Volunteer State Virtual Academy High School

Volunteer State Virtual Academy High School is a public virtual high school in Hohenwald, Tennessee, serving 943 students in grades 9–12 as part of the Lewis County Schools district. The school has received a 1-star rating for three consecutive years, ranking in the bottom quarter of Tennessee high schools (315th of 400 in 2025–2026), with academic outcomes, graduation rates, and attendance metrics well below state averages.

The most striking differences involve graduation and attendance. The school's graduation rate was 71.2% in 2024–2025, far below the state rate of 90.5%, while its dropout rate of 23.1% is nearly four times the state average. Chronic absenteeism reached 31.6% in 2024–2025, up from 15.9% the year before. Test proficiency is especially low in math, with just 6.8% of students proficient in Algebra I and 7.4% in Algebra II, compared to state averages above 32%. These outcomes contrast sharply with Lewis County High School, the traditional high school in the same district, which posted a 90.1% graduation rate, a 5.9% dropout rate, and a 54th-percentile state ranking. Even Wayne County Virtual School, a much smaller virtual school nearby with similar per-student spending, achieved a 95.2% graduation rate.

There are a few positive notes. Special education students at Volunteer State Virtual Academy have consistently ranked near the 65th percentile statewide, earning 3-star ratings three years running. English II, Biology I, and Geometry proficiency have also shown steady, if modest, improvement over the past three years. The school spends roughly $4,940 per student — about one-third of what nearby traditional high schools spend — which may contribute to the challenges it faces. For parents considering this virtual academy, the data suggests it serves many students at risk of falling behind academically. While it demonstrates promising practices for special education, the overall engagement and completion challenges remain significant.