Richmond Alternative

Summary:

Richmond Alternative is a public high school serving grades 6-12 in the Richmond City Public Schools district, with a small student population of 162 as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school has consistently ranked among the lowest-performing high schools in Virginia, with a predominantly African American student body and significant challenges in academic achievement.

Richmond Alternative's proficiency rates on state assessments (SOL tests) are extremely low compared to the district and state averages. For example, in 2023-2024, only 8.7% of 11th graders were proficient in Writing, compared to 48.47% for the district and 79.32% statewide. The school struggles across all subject areas, with 0% proficiency in Algebra I, Mathematics, and Earth Science for 8th and 6th graders. Even in its strongest subject, English Reading, Richmond Alternative's proficiency rates for 11th and 8th graders were only 19.35% and 5.41%, respectively, in 2023-2024.

In contrast to Richmond Alternative, nearby schools like Richmond Community High and Open High have consistently ranked among the top-performing high schools in Virginia, with significantly higher proficiency rates on state assessments and more diverse student demographics. The combination of a high-poverty student population, limited resources, and high student-teacher ratios at Richmond Alternative may contribute to the school's persistent academic struggles, suggesting the need for targeted interventions and a focus on improving instructional practices to support student learning and achievement.


Detail:

Public 6-12

 119 West Leigh Street
       Richmond, VA  23220


(804) 780-4388

District: Richmond City Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
329th of 329 Virginia High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $917 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  28.1 Help
Number of students:  162

Racial breakdown:

African American:
89.5%
Hispanic:
3.7%
White:
3.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  18.3% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Richmond Alternative ranks worse than 100% of middle schools in Virginia. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 0.01. (See more...)
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Compare Details Richmond Alternative ranks worse than 100% of high schools in Virginia. It also ranks last among 9 ranked high schools in the Richmond City Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 0. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Richmond Alternative who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Richmond Alternative has the largest high school student body size in the Richmond City Public Schools District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Richmond Alternative is $917, which is the lowest among 10 high schools in the Richmond City Public Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Richmond Alternative:

SchoolDigger ranks Richmond Alternative 417th of 417 Virginia public middle schools. (See Richmond Alternative in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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

SchoolDigger ranks Richmond Alternative 329th of 329 Virginia public high schools. (See Richmond Alternative in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


African American students:


Richmond City Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Richmond City Public Schools 113th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Richmond Alternative

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Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Richmond Alternative

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 0.47 339th 340 0.3%
2006 0.43 383rd 383 0.0%
2007 0.95 386th 387 0.3%
2008 0.70 389th 391 0.5%
2009 0.65 389th 390 0.3%
2010 0.03 408th 408 0.0%
2011 0.64 413th 413 0.0%
2012 1.32 412th 413 0.2%
2013 8.18 404th 416 2.9%
2014 0.19 416th 416 0.0%
2015 0.00 412th 412 0.0%
2016 0.01 409th 409 0.0%
2017 34.08 301st 415 27.5%
2018 39.14 277th 413 32.9%
2019 56.44 180th 424 57.5%
2021 73.95 62nd 419 85.2%
2022 0.16 414th 415 0.2%
2023 0.11 422nd 422 0.0%
2024 0.01 417th 417 0.0%
See the entire list of Virginia High School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Richmond Alternative

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 0.00 402nd 402 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Richmond Alternative

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 0.00 407th 407 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Richmond Alternative

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 0.51 298th 298 0.0%
2024 0.02 299th 299 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for African American Students!

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

Rank History for Richmond Alternative

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Compare

Rank History for all high school students at Richmond Alternative

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 0.00 308th 308 0.0%
2006 0.84 311th 314 1.0%
2007 9.92 309th 313 1.3%
2008 0.70 316th 316 0.0%
2009 5.18 311th 313 0.6%
2010 6.06 314th 317 0.9%
2011 0.51 318th 320 0.6%
2012 1.05 319th 321 0.6%
2013 0.04 321st 321 0.0%
2014 2.18 321st 322 0.3%
2015 0.00 322nd 322 0.0%
2016 0.00 321st 321 0.0%
2017 6.64 320th 324 1.2%
2018 0.97 324th 326 0.6%
2019 10.74 319th 327 2.4%
2021 55.82 115th 327 64.8%
2022 1.53 324th 325 0.3%
2023 3.75 324th 326 0.6%
2024 0.00 329th 329 0.0%
See the entire list of Virginia High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school African American students at Richmond Alternative

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 0.01 249th 249 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Virginia 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.

Richmond Alternative Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Virginia Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Richmond Alternative

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2002 0 103 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 104
2003 0 103 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 104
2004 1 105 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 107
2005 5 165 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 172
2006 2 323 1 3 0 n/a n/a 0 329
2007 0 294 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 296
2008 0 322 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 324
2009 3 294 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 298
2010 3 258 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 265
2011 3 262 0 3 0 0 0 0 268
2012 2 234 0 3 0 0 0 0 239
2013 0 200 0 2 0 0 0 0 202
2014 2 215 0 4 0 1 0 0 222
2015 4 221 12 4 0 0 1 0 242
2016 1 216 1 5 0 0 0 0 223
2017 274 312 11 14 1 1 34 0 647
2018 512 333 33 21 4 0 80 0 983
2019 610 344 40 60 4 1 66 0 1125
2020 781 397 70 124 6 0 121 0 1499
2021 1801 701 148 313 16 0 262 0 3241
2022 1 132 0 7 0 0 2 0 142
2023 5 145 3 6 0 0 3 0 162

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 Richmond Alternative

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 104 n/a n/a 71.2
2003 104 n/a n/a 71.2
2004 107 16.0 6.7 n/a
2005 172 13.0 13.2 n/a
2006 329 n/a n/a n/a
2007 296 36.0 8.2 n/a
2008 324 18.0 18.0 n/a
2009 298 18.0 16.6 0
2010 265 n/a n/a n/a
2011 268 n/a n/a 79.5
2012 239 n/a n/a 84.9
2013 202 n/a n/a 98.5
2014 222 22.0 10.0 89.2
2015 242 24.0 10.0 90.5
2016 223 19.0 11.7 95.5
2017 647 5.0 129.4 35.7
2018 983 7.5 130.3 18.3
2019 1125 6.0 187.5 n/a
2020 1499 5.0 299.8 n/a
2021 3241 4.8 671.0 n/a
2022 142 4.0 35.5 n/a
2023 162 5.7 28.1 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 Richmond Alternative

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 104 n/a n/a 71.2
2003 104 n/a n/a 71.2
2004 107 16.0 6.7 n/a
2005 172 13.0 13.2 n/a
2006 329 n/a n/a n/a
2007 296 36.0 8.2 n/a
2008 324 18.0 18.0 n/a
2009 298 18.0 16.6 0
2010 265 n/a n/a n/a
2011 268 n/a n/a 79.5
2012 239 n/a n/a 84.9
2013 202 n/a n/a 98.5
2014 222 22.0 10.0 89.2
2015 242 24.0 10.0 90.5
2016 223 19.0 11.7 95.5
2017 647 5.0 129.4 35.7
2018 983 7.5 130.3 18.3
2019 1125 6.0 187.5 n/a
2020 1499 5.0 299.8 n/a
2021 3241 4.8 671.0 n/a
2022 142 4.0 35.5 n/a
2023 162 5.7 28.1 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 Richmond Alternative

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $218 (13.3%) $1,419 (86.7%) $1,637
2020 $123 (7.8%) $1,458 (92.2%) $1,581
2021 $42 (4.6%) $876 (95.5%) $917

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Richmond Alternative

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 180th of 424 Middle schoolsRanks 422nd of 422 Middle schools
 57.5%
Ranks 319th of 327 High schoolsRanks 324th of 326 High schools
 1.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Richmond Alternative)700
 70%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Richmond City Public Schools)4427
 17%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7857
 21%
6th Grade English Reading (Richmond Alternative)8918
 71%
   6th Grade English Reading (Richmond City Public Schools)5540
 15%
   6th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7770
 7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Richmond Alternative)770
 77%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Richmond City Public Schools)391.7
 37.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7851.4
 26.6%
7th Grade English Reading (Richmond Alternative)863.7
 82.3%
   7th Grade English Reading (Richmond City Public Schools)5442.8
 11.2%
   7th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7970.3
 8.7%
8th Grade Writing (Richmond Alternative)710
 71%
   8th Grade Writing (Richmond City Public Schools)4528.5
 16.5%
   8th Grade Writing (Virginia)7055.5
 14.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Richmond Alternative)720
 72%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Richmond City Public Schools)4918
 31%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7757
 20%
8th Grade Science (Richmond Alternative)830
 83%
   8th Grade Science (Richmond City Public Schools)5219
 33%
   8th Grade Science (Virginia)7861
 17%
8th Grade English Reading (Richmond Alternative)810
 81%
   8th Grade English Reading (Richmond City Public Schools)5346
 7%
   8th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7672
 4%
End of Course Writing (Richmond Alternative)7817
 61%
   End of Course Writing (Richmond City Public Schools)6144
 17%
   End of Course Writing (Virginia)8174
 7%
End of Course Geometry (Richmond Alternative)660
 66%
   End of Course Geometry (Richmond City Public Schools)6065
 5%
   End of Course Geometry (Virginia)8380
 3%
End of Course Algebra I (Richmond Alternative)4812
 36%
   End of Course Algebra I (Richmond City Public Schools)5355
 2%
   End of Course Algebra I (Virginia)8680
 6%
End of Course Biology (Richmond Alternative)606
 54%
   End of Course Biology (Richmond City Public Schools)5840
 18%
   End of Course Biology (Virginia)8370
 13%
End of Course Earth Science (Richmond Alternative)7510
 65%
   End of Course Earth Science (Richmond City Public Schools)6853
 15%
   End of Course Earth Science (Virginia)8172
 9%
End of Course English Reading (Richmond Alternative)7341
 32%
   End of Course English Reading (Richmond City Public Schools)6762
 5%
   End of Course English Reading (Virginia)8685
 1%
End of Course VA and US History (Richmond Alternative)5715
 42%
   End of Course VA and US History (Richmond City Public Schools)4821
 27%
   End of Course VA and US History (Virginia)6838
 30%
End of Course World History I (Richmond Alternative)00
   End of Course World History I (Richmond City Public Schools)4839
 9%
   End of Course World History I (Virginia)8066
 14%
End of Course World History II (Richmond Alternative)460
 46%
   End of Course World History II (Richmond City Public Schools)5827
 31%
   End of Course World History II (Virginia)8148
 33%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students1125162
 85.6%
African American344145
 57.8%
American Indian40
 100%
Asian403
 92.5%
Hispanic606
 90%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White6105
 99.2%
Two or More Races663
 95.5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Richmond Alternative

Richmond Alternative ranks in the bottom 0.0% of Virginia high schools.

Students at Richmond Alternative are 90% African American, 4% Hispanic, 3% White, 2% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 162 students attended Richmond Alternative.


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