Blue Ridge Academy

Blue Ridge Academy is an alternative public charter virtual school located in Maricopa, California, serving 6,931 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. This high-performing school consistently outshines the state average on key academic metrics, making it an attractive option for families seeking a quality virtual education.

With graduation rates ranging from 84.0% to 92.2% over the past few years, Blue Ridge Academy significantly outperforms the state average. The school also excels in standardized testing, with 66.03% of 11th-grade students projected to be proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy in 2024-2025, compared to the state average of 56.96%. In science, 44.5% of 11th-grade students are expected to be proficient or better on the CAST assessment, surpassing the state average of 34.31%. This strong academic performance may be attributed, in part, to the school's relatively high per-student spending, which ranges from $10,411 to $13,596 annually.

While Blue Ridge Academy excels academically, it faces the challenge of high chronic absenteeism, ranging from 20.4% to 30.0% over the past few years. In comparison, nearby virtual schools, such as California Connections Academy Central Coast and Heartland Charter, have similar profiles but do not perform as well on academic metrics. Despite these challenges, Blue Ridge Academy District appears to be effectively serving a diverse student population, with a relatively high percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients.