 | $0 | 100.0 | National average | FY2024 |
Table analysis
- The Hawaii-to-U.S. spending ratio was 1.355 to 1.
- Only six jurisdictions reported a higher FY2024 current spending figure.
- The ranking applies only to current spending per pupil and does not rank total expenditure, outcomes, or cost-adjusted resources.
FY2025–26 Operating Funding Sources
Shares refer to HIDOE expenditure ceiling resources reported by the state education department.
| Rank | Funding source | Budget share | State description | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General funds | 83.7% | Primarily state tax revenue | FY2025–26 |
| 2 | Federal funds | 12.0% | Federal agency grants and programs | FY2025–26 |
| 3 | Special funds | 3.8% | Program fees and revenue-generating activities | FY2025–26 |
| 4 | Trust funds | 0.5% | Donations, gifts, grants, and activity collections | FY2025–26 |
| — | Total | 100.0% | Published operating resource shares | FY2025–26 |
Budget analysis
- General funds supply more than four-fifths of HIDOE operating resources.
- The general fund share exceeds the federal share by 71.7 percentage points.
- Federal funds are the second-largest source at 12.0%.
- Special funds contribute 3.8%, while trust funds contribute 0.5%.
- Budget shares describe available expenditure ceiling resources rather than final audited expenditures.
What the Hawaii Education Data Shows
School scale, enrollment, and spending measures require separate interpretation.
Statewide Structure
Hawaii differs from most states because its public schools operate within one statewide district. HIDOE organizes department schools into 15 regional complex areas.
Enrollment Movement
Public enrollment fell from 167,649 in 2023–24 to 165,340 in 2024–25, a decrease of 2,309 students.
School-Level Scale
High schools contain fewer campuses than elementary schools but report the highest average enrollment per campus.
Charter Context
Charter schools make up 12.8% of public campuses and 7.9% of public enrollment. Charter campuses are smaller on average than HIDOE campuses.
Spending Measure
FY2024 current spending covers recurring operating functions. It excludes construction, major equipment, debt service, and programs outside public pre-K–12 education.
Price-Level Context
The $23,878 figure is nominal. It does not adjust for regional wages, transportation conditions, energy costs, or Hawaii’s geographic price level.
Source and Methodology
Schools and Enrollment
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, Statewide Strive HI Snapshot, 2024–25.
Enrollment Comparison
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, official 2024–25 enrollment release.
School Finance
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finance Data.
Spending Comparison
U.S. Census Bureau, FY2024 current spending per pupil by state and region.
Budget Funding Shares
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, FY2025–26 operating budget funding sources.
Federal Survey Method
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances methodology.
Coverage: School and enrollment totals include 258 HIDOE schools and 38 public charter schools. Enrollment is the official 2024–25 count. Finance statistics cover public elementary-secondary school systems in FY2024. State budget shares refer to FY2025–26 expenditure ceiling resources.
Calculations: Enrollment shares, students per school, the Hawaii–U.S. dollar difference, and the U.S. index were calculated from published values. Shares and averages are rounded to one decimal place or the nearest whole student. The spending rank was derived from the 51-jurisdiction Census table.
Reporting periods: School year, fiscal year, and budget year values are presented separately. No 2026 enrollment or expenditure estimate is substituted for an unavailable final source year.
Current spending per pupil is not a measure of school quality or student outcomes. Hawaii’s statewide governance, island geography, labor market, facilities responsibilities, and regional prices affect comparisons. Nominal spending rankings should not be treated as cost-adjusted rankings, and budget shares should not be read as final expenditures.