Berrien Springs Virtual Academy

Berrien Springs Virtual Academy is a K-12 virtual public school in Berrien Springs, MI, serving 213 students as part of the Berrien Springs Public Schools district.

This school stands out for its remarkable strengths in science and social studies. In recent testing, 70% of 11th graders were proficient in science—far exceeding the district's 17% and the state's 35%. Similarly, 8th graders posted a 73% proficiency rate in social studies, compared to 42% for the district and 50% statewide. The school also shines in reading, with 75% of 8th graders scoring proficient on the PSAT English Language Arts section, well above state averages. Perhaps most notably, Berrien Springs Virtual Academy has an exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of just 10.5%. This is dramatically better than other alternative schools in the area, such as Buchanan Virtual Academy (27.7%) or Blossomland Learning Center (41.5%), suggesting the virtual format keeps students engaged and attending.

However, math proficiency is a clear weak spot. For example, only 18% of 6th graders and 25% of 4th graders met state standards in math, trailing state averages by roughly 13–14 points. The school's graduation rate has also been volatile, swinging from 100% to 36% and back up to 84.6% in recent years—likely due to small class sizes. On the positive side, the school operates very efficiently, spending just $5,755 per student, less than half of what many peer alternative schools spend. One concern for parents to watch is the student-teacher ratio, which has climbed to 28.4—the highest among nearby alternative schools—which could impact the individualized support students receive, especially in math.