My daughters have been coming here for 4 years now. They look forward to school every day…read more The small campus is like an extended family. I appreciate how they speak Hawaiian every day in their morning protocol. All the Kumu give a 110%. The principal, Amanda Fung, truly cares about the students and is easy to reach and communicate with. They have after school clubs and my kids have learned how to knit, sew and dance hula. We also love the community events they have like the trunk or treat and spring carnival. We invite our neighbors and family friends to join in on the fun. They also have a great broadcast club where the keiki work with Olelo. I'm very thankful to have this charter school, the only one in central O'ahu, so close to my home. I have four kids and hope my other two can attend when they are in elementary school.

My child has been attending Kamalani Academy for more than a year now and I have to say how…read moregrateful, as a parent, I am to have found this wonderful charter school alternative to Hawaii's Department of Education (DOE). Kamalani has the feel of a private school and their teachers and staff strive to enrich my child's education and development. Led by principal Amanda Fung, the school prides itself on creating opportunities and partnerships in the community designed to benefit our students and staff. Although I live in Kapolei, taking the daily trio to Kamalani Academy it's a small price to pay to make sure my son gets an advantage in his education and his mentality for when he becomes an adult committed to doing good in his community. The pandemic pushed us to explore new education options for a child and we are so grateful to have found this school where individuals work hard to raise up our students in the true spirit of aloha. Mahalo Kamalani Academy and all the staff for everything they have done, where we all continue to work hard for our kids to excel.

This school has a lot of pros and cons Teachers were okay…read moremeaning not the best but teachers still trying there best

I love this school! This DEFINITELY DESERVES A 5 star Rating…read more!! Kaala is an amazing double amazing school definitely worth it! (btw the teachers ARE THE BEST!)

This is my son's second year at the school and he absolutely loves it. I really wanted a good…read moreeducation for my son and he is getting it they are a smaller school but it is like a wonderful loving family where he can learn about Jesus and get an excellent, well rounded education. They have foreign language class, music class, computer class and strongly encourage reading. The staff is composed of the kindest well educated individuals. My only regret is that we did not send him to the school sooner.

Over the past year, I have observed what I believe to be a significant decline in the school's…read moreleadership, culture, and overall educational environment. My family has become increasingly concerned about what appears to be unequal treatment of students. In our experience, children of faculty members seem to receive preferential treatment in certain areas, including participation in sports, access to elective opportunities, and disciplinary matters. Additionally, the school's Board of Trustees appears to include several faculty members whose children attend the school, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the lack of independent oversight. Information regarding board membership is not readily available on the school's website, making it difficult for families to understand the school's governance structure. As tuition-paying families, we expect a system that is fair, transparent, and accountable to all students equally. When faculty members report to administrators, administrators report to a board that includes faculty members, and many decision-makers have children enrolled at the school, it raises legitimate concerns regarding checks and balances. We have also witnessed significant turnover among experienced teachers. Many highly qualified educators have left and have been replaced by individuals with limited or no formal teaching experience. In our opinion, this has negatively affected classroom management and student learning. There have been reports from students that, at times, they were discouraged from using the restroom or drinking water during class. Students have also received demerits for accidental incidents, such as knocking over a water bottle, with such accidents being treated as intentional disruptions. My own child has experienced disciplinary actions that I believe were unfair. On one occasion, I received an email stating that my child was removed from class because he was "smirking," resulting in lost instructional time and an inability to complete class assignments. On another occasion, he was required to handwrite a study guide that had originally been distributed while he was absent. I have also received several emails from school administration accusing my child of serious misconduct and stating that he showed no remorse for his actions. In at least one instance, after reviewing the school's surveillance footage, I found that the circumstances described to me were inconsistent with what was shown on the video. Every parent deserves confidence that their child will be treated fairly, that disciplinary decisions will be based on facts, and that school leadership will operate with transparency, professionalism, and accountability. Unfortunately, our experience has led us to question whether those standards are currently being met.