HONOLULU — The state is citing declining birth rate and the continued relocation of Hawaii families to the mainland as factors in the fourth consecutive year of decreased enrollment in Hawaii’s public and charter schools.

What You Need To Know

  • Enrollment for the 2022-23 school year decreased to 168,634 from 171,600 at the start of the previous school year

  • Hawaii’s 37 charter schools actually experienced a nominal uptick in enrollment, increasing to 12,116 from 12,097 in 2021-2022

  • The DOE said the leading reason for families removing their children from public schools is relocation to mainland states

  • Public school enrollment across the state ranged from 17 students at Niihau High and Elementary School to 3,039 at Campbell High School

Enrollment for the 2022-23 school year decreased to 168,634 from 171,600 at the start of the previous school year, a difference of 1.7%, the Hawaii State Department of Education reported on Friday.

Hawaii’s 37 charter schools actually experienced a nominal uptick in enrollment, increasing to 12,116 from 12,097 in 2021-2022. DOE schools fell in enrollment to 156,518 this year from 159,503 last year.

The DOE said the leading reason for families removing their children from public schools is relocation to mainland states. Overall, Hawaii ranked No. 4 nationally in population decline (by percent) between 2020 and 2021, with a net loss of 10,358 people or -0.7%.

Meanwhile, the fertility rate per 1,000 women age 15 to 44 in Hawaii dropped from 72.4 in 2010 to 61.1 in 2020, according to the March of Dimes.

Public school enrollment across the state ranged from 17 students at Niihau High and Elementary School to 3,039 at Campbell High School. Charter school enrollment ranged from 612 at Kanu O Kai Aina to 1,403 at Hawaii Technology Academy.