Bridges Virtual Academy

Summary:

Bridges Virtual Academy is a public charter virtual school located in Merrill, Wisconsin, serving grades PK-12 with a total enrollment of 731 students. The school is part of the Merrill Area School District, which is ranked 224 out of 428 districts in Wisconsin and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Bridges Virtual Academy stands out for its exceptional academic performance. The school has consistently high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 85.2% to 96.3% over the past five school years, significantly higher than the state average and the Merrill Area School District's rates. Additionally, Bridges Virtual Academy has very low dropout rates, ranging from 0.0% to 7.8%, and extremely low chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 0.0% to 0.6%, both of which are much lower than the state and district averages. The school also consistently outperforms the Merrill Area School District and the state of Wisconsin in proficiency rates on the Forward Exam across all grade levels and subject areas.

Interestingly, the nearby Wausau Area Virtual Education school, while also a virtual charter school, has significantly lower test scores, graduation rates, and higher dropout rates compared to Bridges Virtual Academy. This suggests that Bridges Virtual Academy is outperforming other virtual schools in the region, potentially due to factors such as effective teaching strategies, strong student support systems, and a curriculum well-suited for virtual learning. The school's exceptional performance, even with a sizable population of economically disadvantaged students, could serve as a valuable model for the Merrill Area School District and other schools looking to improve academic outcomes.


Detail:

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

 1201 N Sales St
       Merrill, WI  54452


(715) 536-9593

District: Merrill Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
176th of 1,061 Wisconsin Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,183 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  18.2 Help
Number of students:  731

Racial breakdown:

White:
81.8%
Two or more races:
7.8%
Hispanic:
5.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  30% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Bridges Virtual Academy ranks better than 83.4% of elementary schools in Wisconsin. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 78.8. (See more...)
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Compare Details Bridges Virtual Academy ranks better than 85.3% of middle schools in Wisconsin. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 79.05. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Bridges Virtual Academy freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
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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 high 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 (81.8%), two or more races (7.8%), Hispanic (5.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 30% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bridges Virtual Academy is 18.2. (See more...)
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Compare Bridges Virtual Academy employs 40 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bridges Virtual Academy is $9,183.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Bridges Virtual Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Bridges Virtual Academy 176th of 1061 Wisconsin public elementary schools. (See Bridges Virtual Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Bridges Virtual Academy 94th of 641 Wisconsin public middle schools. (See Bridges Virtual Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Merrill Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Merrill Area School District 224th of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Bridges Virtual Academy

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Bridges Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2015 31.48 851st 1076 20.9%
2016 22.00 894th 1075 16.8%
2017 35.76 768th 1071 28.3%
2018 51.81 552nd 1025 46.1%
2019 61.87 401st 1037 61.3%
2021 73.77 233rd 1050 77.8%
2022 66.25 340th 1067 68.1%
2023 72.19 260th 1067 75.6%
2024 78.80 176th 1061 83.4%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Alternative School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 77.40 88th 746 88.2%
2022 54.03 283rd 748 62.2%
2023 81.23 68th 770 91.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.90 572nd 854 33.0%
2019 52.21 400th 874 54.2%
2021 68.34 192nd 847 77.3%
2022 63.51 255th 859 70.3%
2023 82.75 58th 871 93.3%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Bridges Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.54 522nd 997 47.6%
2019 59.34 424th 1002 57.7%
2021 70.74 258th 1004 74.3%
2022 71.63 244th 1017 76.0%
2023 75.77 199th 1010 80.3%
2024 70.44 288th 1011 71.5%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Bridges Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.17 550th 997 44.8%
2019 62.13 372nd 1002 62.9%
2021 73.96 207th 1003 79.4%
2022 55.40 474th 1017 53.4%
2023 62.59 390th 1011 61.4%
2024 82.64 112th 1012 88.9%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Bridges Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 40.72 160th 296 45.9%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Bridges Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 66.19 207th 699 70.4%
2022 57.25 301st 704 57.2%
2023 51.39 364th 715 49.1%
2024 62.42 269th 727 63.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Bridges Virtual Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Bridges Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2015 46.20 394th 612 35.6%
2016 42.25 395th 609 35.1%
2017 33.29 446th 612 27.1%
2018 61.61 217th 579 62.5%
2019 61.41 222nd 594 62.6%
2021 66.55 170th 613 72.3%
2022 83.19 65th 617 89.5%
2023 80.19 82nd 640 87.2%
2024 79.05 94th 641 85.3%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Alternative School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 97.58 3rd 437 99.3%
2023 89.89 12th 439 97.3%
2024 65.06 104th 425 75.5%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.40 118th 489 75.9%
2019 79.50 36th 487 92.6%
2021 60.88 139th 499 72.1%
2022 94.66 6th 522 98.9%
2023 89.74 15th 525 97.1%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Bridges Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.76 220th 551 60.1%
2019 61.55 213th 557 61.8%
2021 56.47 247th 574 57.0%
2022 77.31 86th 576 85.1%
2023 75.53 99th 579 82.9%
2024 72.77 141st 580 75.7%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Bridges Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.81 182nd 551 67.0%
2019 57.24 242nd 557 56.6%
2021 76.31 80th 572 86.0%
2022 83.48 53rd 577 90.8%
2023 79.15 83rd 591 86.0%
2024 82.93 60th 585 89.7%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Bridges Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 33.29 154th 221 30.3%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Bridges Virtual Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 62.16 130th 393 66.9%
2022 82.78 45th 397 88.7%
2023 70.59 92nd 412 77.7%
2024 61.62 144th 407 64.6%
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.

Bridges 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 Bridges Virtual Academy

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2013 418 9 5 5 0 0 19 0 456
2014 689 19 16 10 3 1 17 0 755
2015 626 36 14 6 5 2 3 0 692
2016 564 22 14 4 3 2 1 0 610
2017 640 14 12 6 3 2 1 0 678
2018 698 22 10 9 1 2 2 0 744
2019 677 18 9 11 1 1 3 0 720
2020 684 17 7 12 3 0 5 0 728
2021 947 43 14 12 6 4 15 0 1041
2022 674 22 20 51 6 1 58 0 832
2023 598 14 18 41 1 2 57 0 731

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 Bridges Virtual Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2013 456 1.5 304.0 16.7
2014 755 7.8 96.7 12.8
2015 692 n/a n/a 21.7
2016 610 20.0 30.5 21.1
2017 678 22.0 30.8 16.5
2018 744 26.8 27.6 20
2019 720 29.1 24.7 32.8
2020 728 30.0 24.2 35.7
2021 1041 40.3 25.7 36.4
2022 832 43.5 19.1 34.3
2023 731 40.0 18.2 30

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 Bridges Virtual Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2013 456 1.5 304.0 16.7
2014 755 7.8 96.7 12.8
2015 692 n/a n/a 21.7
2016 610 20.0 30.5 21.1
2017 678 22.0 30.8 16.5
2018 744 26.8 27.6 20
2019 720 29.1 24.7 32.8
2020 728 30.0 24.2 35.7
2021 1041 40.3 25.7 36.4
2022 832 43.5 19.1 34.3
2023 731 40.0 18.2 30

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 Bridges Virtual Academy

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $292 (3.2%) $8,934 (96.8%) $9,226
2020 $303 (3.1%) $9,408 (96.9%) $9,711
2021 $176 (1.9%) $9,007 (98.1%) $9,183

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Bridges 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 401st of 1037 Elementary schoolsRanks 260th of 1067 Elementary schools
 14.3%
Ranks 222nd of 594 Middle schoolsRanks 82nd of 640 Middle schools
 24.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Bridges Virtual Academy)58.665
 6.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Area School District)43.446.9
 3.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)39.537.9
 1.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Bridges Virtual Academy)55.265
 9.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Merrill Area School District)56.157.7
 1.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)50.548.8
 1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Bridges Virtual Academy)6064
 4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Area School District)45.548.5
 3.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)43.945.8
 1.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Bridges Virtual Academy)46.744
 2.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Merrill Area School District)42.947.1
 4.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)46.246.5
 0.2%
4th Grade Social Studies (Bridges Virtual Academy)7080
 10%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Merrill Area School District)50.555.9
 5.4%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)53.459.7
 6.4%
4th Grade Science (Bridges Virtual Academy)7064
 6%
   4th Grade Science (Merrill Area School District)5250
 2%
   4th Grade Science (Wisconsin)53.952.1
 1.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Bridges Virtual Academy)57.157.1
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Area School District)39.739
 0.8%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)40.939.2
 1.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Bridges Virtual Academy)45.747.6
 1.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Merrill Area School District)48.647.1
 1.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)47.848.4
 0.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Bridges Virtual Academy)30.853.6
 22.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Area School District)25.340.5
 15.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)41.740.6
 1.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Bridges Virtual Academy)19.239.3
 20.1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Merrill Area School District)28.438.5
 10.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)43.542.6
 0.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Bridges Virtual Academy)69.774.3
 4.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Area School District)32.347.5
 15.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)45.541.1
 4.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Bridges Virtual Academy)48.548.6
 0.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Merrill Area School District)34.535
 0.5%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)39.735.7
 4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Bridges Virtual Academy)56.476
 19.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Area School District)25.643.2
 17.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)37.337.8
 0.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Bridges Virtual Academy)28.248
 19.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Merrill Area School District)26.431.3
 4.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)36.531.8
 4.7%
8th Grade Social Studies (Bridges Virtual Academy)5968
 9%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Merrill Area School District)38.957.4
 18.5%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)52.159.2
 7.1%
8th Grade Science (Bridges Virtual Academy)66.772
 5.3%
   8th Grade Science (Merrill Area School District)46.950
 3.1%
   8th Grade Science (Wisconsin)54.649.4
 5.3%
10th Grade Social Studies (Bridges Virtual Academy)7552.4
 22.6%
   10th Grade Social Studies (Merrill Area School District)43.138.3
 4.7%
   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 Students720731
 1.5%
African American1814
 22.2%
American Indian11
Asian918
 100%
Hispanic1141
 272.7%
Pacific Islander12
 100%
White677598
 11.7%
Two or More Races357
 1800%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients32.8%30%
 2.8%


Schools Near Bridges Virtual Academy









Frequently Asked Questions about Bridges Virtual Academy

In the 2022-23 school year, 731 students attended Bridges Virtual Academy.

Bridges Virtual Academy ranks 176th of 1061 Wisconsin alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Bridges Virtual Academy are 82% White, 8% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 2% African American.


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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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