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Polk County Virtual Academy

Summary:

Polk County Virtual Academy is a small, alternative public charter virtual school serving grades K-12 in Mena, Arkansas, with only 8 students enrolled. As part of the Mena School District, which is ranked 124 out of 252 school districts in the state and has a 3-star rating, Polk County Virtual Academy is focused on providing a virtual learning environment.

The school's academic performance is a concern, with significantly lower proficiency rates compared to the Mena School District and the state of Arkansas in ATLAS/Geometry and ATLAS/Biology assessments. For example, the school had 0% proficiency in ATLAS/Geometry for 10th grade and all grades, while the Mena School District and Arkansas had 19.5% and 10.9%, and 20.2% and 18%, respectively. Additionally, the school's spending per student for the 2018-2019 school year was $10,306, which is higher than the state average, but the low test scores suggest that this investment may not be translating into improved academic outcomes for students.

Other notable findings include a decline in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 61.29% in 2020-2021 to 35% in 2021-2022 and an unknown percentage in 2022-2023, indicating a potential shift in the socioeconomic demographics of the student population. The school has also experienced significant changes in its student-teacher ratio, from 3 students per teacher in 2020-2021 to 0.4 students per teacher in 2022-2023, suggesting instability in staffing and enrollment that could impact the consistency and quality of the educational experience for students.


Detail:

Public, Charter, Virtual, Alternative K-12

 1100 E Boundary Ave
       Mena, AR  71953

(479) 394-1710

District: Mena School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
285th of 305 Arkansas Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,306 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  0.4 Help
Number of students:  8

Racial breakdown:

White:
87.5%
Hispanic:
12.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  35% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Polk County Virtual Academy ranks worse than 93.4% of high schools in Arkansas. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 14.13. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (87.5%), Hispanic (12.5%). (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Polk County Virtual Academy is 0.4. (See more...)
Help
Compare Polk County Virtual Academy employs 19.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Polk County Virtual Academy is $10,306.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Polk County Virtual Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Polk County Virtual Academy 285th of 305 Arkansas public high schools. (See Polk County Virtual Academy in the ranking list.)

Mena School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Mena School District 124th of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Polk County Virtual Academy

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 14.13 285th 305 6.6%
See the entire list of Arkansas Alternative School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Polk County Virtual Academy Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Enrollment information for Polk County Virtual Academy

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2019 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24
2020 21 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 23
2021 47 0 4 7 0 1 3 0 62
2022 19 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 20
2023 7 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Polk County Virtual Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2019 24 4.3 5.5 37.5
2020 23 8.6 2.6 47.8
2021 62 20.3 3.0 61.3
2022 20 17.9 1.1 35
2023 8 19.1 0.4 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Polk County Virtual Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2019 24 4.3 5.5 37.5
2020 23 8.6 2.6 47.8
2021 62 20.3 3.0 61.3
2022 20 17.9 1.1 35
2023 8 19.1 0.4 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Polk County Virtual Academy

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $122 (1.2%) $10,185 (98.8%) $10,306

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Polk County Virtual Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students248
 66.7%
African American00
American Indian00
Asian00
Hispanic01
Pacific Islander00
White247
 70.8%
Two or More Races00

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Frequently Asked Questions about Polk County Virtual Academy

In the 2022-23 school year, 8 students attended Polk County Virtual Academy.

Students at Polk County Virtual Academy are 88% White, 13% Hispanic.

Polk County Virtual Academy ranks in the bottom 6.6% of Arkansas alternative schools.


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Schools in Mena, AR

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.




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