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Virtus Academy of South Carolina

Summary:

Virtus Academy of South Carolina is a public charter school in Florence, SC, serving 614 students in grades K-10. The school is part of the Charter Institute at Erskine district, which has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Virtus Academy faces some challenges, with proficiency rates in most grade-level assessments lower than the state and district averages. However, the school performed better than the district and state in 9th/10th grade English 1 and English 2. The school has a very high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 62.63% to 80.78%, significantly higher than the state and district averages. On a positive note, the student-teacher ratio at Virtus Academy has improved over the years, decreasing from 16.4 in 2020-21 to 13.3 in 2022-23.

While Virtus Academy serves a diverse student population, with a higher percentage of African American students compared to the state average, the school should focus on implementing effective instructional strategies, providing targeted interventions, and ensuring a supportive and inclusive learning environment to help its students succeed.


Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative K-10

 2407 Pisgah Road
       Florence, SC  29501

(843) 799-4032

District: Charter Institute at Erskine

SchoolDigger Rank:
425th of 638 South Carolina Alternative Schools


Student/teacher ratio:  12.1 Help
Number of students:  686

Racial breakdown:

White:
54.1%
African American:
33.2%
Two or more races:
7.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.6% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Virtus Academy of South Carolina ranks worse than 66.6% of elementary schools in South Carolina. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 33.64. (See more...)
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Compare Details Virtus Academy of South Carolina ranks worse than 63.7% of middle schools in South Carolina. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 34.19. (See more...)
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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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (54.1%), African American (33.2%), two or more races (7.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 99.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Virtus Academy of South Carolina is 12.1, which is the 3rd best among 10 alternative schools in the Charter Institute at Erskine School District. (See more...)
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Compare Virtus Academy of South Carolina employs 56.5 full-time teachers.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Virtus Academy of South Carolina:

SchoolDigger ranks Virtus Academy of South Carolina 425th of 638 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See Virtus Academy of South Carolina in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Virtus Academy of South Carolina 207th of 325 South Carolina public middle schools. (See Virtus Academy of South Carolina in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Charter Institute at Erskine:

SchoolDigger ranks Charter Institute at Erskine 34th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Virtus Academy of South Carolina?

Rank History for Virtus Academy of South Carolina

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Virtus Academy of South Carolina

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 34.09 431st 643 33.0%
2021 40.20 375th 622 39.7%
2022 33.31 421st 625 32.6%
2023 47.89 328th 644 49.1%
2024 33.64 425th 638 33.4%
See the entire list of South Carolina Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Virtus Academy of South Carolina

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 43.46 333rd 580 42.6%
2022 28.92 441st 600 26.5%
2023 50.95 286th 608 53.0%
2024 28.21 450th 599 24.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Virtus Academy of South Carolina

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 42.58 319th 554 42.4%
2022 42.90 329th 573 42.6%
2023 51.70 281st 580 51.6%
2024 32.99 387th 565 31.5%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Virtus Academy of South Carolina

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 32.23 383rd 561 31.7%
2022 29.08 415th 579 28.3%
2023 40.29 348th 582 40.2%
2024 33.11 381st 568 32.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Virtus Academy of South Carolina

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 66.58 94th 369 74.5%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Alternative Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Virtus Academy of South Carolina

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 17.70 413th 472 12.5%
2021 26.75 339th 439 22.8%
2022 15.20 409th 455 10.1%
2023 22.86 383rd 463 17.3%
2024 18.49 385th 441 12.7%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Alternative Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Virtus Academy of South Carolina

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Rank History for all middle school students at Virtus Academy of South Carolina

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 44.09 164th 311 47.3%
2022 36.49 191st 310 38.4%
2023 49.00 155th 325 52.3%
2024 34.19 207th 325 36.3%
See the entire list of South Carolina Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Virtus Academy of South Carolina

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 51.55 128th 288 55.6%
2022 33.42 190th 300 36.7%
2023 50.40 126th 313 59.7%
2024 28.06 227th 307 26.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Virtus Academy of South Carolina

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 39.56 166th 279 40.5%
2023 61.09 97th 299 67.6%
2024 41.78 156th 294 46.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Virtus Academy of South Carolina

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 43.21 154th 292 47.3%
2023 39.28 177th 303 41.6%
2024 28.57 212th 294 27.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Virtus Academy of South Carolina

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 29.22 172nd 244 29.5%
2022 16.58 213th 249 14.5%
2023 30.00 186th 260 28.5%
2024 17.07 222nd 255 12.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Alternative Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: South Carolina 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.

Virtus Academy of South Carolina Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: South Carolina State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.2)
40%

20%

0%

0%

40%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Thursday, August 4, 2022

Open Quote The principal is awful she allowed a 4th grade girl to be bullied by an 8th grade boy than blamed the girl. They don’t have enough space to accommodate the increase in kids each year which is why 8th graders were on the same hall with 4th graders. The staff could care less about the students. During Covid they missed so much work and just failed students no help at all. Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Open Quote I am a parent of 3 children who attend Virtus Academy. The school is brand new and I don’t believe that these test scores reflect how great of a school Virtus is. Currently my children are learning Latin and also have an opportunity to take dance. Virtus is the first and Only Charter school in Florence. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, February 27, 2020

Open Quote The school does not follow the Charter, therefore, should not be considered a ‘charter school’ Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Open Quote We love Virtus Academy!! My child is thriving in his learning environment. It’s a very hands-on school with very caring teachers and staff. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Virtus Academy of South Carolina

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2019 144 25 2 2 1 0 9 0 183
2020 245 40 2 4 1 0 10 0 302
2021 340 125 4 7 0 0 19 0 495
2022 344 145 3 22 0 0 41 0 555
2023 366 169 4 25 1 1 48 0 614
2024 371 228 4 26 3 1 53 0 686

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 Virtus Academy of South Carolina

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2019 183 14.2 12.8 34.4
2020 302 20.2 14.9 33.8
2021 495 30.1 16.4 62.6
2022 555 38.8 14.2 64.9
2023 614 46.0 13.3 80.8
2024 686 56.5 12.1 99.6

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 Virtus Academy of South Carolina

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2019 183 14.2 12.8 34.4
2020 302 20.2 14.9 33.8
2021 495 30.1 16.4 62.6
2022 555 38.8 14.2 64.9
2023 614 46.0 13.3 80.8
2024 686 56.5 12.1 99.6

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.
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Virtus Academy of South Carolina

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.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Ranks 431st of 643 Elementary schoolsRanks 328th of 644 Elementary schools
 16.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Virtus Academy of South Carolina)52.145
 7.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Charter Institute at Erskine)47.445.7
 1.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)49.753.5
 3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Virtus Academy of South Carolina)47.836.3
 11.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Charter Institute at Erskine)40.736.4
 4.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)57.753.6
 4.1%
4th Grade Science (Virtus Academy of South Carolina)37.543.7
 6.2%
   4th Grade Science (Charter Institute at Erskine)41.333.2
 8.1%
   4th Grade Science (South Carolina)5246.6
 5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Virtus Academy of South Carolina)45.851.6
 5.8%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Charter Institute at Erskine)44.349.3
 5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)51.357.2
 5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Virtus Academy of South Carolina)20.845.3
 24.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Charter Institute at Erskine)33.530.1
 3.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)50.547
 3.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Virtus Academy of South Carolina)45.858.9
 13.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Charter Institute at Erskine)33.146.7
 13.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4155.2
 14.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Virtus Academy of South Carolina)2535.7
 10.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Charter Institute at Erskine)23.725.8
 2.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)45.444.6
 0.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students183614
 235.5%
African American25169
 576%
American Indian11
Asian24
 100%
Hispanic225
 1150%
Pacific Islander01
White144366
 154.2%
Two or More Races948
 433.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients34.4%80.8%
 46.4%

Schools Near Virtus Academy of South Carolina








Frequently Asked Questions about Virtus Academy of South Carolina

Virtus Academy of South Carolina ranks 425th of 638 South Carolina alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Virtus Academy of South Carolina are 54% White, 33% African American, 8% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic.

In the 2023-24 school year, 686 students attended Virtus Academy of South Carolina.


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




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