JCPS Virtual Academy

JCPS Virtual Academy is a small K-12 alternative school in Clayton, NC, serving 203 students within Johnston County Public Schools, a modestly strong district that ranks in North Carolina's top 40% of districts. The school's student body is nearly universally low-income, with about 98% eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and its student-teacher ratio has improved to 12.9:1 over the past two years. Unlike many alternative programs, this one serves all grade levels in a fully virtual setting.

A few things stand out. Chronic absenteeism — often the biggest challenge for virtual and alternative schools — is just 15.9%, well below Johnston County's 21.8% and the state's 24.2%, and nearly identical to Neuse Charter School's 15.7%. Graduation is another strength: 80.5% of seniors earn diplomas, which trails Johnston County's 92.6% but is double the rate at Choice Plus Academy, another alternative school serving a similarly high-poverty population. Reading in grades 5 and 6 exceeded district and state averages in 2025-26, a notable feat given the student population.

The school's biggest academic challenge is math. Only 13.3% of students passed Math I and 29.3% passed Math III — the state's algebra and advanced math exams — compared with Johnston County's 44.7% and 68.9% in those same exams. Test scores fluctuate dramatically from year to year — 8th-grade science went from 92.6% proficiency in 2023-24 to 34.0% in 2025-26 — in large part because testing cohorts by grade are very small. The honest takeaway is that JCPS Virtual Academy is not academically competitive with traditional district schools or high-performing charters like American Leadership Academy - Johnston, but it graduates four out of five students and has strong attendance. That profile may suit students who have struggled in traditional settings. Perhaps the most useful comparison for families is with Choice Plus Academy: on nearly every measure, JCPS Virtual Academy is the better school.