overview
In 2000, Kapōlei High School organized students into small learning communities called neighborhoods, with a new neighborhood added each year. This early teaming model fostered a strong sense of belonging and laid the foundation for the academy model, which emphasizes integrated instruction, project-based learning, and co-teaching.
Our Academies
In 2004, five Academies were created for juniors and seniors: Art, Business, Graphics, LCAT (Learning Center for Applied Technology), and Professional Sciences. Ninth and tenth graders were housed in freshman and sophomore teams. Twenty-five years later, we have expanded into eight academies serving grades 10-12. Each academy operates as a mini-school within a school. The 9th graders remain cohorted together in our Freshman Academy. The remaining career Academies offer pathways in:
NCAC Recognition
KHS Academies are now part of the National Career Academy Coalition (NCAC), a national organization dedicated to advise, assist, and advocate for schools and communities by guiding them through the design of customized school models aligned to the National Standards of Practice. The goal is to prepare all students for college, career, and life through sustainable and transformational school design. Our academies have recently been recognized by the NCAC for their outstanding achievements.
Kaiapuni Program
In the 2025-2026 school year, Kapōlei High became the first Kaiapuni high school on the west side of Oʻahu, welcoming its first cohort of 9th grade Hawaiian language immersion students. The program prepares students to meet and exceed academic standards through a culturally rich and dynamic learning environment. Haumāna strengthen their identity as caretakers of this ʻāina and perpetuators of ʻike kupuna, growing into responsible, ethical, and globally minded individuals—rooted in aloha, dignity, and integrity.
