Virtual Preparatory Academy of Washington

Virtual Preparatory Academy of Washington is a large, virtual-oriented alternative school in Starbuck, Washington, serving 748 students in kindergarten through grade 12 through the Starbuck School District. Its closest listed comparison is the much smaller Washtucna Elementary/High School, about 18.55 miles away. Because the schools differ greatly in enrollment, setting, and operating model, comparisons are useful as general reference points rather than as a direct ranking of school quality.

The school’s latest academic results are well below Washington averages in every reported subject. In 2025–26, 23.19% of students were proficient in English language arts, 8.09% in math, and 22.01% in science. Math is the clearest concern: the rate was 19.50 percentage points below Washtucna’s 27.59% and 35.02 points below the state’s 43.11%. ELA was relatively stronger, nearly matching Washtucna’s 25.00%, but remained about 30 points below the statewide rate. Results have stayed low over the past four years, with no clear sustained improvement; ELA declined while math remained particularly weak.

Completion outcomes are another major concern. The reported 2024–25 graduation rate was 23.2%, compared with 82.6% statewide, while the reported dropout rate was 66.2%, compared with 9.8% statewide. Alternative and virtual schools may serve students with interrupted enrollment, transfers, or other challenges, so these figures need context, but they still point to serious persistence and credit-completion issues. The school reported $10,812 in spending per student in 2023–24, compared with $43,942 at Washtucna; that difference is partly influenced by Washtucna’s very small enrollment of 71 students. No student-teacher ratio was reported for Virtual Preparatory Academy.