Harnett Virtual Academy

Harnett Virtual Academy is an alternative public virtual school serving grades K-12 in Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, with an enrollment of 123 students. While the school has maintained relatively strong graduation rates, its academic performance, as measured by test scores, lags behind both the Harnett County Schools district and the state of North Carolina averages.

Harnett Virtual Academy's 4-year graduation rates have ranged from 72.0% to 89.4% over the past few years, which is higher than the Harnett County Schools district average. However, the school's test scores are generally lower than the district and state averages across various End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) exams. For example, in 2024-2025, the school had only 27.8% proficiency in EOC Biology compared to 36.4% for the district and 48.3% for the state. Additionally, Harnett Virtual Academy has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 38.43% to 60.66% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average.

When compared to the nearby Triangle Math and Science Academy, a public charter school located about 16 miles away, the differences in academic performance are stark. Triangle Math and Science Academy significantly outperforms Harnett Virtual Academy and the state averages on most test scores, with proficiency rates often exceeding 90% in mathematics and reading. This suggests that Harnett Virtual Academy may be struggling to provide the same level of academic rigor and support as a high-performing charter school in the region.