Gary Virtual Academy

Summary:

Gary Virtual Academy is an alternative public virtual school serving grades K-12 in Gary, Indiana, with a student population of 169. The school is part of the Gary Community School Corporation, which is ranked 373 out of 381 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Gary Virtual Academy has a predominantly African American student population, ranging from 81.25% to 90% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the racial diversity seen in nearby schools like Trojan Virtual Academy and Thea Bowman Leadership Academy. The school has had a 0% four-year graduation rate for the past two school years, which is extremely low compared to the 90.7% and 94.6% four-year graduation rates at Thea Bowman Leadership Academy and 21st Century Charter School of Gary, respectively. Additionally, Gary Virtual Academy has had high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 38.8% to 4.6% over the past two school years, which is significantly higher than the chronic absenteeism rates at nearby schools.

The academic performance at Gary Virtual Academy is also a concern, with 0% proficiency rates in ILEARN English Language Arts and Math assessments across all grades for the 2023-2024 school year. This is significantly lower than the proficiency rates at nearby schools, which range from 12.61% to 19.55% in English Language Arts and 6.67% to 14.57% in Math. The school also has extremely high rates of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, ranging from 84.29% to 100% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the rates at nearby schools. Additionally, Gary Virtual Academy has a lower per-student spending of $8,596 and a higher student-teacher ratio, ranging from 5.3 to 56.3, compared to nearby schools.

Detail:

Public, Virtual, Alternative K-12

1800 E 35th Ave
Gary, IN 46409

(219) 881-5466

District: Gary Community School Corp

SchoolDigger Rank:
485^th of 485 Indiana Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,596

Student/teacher ratio: 56.3

Number of students: 169

Racial breakdown:

African American:

89.3%

Hispanic:

5.3%

Two or more races:

4.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 86.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Gary Virtual Academy is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2022 the calculated Average Standard Score was 4.89. (See more...)

Compare Details Gary Virtual Academy ranks worse than 100% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 3.79. (See more...)

Compare Details Gary Virtual Academy ranks worse than 97.7% of high schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 5.02. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Gary Virtual Academy who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (89.3%), Hispanic (5.3%), two or more races (4.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 86.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gary Virtual Academy is 56.3. (See more...)

Compare Gary Virtual Academy employs 3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Gary Virtual Academy is $8,596.

Schooldigger 2022 Rankings:

Gary Virtual Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Gary Virtual Academy 485^th of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Gary Virtual Academy in the ranking list.)

SchoolDigger ranks Gary Virtual Academy 421^st of 431 Indiana public high schools. (See Gary Virtual Academy in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

African American students:

Gary Community School Corp:

SchoolDigger ranks Gary Community School Corp 374^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Gary Virtual Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	4.89	999^th	1020	2.1%

See the entire list of Indiana Alternative School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Indiana Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Gary Virtual Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	3.95	489^th	489	0.0%
2024	3.79	485^th	485	0.0%

See the entire list of Indiana Alternative School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Indiana Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Gary Virtual Academy

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Rank History for all high school students at Gary Virtual Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2022	2.98	405^th	409	1.0%
2023	2.91	394^th	398	1.0%
2024	5.02	421^st	431	2.3%

See the entire list of Indiana Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Gary Virtual Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	4.38	374^th	379	1.3%

See the entire list of Best Indiana Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school African American students at Gary Virtual Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	11.75	119^th	125	4.8%
2023	14.14	121^st	125	3.2%

See the entire list of Best Indiana Alternative Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Indiana Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Gary Virtual Academy

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Year	White	African American	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2020	0	13	3	0	0	16
2022	2	126	3	1	8	140
2023	1	151	9	1	7	169

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 Gary Virtual Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	16	3.0	5.3	100
2022	140	n/a	n/a	84.3
2023	169	3.0	56.3	86.4

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 Gary Virtual Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	16	3.0	5.3	100
2022	140	n/a	n/a	84.3
2023	169	3.0	56.3	86.4

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 Gary Virtual Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2022	$3,784 (44.0%)	$4,812 (56.0%)	$8,596

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Schools Near Gary Virtual Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	ILEARN English Language Arts (2024)							ILEARN Math (2024)							ILEARN Social Studies (2024)	ILEARN Biology (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 4th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 5th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 6th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 7th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 8th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts All Grades	ILEARN Math 3rd Grade	ILEARN Math 4th Grade	ILEARN Math 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Social Studies 5th Grade	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Gary Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	1800 E 35th Ave	Gary	46409	Lake County	Gary Community School Corp	No	No	Yes	No	(219) 881-5466	169	3	56.3	86.4%	1 (0.6%)	151 (89.3%)	9 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.1%)								(n/a)	0.0	0.0				0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0				0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0			$8,596	$3,784	$4,812
Steel City Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	2650 W 35th Avenue	Gary	46408	Lake County	Steel City Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(219) 750-1010	343	22	15.5	91.0%	2 (0.6%)	325 (94.8%)	5 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.2%)								(n/a)	35.3	0.0	8.7	9.1	0.0	10.7	21.4	34.8	13.3	4.4	4.6	0.0	7.1	7.1	17.4	6.7	0.0	19.1	$12,910	$6,519	$6,391
21st Century Charter School of Gary	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	556 Washington St	Gary	46402	Lake County	21st Century Charter School of Gary	Yes	No	No	Yes	(219) 886-9339	1,337	115	11.6	79.4%	2 (0.1%)	1,253 (93.7%)	51 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	29 (2.2%)								(n/a)	26.1	2.2	21.8	20.9	17.0	13.3	12.7	21.7	18.2	30.8	20.9	18.9	9.3	4.2	3.6	14.6	7.6	10.1	$14,596	$5,257	$9,339
Thea Bowman Leadership Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	3401 W 5th Ave	Gary	46406	Lake County	Thea Bowman Leadership Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(219) 944-3100	840	47	17.8	70.1%	6 (0.7%)	784 (93.3%)	37 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (1.5%)								(n/a)	21.7	0.0	17.7	15.4	12.8	13.3	21.3	31.9	19.6	25.0	12.5	4.3	8.7	7.5	1.3	9.8	10.9	14.5	$10,211	$4,725	$5,486
Gary Lighthouse Charter School	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	725 Clark Road	Gary	46406	Lake County	Gary Lighthouse Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(219) 977-9583	1,127	76	14.8	100.0%	3 (0.3%)	1,000 (88.7%)	99 (8.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (2.2%)								(n/a)	18.4	0.0	14.9	7.5	14.6	11.6	13.2	14.0	12.6	14.9	7.5	14.6	9.4	10.5	2.3	9.4	9.3	3.7	$14,595	$5,880	$8,715
Eagle Park Community School	Public, Alternative	K-12	2150 W 97th Place	Crown Point	46307	Lake County	NW Indiana Special Education Coop	No	No	No	No	(219) 769-4000	0	9	11.6		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)	0.0	0.0							0.0							0.0
Porter County Education Services	Public, Alternative	K-12	750 Ransom Rd	Valparaiso	46385	Porter County	Porter County Education Services	No	No	No	No	(219) 464-9607	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)									15.0							10.0
Trojan Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	601 W Morgan Ave	Chesterton	46304	Porter County	Duneland School Corporation	No	No	Yes	No	(219) 983-3743	95	3	36.5	36.8%	65 (68.4%)	4 (4.2%)	18 (18.9%)	2 (2.1%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (5.3%)								(n/a)	55.6	7.4					7.7	30.8	15.2					23.1	23.1	18.2		50.0	$13,024	$8,851	$4,173

Frequently Asked Questions about Gary Virtual Academy

What is the racial makeup of Gary Virtual Academy?

Students at Gary Virtual Academy are 89% African American, 5% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

What district is Gary Virtual Academy in?

Gary Community School Corp

How many students attend Gary Virtual Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 169 students attended Gary Virtual Academy.

Is Gary Virtual Academy a good school?

Gary Virtual Academy ranks in the bottom 0.0% of Indiana alternative schools.

Rate Gary Virtual Academy!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Indiana Department of 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.