Summary
Olympia Regional Learning Academy (ORLA) is a K–12 alternative school in Olympia, Washington, serving 345 students in the Olympia School District, a relatively highly ranked district in the state. ORLA’s academic results are a major strength: in 2025–26, 74.39% of students were proficient in English language arts, 56.17% in math, and 74.58% in science. These results were above both district and Washington averages. ORLA also compares favorably with nearby alternative programs, including Summit Virtual Academy and Washington Connections Academy Goldendale, whose reported all-grade proficiency rates were substantially lower in each of those subjects.
ORLA’s strongest improvement has been in math, rising from 35.66% proficiency in 2022–23 to 56.17% in 2025–26. English language arts and science have also remained strong over several years. Available grade-level results include 77.78% proficiency in fifth-grade ELA, 66.67% in eighth-grade ELA, and 70.83% in eighth-grade science. However, tenth-grade math was much weaker at 25%, suggesting that high-school math may need additional attention. Several grade-level results were suppressed by the state, so those subjects should be treated as unknown rather than as evidence of weak performance. ORLA’s 13:1 student-teacher ratio is also more favorable than the reported ratios at Summit Virtual Academy, Washington Connections Academy Goldendale, and Gravelly Lake K-12 Academy.
The most important concern is that strong test performance has not translated into equally strong completion outcomes. ORLA’s graduation rate declined from 80.0% in 2020–21 to 68.5% in 2024–25, while its dropout rate reached 22.8%, well above district and state rates. This pattern suggests that attendance, persistence, credit completion, and dropout prevention deserve close attention. Comparisons with other alternative schools should be interpreted carefully because their sizes, student populations, and virtual or specialized formats differ. For example, Washington Connections Academy Goldendale is much larger, while Firwood is much smaller and has some suppressed results. Overall, ORLA appears academically strong, with persistence through graduation as its clearest challenge.
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