Rural Virtual Academy

Summary:

Rural Virtual Academy is an alternative public charter virtual school located in Medford, Wisconsin, serving grades PK-12 with a total enrollment of 1,850 students. The school is part of the Medford Area Public School District, which is ranked 210 out of 428 school districts in Wisconsin and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Rural Virtual Academy stands out for its consistently high academic performance, with graduation rates ranging from 92.6% to 100% over the past five school years, significantly higher than the state average and the Medford Area Public School District. The school also has very low dropout rates, ranging from 0.0% to 2.9%, and virtually no chronic absenteeism, indicating that students are highly engaged and attending school regularly. In addition, Rural Virtual Academy outperforms the district and the state of Wisconsin in many subject areas and grade levels on the Forward Exam, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts ranging from 47.37% to 76.92%, compared to the district's 35.15% to 60.54% and the state's 50.36% to 54.1%.

The school's success can be attributed to its effective instructional practices, student engagement, and commitment to supporting the unique needs of its virtual learners. Despite serving a diverse student population in terms of socioeconomic status, with free and reduced-price lunch rates fluctuating between 29.66% and 42.17%, Rural Virtual Academy has maintained strong academic performance and efficient resource utilization, with spending per student ranging from $8,735 to $10,327 over the past three years. The school's evolving student-teacher ratio, decreasing from 31.3 in 2020-2021 to 23.5 in 2022-2023, further demonstrates its commitment to providing personalized support to its virtual learners.


Detail:

Public, Charter, Virtual, Alternative PK, KG-12

 624 College St
       Medford, WI  54451


(715) 748-4620

District: Medford Area Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
376th of 1,061 Wisconsin Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,428 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  23.5 Help
Number of students:  1,850

Racial breakdown:

White:
86.9%
Hispanic:
5.1%
Two or more races:
4.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  37.1% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Rural Virtual Academy ranks better than 64.6% of elementary schools in Wisconsin. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 67.06. (See more...)
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Compare Details Rural Virtual Academy ranks better than 76.9% of middle schools in Wisconsin. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 73.37. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Rural Virtual Academy who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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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 (86.9%), Hispanic (5.1%), two or more races (4.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 37.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Rural Virtual Academy is 23.5. (See more...)
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Compare Rural Virtual Academy employs 78.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Rural Virtual Academy is $9,428.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Rural Virtual Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Rural Virtual Academy 376th of 1061 Wisconsin public elementary schools. (See Rural Virtual Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Rural Virtual Academy 148th of 641 Wisconsin public middle schools. (See Rural Virtual Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Medford Area Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Medford Area Public School District 210th of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Rural Virtual Academy

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Rural Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2015 39.59 775th 1076 28.0%
2016 44.72 662nd 1075 38.4%
2017 44.02 668th 1071 37.6%
2018 52.95 531st 1025 48.2%
2019 50.62 577th 1037 44.4%
2021 80.08 150th 1050 85.7%
2022 62.89 398th 1067 62.7%
2023 74.07 237th 1067 77.8%
2024 67.06 376th 1061 64.6%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Multi-racial students at Rural Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 97.24 1st 119 99.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Rural Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.51 79th 721 89.0%
2021 92.70 18th 746 97.6%
2022 57.12 248th 748 66.8%
2023 69.90 161st 770 79.1%
2024 61.08 251st 790 68.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Rural Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.81 714th 854 16.4%
2019 40.15 563rd 874 35.6%
2021 85.78 39th 847 95.4%
2022 62.28 274th 859 68.1%
2023 39.94 569th 871 34.7%
2024 48.19 473rd 866 45.4%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Rural Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.32 637th 997 36.1%
2019 52.58 527th 1002 47.4%
2021 86.15 74th 1004 92.6%
2022 59.01 433rd 1017 57.4%
2023 67.41 319th 1010 68.4%
2024 58.58 474th 1011 53.1%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Rural Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.93 375th 997 62.4%
2019 49.02 549th 1002 45.2%
2021 65.30 328th 1003 67.3%
2022 66.05 324th 1017 68.1%
2023 75.86 201st 1011 80.1%
2024 65.94 351st 1012 65.3%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Rural Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.12 446th 686 35.0%
2019 61.01 276th 718 61.6%
2021 74.63 138th 699 80.3%
2022 50.35 372nd 704 47.2%
2023 66.64 202nd 715 71.7%
2024 49.32 387th 727 46.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Rural Virtual Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Rural Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2015 53.85 312th 612 49.0%
2016 51.13 314th 609 48.4%
2017 43.56 374th 612 38.9%
2018 58.62 243rd 579 58.0%
2019 61.61 221st 594 62.8%
2021 90.23 22nd 613 96.4%
2022 91.45 28th 617 95.5%
2023 69.93 160th 640 75.0%
2024 73.37 148th 641 76.9%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Rural Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 74.05 48th 414 88.4%
2021 87.20 13th 437 97.0%
2022 60.60 117th 421 72.2%
2023 69.84 66th 439 85.0%
2024 82.70 35th 425 91.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Rural Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.43 286th 489 41.5%
2019 71.21 70th 487 85.6%
2021 88.78 11th 499 97.8%
2022 89.34 16th 522 96.9%
2023 66.73 114th 525 78.3%
2024 82.78 37th 520 92.9%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Rural Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.04 233rd 551 57.7%
2019 55.12 269th 557 51.7%
2021 78.27 79th 574 86.2%
2022 87.30 42nd 576 92.7%
2023 72.57 125th 579 78.4%
2024 73.51 136th 580 76.6%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Rural Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.16 232nd 551 57.9%
2019 68.54 141st 557 74.7%
2021 93.18 14th 572 97.6%
2022 93.39 15th 577 97.4%
2023 59.79 219th 591 62.9%
2024 63.18 211th 585 63.9%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Rural Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.61 225th 375 40.0%
2019 58.79 141st 382 63.1%
2021 82.38 41st 393 89.6%
2022 90.03 20th 397 95.0%
2023 62.27 133rd 412 67.7%
2024 65.79 122nd 407 70.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 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.

Rural Virtual Academy Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 









Data source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Rural Virtual Academy

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2006 6 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 6
2007 4 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 4
2008 3 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 3
2009 8 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 8
2010 12 1 0 1 2 n/a n/a 0 16
2011 22 0 0 2 1 1 2 0 28
2012 27 3 0 3 0 0 7 0 40
2013 59 4 1 1 1 1 11 0 78
2014 97 2 1 3 1 0 4 0 108
2015 160 4 0 5 1 0 3 0 173
2016 226 9 1 15 0 0 3 0 254
2017 251 10 2 21 5 0 11 0 300
2018 458 11 3 29 12 2 25 0 540
2019 685 23 3 40 31 3 25 0 810
2020 895 15 3 46 21 3 49 0 1032
2021 1274 11 6 71 27 1 54 0 1444
2022 1466 15 11 73 23 1 80 0 1669
2023 1607 24 11 95 28 2 83 0 1850

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 Rural Virtual Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2006 6 0.5 12.0 n/a
2007 4 n/a n/a 25
2008 3 n/a n/a 0
2009 8 0.5 16.0 37.5
2010 16 0.2 64.0 31.3
2011 28 0.2 112.0 14.3
2012 40 0.2 160.0 7.5
2013 78 0.8 95.1 12.8
2014 108 2.8 37.7 12
2015 173 n/a n/a 21.4
2016 254 8.0 31.7 24.4
2017 300 12.1 24.7 4.7
2018 540 18.2 29.5 25.6
2019 810 28.9 28.0 40.6
2020 1032 33.9 30.4 21.8
2021 1444 46.0 31.3 42.2
2022 1669 65.0 25.6 29.7
2023 1850 78.5 23.5 37.1

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 Rural Virtual Academy

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2006 6 0.5 12.0 n/a
2007 4 n/a n/a 25
2008 3 n/a n/a 0
2009 8 0.5 16.0 37.5
2010 16 0.2 64.0 31.3
2011 28 0.2 112.0 14.3
2012 40 0.2 160.0 7.5
2013 78 0.8 95.1 12.8
2014 108 2.8 37.7 12
2015 173 n/a n/a 21.4
2016 254 8.0 31.7 24.4
2017 300 12.1 24.7 4.7
2018 540 18.2 29.5 25.6
2019 810 28.9 28.0 40.6
2020 1032 33.9 30.4 21.8
2021 1444 46.0 31.3 42.2
2022 1669 65.0 25.6 29.7
2023 1850 78.5 23.5 37.1

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 Rural Virtual Academy

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $191 (2.2%) $8,544 (97.8%) $8,735
2020 $178 (1.7%) $10,149 (98.3%) $10,327
2021 $212 (2.2%) $9,216 (97.8%) $9,428

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Rural 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.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 577th of 1037 Elementary schoolsRanks 237th of 1067 Elementary schools
 33.4%
Ranks 221st of 594 Middle schoolsRanks 160th of 640 Middle schools
 12.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Rural Virtual Academy)5060
 10%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Medford Area Public School District)38.632.2
 6.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)39.537.9
 1.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Rural Virtual Academy)62.570
 7.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Medford Area Public School District)54.448.6
 5.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)50.548.8
 1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Rural Virtual Academy)46.258.8
 12.7%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Medford Area Public School District)46.852.4
 5.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)43.945.8
 1.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Rural Virtual Academy)23.158.8
 35.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Medford Area Public School District)57.963.5
 5.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)46.246.5
 0.2%
4th Grade Social Studies (Rural Virtual Academy)69.282.4
 13.1%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Medford Area Public School District)57.364.1
 6.8%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)53.459.7
 6.4%
4th Grade Science (Rural Virtual Academy)61.558.8
 2.7%
   4th Grade Science (Medford Area Public School District)56.760.7
 4%
   4th Grade Science (Wisconsin)53.952.1
 1.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Rural Virtual Academy)35.371.4
 36.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Medford Area Public School District)4042.9
 2.9%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)40.939.2
 1.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Rural Virtual Academy)41.257.1
 16%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Medford Area Public School District)57.457.1
 0.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)47.848.4
 0.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Rural Virtual Academy)44.450
 5.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Medford Area Public School District)50.624.4
 26.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)41.740.6
 1.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Rural Virtual Academy)33.337.5
 4.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Medford Area Public School District)44.432.1
 12.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)43.542.6
 0.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Rural Virtual Academy)53.947.4
 6.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Medford Area Public School District)5037.6
 12.4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)45.541.1
 4.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Rural Virtual Academy)23.136.8
 13.8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Medford Area Public School District)42.729.6
 13.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)39.735.7
 4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Rural Virtual Academy)4544.4
 0.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Medford Area Public School District)42.538.2
 4.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)37.337.8
 0.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Rural Virtual Academy)4566.7
 21.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Medford Area Public School District)31.741.8
 10%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)36.531.8
 4.7%
8th Grade Social Studies (Rural Virtual Academy)7088.9
 18.9%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Medford Area Public School District)61.850.6
 11.2%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)52.159.2
 7.1%
8th Grade Science (Rural Virtual Academy)7077.8
 7.8%
   8th Grade Science (Medford Area Public School District)67.750.6
 17.2%
   8th Grade Science (Wisconsin)54.649.4
 5.3%
10th Grade Social Studies (Rural Virtual Academy)12.554.6
 42.1%
   10th Grade Social Studies (Medford Area Public School District)40.452.3
 11.9%
   10th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)45.947.2
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students8101850
 128.4%
African American2324
 4.3%
American Indian3128
 9.7%
Asian311
 266.7%
Hispanic4095
 137.5%
Pacific Islander32
 33.3%
White6851607
 134.6%
Two or More Races2583
 232%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients40.6%37.1%
 3.5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Rural Virtual Academy

Students at Rural Virtual Academy are 87% White, 5% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% American Indian, 1% African American.

Rural Virtual Academy ranks 376th of 1061 Wisconsin alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,850 students attended Rural 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 Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

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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