Summary
Combs Online School for Success is a small, alternative public virtual school serving grades K-12 in the J.O. Combs Unified School District in San Tan Valley, Arizona, with a student population of 84 as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school has faced significant challenges, including low graduation rates, high dropout rates, and underperformance on standardized tests compared to state and district averages.
Combs Online School for Success has struggled with a 44.1% four-year graduation rate in 2022-2023, which is significantly lower than the state average of 80%. The school also has high dropout rates, reaching 21.8% in 2022-2023, more than double the state average of 10.1%. On standardized tests, the school underperforms, with only 29% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 40% statewide, and only 17% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in math, compared to 32% statewide. The school's relatively low spending per student of $3,447 in 2021-2022, compared to the state average of $8,239, may be a contributing factor to its underperformance.
When compared to nearby virtual schools, such as American Leadership Academy Virtual and Higley Virtual Academy, Combs Online School for Success performs significantly worse in terms of graduation rates, dropout rates, and test scores. For example, American Leadership Academy Virtual had an 86.2% four-year graduation rate, and Higley Virtual Academy had a 93.9% four-year graduation rate, both much higher than Combs Online School for Success. The school's racial demographics have also shifted, with a decrease in White students and an increase in Hispanic students, which may be an interesting area to explore further in relation to the school's performance and the needs of its student population.
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