How Private Schools Are Organized in Hawaii

Hawaii has one statewide public school system, run by the Hawaii State Department of Education under the Board of Education. There are no separate local school districts. That single structure shapes the private sector, and Hawaii has one of the highest shares of students in private schools in the country. Families on every island weigh the public option against independent, religious and Hawaiian-focused schools.

Private schools are not run by the Department of Education. Each one answers to its own board, church, diocese or charitable trust, and each sets its own tuition, calendar and admission rules. Our database lists 119 private schools across 37 cities, from Urban Honolulu on Oahu to Kaunakakai on Molokai.

Oversight comes in layers. State law, found in Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 302A, sets compulsory attendance rules and allows families to meet them through a private school. The Hawaii Department of Health sets immunization and tuberculosis clearance rules for school entry, and these cover private schools too. Beyond that, quality checks are mostly voluntary. Schools seek accreditation from groups such as the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), join the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools (HAIS), or belong to a denominational network such as the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Honolulu.

Governance varies by school. A parish school such as St. Elizabeth School in Aiea answers to its parish and diocese. Kamehameha Schools is run by a charitable trust. Independent schools have boards of trustees. Montessori and Waldorf schools may affiliate with national or international associations that set teaching standards, though those are not state licenses.

In practice, you do the vetting yourself. Ask about accreditation, teacher qualifications and safety plans directly rather than assuming them. Living costs in Hawaii are high, so tuition is a serious household expense. Families often compare financial aid offers, parish membership discounts and employer or military benefits before committing.

Oahu, Maui, the Big Island and Kauai: How Private School Options Differ

The four counties differ sharply in how many private schools they host and how far families must travel to reach one.

Oahu and Honolulu County

Honolulu County covers the island of Oahu and holds 77 of the 119 listings. Urban Honolulu has 32 of them, and East Honolulu, Kailua, Ewa Beach, Aiea, Kaneohe, Wahiawa and Pearl City add more. Oahu families can compare many schools within a reasonable drive. Examples include Cathedral Catholic Academy on Nuuanu Avenue, L Robert Allen Montessori on Waialae Avenue, Honolulu Waldorf School on Kalanianaʻole Highway and Pearl Harbor Christian Academy in Waipahu.

Farther west, American Renaissance Academy is in Kapolei and Adventist Malama Elementary School is on Farrington Highway in Waianae. Commute time matters on Oahu. Rush-hour traffic on the H-1 freeway and the highways crossing the Koolau range can add a lot to the school run, so many families favor a school close to home or work over one across the island.

Maui County: Several Islands, Several Communities

Maui County has 18 listings and spans more than one island. On Maui itself, you will find Kamehameha Schools Maui in Makawao, Emmanuel Lutheran School in Kahului, St Anthony Grade School in Wailuku and Montessori Hale O Keiki in Kihei. Sacred Hearts School and Early is listed in Lahaina. Aka'ula School in Kaunakakai is on Molokai, which is also part of Maui County. West Maui families should phone any school to confirm its current location and status, since the August 2023 wildfire disrupted many local institutions.

Hawaii County: One Island, Long Distances

Hawaii County covers the Big Island and has 17 listings. Haili Christian School is in Hilo, Malamalama Waldorf School in Keaau, Hawai'i Montessori Schools - Kamuela in Waimea and Kona Adventist Christian School in Captain Cook. Hawaii Montessori Inc, on Manawalea, is also listed under this county. The island is large, and driving between the Hilo side and the Kona side is a long trip, so most families choose from schools on their own side.

Kauai County: Fewer Choices, Closer Conversations

Kauai County has the fewest listings, with seven. Kauai Christian Academy in Kilauea and Island School Voyagers in Lihue are two of them. With a small pool, the questions shift from comparing many schools to checking grade range, waitlists and how your child would get there each day.

Moves between islands are almost always by air, so families relocating within the state should plan record transfers and school visits ahead of time. Many schools can arrange a phone or video conversation before you travel.

Kinds of Private Schools Found Across Hawaii

Hawaii's private schools fall into a few broad groups. The list below shows what you will see most often in our database.

Some listings are churches that operate a school, such as St. John Apostle & Evangelist Church in Mililani Mauka. Others are early learning programs. Public prekindergarten seats are limited in Hawaii, so many families rely on private preschools and early programs, like Sacred Hearts School and Early in Lahaina, before kindergarten starts.

Hawaiian language and culture are part of daily life at many island schools. Ask each school how it handles Hawaiian studies, whether through language, hula, or place-based learning on campus and in the community.

Building a Shortlist of Private Schools in Hawaii

Begin with the county page for your island, then narrow by town. Call the school using the number in the listing, and ask for a tour. Ask about current accreditation, grade range, class size, tuition and fees, financial aid, and whether the school provides bus service or after-care. Working parents in Honolulu often need care until late afternoon, so after-care hours can decide between two similar schools.

Ask about the calendar too. Hawaii's school year typically begins in early August, and independent schools often run admission cycles that start the previous fall, with applications, family interviews and sometimes testing. Starting in autumn gives you room for tours and financial aid paperwork.

On a visit, sit in on a class if the school allows it. Ask to see the emergency plan. Hawaii schools prepare for hurricanes, tsunami warnings and brush fires, and you should know how the school contacts families and where children go if roads close.

Finally, confirm details before you drive. Addresses and phone numbers can change, and a few listings show only a mailing address rather than a campus. Koolau Baptist Academy in Kaneohe, for example, is listed with a PO box, so call first to find where classes are held.

Private schools in Hawaii are licensed and regulated by the state's department of education, which sets minimum standards for safety, curriculum, and accreditation while allowing institutions significant freedom in operations and admissions. Hawaii may also offer education savings account or voucher programs that provide public funding assistance to eligible families attending private schools.

Private Schools locations are available in 37 cities across Hawaii. They are spread across 4 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of private schools include Urban Honolulu, Kailua, East Honolulu, reflecting larger population centers where demand for diverse educational options tends to support a wider range of private school institutions.

Families in Hawaii exploring private school options should contact each school's admissions office to request a prospectus, schedule a tour, and learn about financial aid availability, as tuition and assistance programs vary significantly from one institution to the next.

Private Schools by Counties

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Families in Hawaii comparing private school options should check each school's accreditation status through the state department of education and request standardized test score data, graduation rates, and college placement outcomes. Many private schools in Hawaii hold open house events in the fall that are open to prospective families without an appointment.

Browse Private Schools by county across Hawaii to find the nearest location.

Enrollment Paperwork and Timing for Hawaii Private Schools

Once you have a shortlist, the paperwork follows a predictable pattern across the islands. Most schools ask for a completed application, a birth certificate, previous school records and teacher recommendations for older grades. Health documents follow Hawaii Department of Health rules. Immunization records and a tuberculosis clearance are standard for school entry, and your pediatrician or a clinic can complete them. Start early, because appointments can take weeks to schedule.

Timing differs by type of school. Independent schools and Kamehameha Schools run formal admission cycles that often open in the fall for the following August, with testing, interviews and campus visits. Parish and church schools such as Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Pearl City or Haili Christian School in Hilo may accept students through more of the year. Popular grades still fill, though, and siblings or church members often get priority.

Families moving to Oahu for military assignments often start looking in summer. Ask any school how it handles late enrollment and the transfer of credits from your previous school.

Cost deserves a direct question. Tuition, registration fees, uniforms and after-care vary widely from school to school. Ask for a full written fee schedule, and ask whether financial aid is available. Many independent schools use a third-party application service and request tax returns, so gather those documents before you apply.

Frequently Asked Questions About Private Schools in Hawaii

Hawaii's public schools are run by the Department of Education, but private schools operate under their own boards, churches or trusts. State law in Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 302A covers compulsory attendance and lets families meet it through a private school, while the Department of Health sets health requirements. Quality review is mostly voluntary accreditation, such as through WASC, or membership in networks like HAIS and denominational school offices. Ask any school for its current accreditation and confirm it with the accrediting body. For legal questions about attendance, contact the Department of Education.

Honolulu County, which is the island of Oahu, has the most, with 77 of the 119 listings in our database. Maui County has 18, Hawaii County has 17 and Kauai County has 7. Within Honolulu County, Urban Honolulu has 32 listings, and East Honolulu and Kailua each have 9. Families on the neighbor islands usually have fewer schools within driving distance, so grade range, waitlists and transportation matter more. Check each school's listing and phone ahead to confirm what it offers and whether it has openings.

Hawaii Department of Health rules require immunization documentation and a tuberculosis clearance for school entry, and these apply to private schools as well as public ones. Your child's doctor or a clinic can complete the forms. Hawaii law also provides for medical and religious exemptions from immunizations, and the process for requesting one is set by the Department of Health. Schedule the appointment early, because summer is busy across the islands. Ask your chosen school which forms it wants on file before the first day of class and whether it accepts copies.

Kamehameha Schools is a charitable educational trust created through the will of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop. It gives admission preference to applicants of Native Hawaiian ancestry. The Maui campus is at 270 Aapueo Parkway in Makawao, and our listing shows 808-572-3100. Because admission policies, deadlines and costs are set by Kamehameha Schools and can change, confirm the current details with the admissions office before you plan around them. Ask what documents are needed to establish ancestry, and how early in the school year you should begin the application.

On Oahu, look at L Robert Allen Montessori on Waialae Avenue in East Honolulu and Honolulu Waldorf School on Kalanianaʻole Highway. On Maui, Montessori Hale O Keiki is on Kulanihakoi Street in Kihei. On the Big Island, Hawai'i Montessori Schools - Kamuela is in Waimea, Hawaii Montessori Inc is on Manawalea, and Malamalama Waldorf School is in Keaau. When you call, ask about teacher training, the age range served, and whether the program continues beyond the early years, since some campuses stop at preschool or elementary.

Our database lists Aka'ula School at 15 Kaunakakai Place in Kaunakakai, phone 808-553-5711. Molokai is part of Maui County, so the school appears with the Maui County listings even though it is not on the island of Maui. Small island communities have limited options, so call to confirm grades served, enrollment steps and transportation. The same advice applies in West Maui, where you should confirm any school's current address and operating status directly, given the disruption caused by the August 2023 wildfire.