A Shared Community Vision
Our Goal
We are rebuilding King Kamehameha III Elementary School — a new, permanent campus in Lāhainā to replace the school lost in the August 2023 wildfire. The new school is targeted to open in early 2029, giving West Maui’s keiki a safe, welcoming, and lasting place to learn.
Background
The original King Kamehameha III Elementary on Front Street was destroyed in the August 8, 2023 Lāhainā wildfire. Since 2024, students have attended a temporary campus at Pulelehua, near Kapalua. In 2025, the State selected the Kuʻia site — about 14 acres of Kamehameha Schools land, mauka of the Lāhainā Bypass — as the home of the new permanent campus.
Legislative and Federal Support
The project is funded through a combination of State and federal sources — including the State’s Act 123 (2026) appropriation and the Federal Highway Administration, supported by federal FEMA Public Assistance — totaling approximately $245 million across the replacement school, roads, infrastructure, and consultant services.
Role of the School Facilities Authority (SFA)
SFA is leading the project — community engagement, planning, design, and construction — to deliver the new campus as quickly and responsibly as possible.
Role of the Department of Education (DOE)
The Hawaiʻi Department of Education is an active participant in planning and design. School and complex-area leadership, together with DOE’s Facilities Development Branch, take part in recurring design and program charrettes, both on Maui and virtually, advising on the educational program the campus must support: how classrooms, shared spaces, and support spaces serve teaching and learning, and what the school needs to operate day to day. That advice shapes the design as it develops. After construction is complete, SFA will turn the school over to DOE to own and operate.
Project Team
SFA is working with an experienced team, including WRNS Studio (architect), Kamehameha Schools (landowner partner), Moʻolelo Group led by Kainoa Horcajo (culture and community engagement), and MKThink, among others.
Community Input
Community voice shapes this project. We take part in community meetings and welcome your manaʻo on the design, access, safety, and how the campus can serve Lāhainā.
