Virginia Virtual Academy at Salem

Virginia Virtual Academy at Salem is a K-12 alternative virtual school in Salem, VA, serving about 415 students through Salem City Public Schools, a strong district ranked in the top quartile of Virginia school divisions. Because no other schools are located within 20 miles, the school's performance is best compared against its own district and statewide averages.

The school's clearest academic strengths are in reading and civics, particularly at the middle-school level. In 2025-2026, 6th-8th grade reading averaged 83.4% proficiency, outpacing both the district (77.2%) and state (73.2%), with 7th grade reading reaching 86.2% and 8th grade civics hitting 85.2% versus 67.5% in the district. Writing is also a standout, with 11th graders achieving 100% proficiency in 2023-2024. However, the picture is mixed: elementary math is a major concern, with only 38.5% of 3rd graders proficient versus 76.2% in the district and 74.0% statewide. Fourth-grade Virginia Studies has been persistently low at 44.8% in 2025-2026, roughly 25-30 points below both benchmarks, and 8th grade Algebra I trails the district by about 20 points. That said, the school often compares more favorably to the state than to its own high-performing district; for example, 7th grade math was 54.7% proficient versus the state's 51.1%.

Two operational metrics stand out. Chronic absenteeism is remarkably low at just 2.1% in 2024-2025, roughly five times lower than the district and seven times lower than the state, suggesting strong family engagement with the virtual model. The student-to-teacher ratio is also very low at 6.9-to-1, enabling significant individualized attention. Per-pupil spending of $5,540 appears cost-efficient relative to typical brick-and-mortar schools. Because grade-level cohorts are small, year-to-year test scores swing considerably, so families should interpret single-year results with caution. Ultimately, Virginia Virtual Academy at Salem offers a highly engaged, low-absenteeism alternative education model with genuine reading and civics strengths, but families should weigh those benefits against ongoing challenges in elementary math, Virginia Studies, and Algebra I.