Kihei Charter School

Hawaii Department of Education
650 Lipoa Pkwy
Kihei, HI 96753
Charter School 670 Students
Other K - 12th
School Overview
Kihei Charter School (KCS) is a tuition-free, public charter school serving students in grades K–12 in Kihei, Maui. Known for its innovative, project-based learning approach, the school emphasizes a student-centered curriculum that integrates technology and community-based projects. By moving away from traditional lecture-based instruction, KCS aims to foster critical thinking, creativity, and real-world problem-solving skills, allowing students to engage deeply with their local environment and culture.

The school operates with a focus on personalized education, often utilizing a "blended learning" model that combines classroom instruction with independent, self-directed study. With its mission to prepare students for both college and career success, Kihei Charter School offers a smaller, more intimate learning environment compared to larger public institutions. This setting helps facilitate strong relationships between students and faculty while providing the flexibility needed to accommodate diverse learning styles and academic goals.
670
Total Students
44.0
Full-Time Teachers
15.2
Student/Teacher Ratio
39.6%
Free/Reduced Lunch
Student Demographics
  • White
    451 (67.3%)
  • Hispanic
    97 (14.5%)
  • Pacific Islander
    45 (6.7%)
  • Asian
    43 (6.4%)
  • Two or More
    22 (3.3%)
  • Black
    10 (1.5%)
  • American Indian
    2 (0.3%)
School Location
School Details
Status: Open
School Level: Other
School Type: Regular School
Charter Status:* Charter School
Virtual Instruction: No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status: No
District: Hawaii Department of Education
Phone: (808)875-0700
Grade Range: K - 12th
Total Students: 670
Full-Time Teachers (FTE): 44.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio: 15.2
NSLP Participation:1 No
Qualified Free Lunch: 168
Qualified Reduced Lunch: 97

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

1 National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught
Kindergarten 43
Grade 1 31
Grade 2 35
Grade 3 47
Grade 4 48
Grade 5 47
Grade 6 70
Grade 7 70
Grade 8 72
Grade 9 43
Grade 10 53
Grade 11 53
Grade 12 58
Gender Ratio