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Bridges Virtual Academy

Q: Is Bridges Virtual Academy a good school?

Bridges Virtual Academy ranks 445 th of 1044 Wisconsin alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter, Virtual, Alternative Grades PK, KG-12

445^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,044 Wisconsin Alternative Schools

Better than 57% of Wisconsin alternative schools

Summary

Bridges Virtual Academy is a public charter virtual school located in Merrill, Wisconsin, serving grades PK-12 with a total enrollment of 697 students. The school is part of the Merrill Area School District, which is ranked 236 out of 426 districts in Wisconsin and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Bridges Virtual Academy stands out for its consistently high academic performance. The school has consistently high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 90.4% to 97.6% over the past few years, significantly outperforming the Merrill Area School District's rates. Additionally, Bridges Virtual Academy has very low dropout rates, ranging from 0.2% to 1.3%, which are much lower than the district's rates. Students at Bridges Virtual Academy consistently outperform their peers in the Merrill Area School District and the state of Wisconsin on the Forward Exam across various grade levels and subject areas, including English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. Despite having a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 7.75% to 34.25% over the past few years, the school has been able to maintain its high academic performance.

Compared to the nearby Wausau Area Virtual Education school, located approximately 16.5 miles away, Bridges Virtual Academy has higher test scores and lower student-teacher ratios, highlighting its academic strength. Given Bridges Virtual Academy's consistent excellence, the school may be well-positioned to expand its reach and serve more students in the region, potentially becoming a model for other virtual schools in the state.

674

Students ?

17.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,183

Per pupil spending ?

10.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1201 N Sales St
Merrill, WI 54452

(715) 536-9593

District: Merrill Area School District

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.9%

Hispanic:

8.2%

Two or more races:

6.8%

See top rated Wisconsin elementary schools

Compare Bridges Virtual Academy to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 78th percentile in 2021 → 83rd in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Wisconsin average (64% vs 54% meeting standards)

✓98% graduate in 4 years — above the Wisconsin average (92%)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 5 percentile points since 2021

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school64%

District avg48%

Wisconsin avg54%

Elementary school

445^th of 1,044

Wisconsin public elementary schools ?

Top 43%▲ up 36 pts since 2015

From bottom 21% (2015) to top 43% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Wisconsin Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

109^th of 628

Wisconsin public middle schools ?

Top 17%▲ up 47 pts since 2015

From bottom 36% (2015) to top 17% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Wisconsin Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

236^th of 426Merrill Area School District among Wisconsin districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	60.9	445 of 1044	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	78.8	176 of 1061	83.4%	★★★★☆
2023	72.2	260 of 1067	75.6%	★★★★☆
2022	66.3	340 of 1067	68.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	73.8	233 of 1050	77.8%	★★★★☆
2019	61.9	401 of 1037	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	51.8	552 of 1025	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2017	35.8	768 of 1071	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	22.0	894 of 1075	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	31.5	851 of 1076	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	49.7	570 of 1001	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	70.4	288 of 1011	71.5%	★★★★☆
2023	75.8	199 of 1010	80.3%	★★★★☆
2022	71.6	244 of 1017	76.0%	★★★★☆
2021	70.7	258 of 1004	74.3%	★★★★☆
2019	59.3	424 of 1002	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.5	522 of 997	47.6%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2022	40.7	160 of 296	45.9%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2023	82.7	58 of 871	93.3%	★★★★★
2022	63.5	255 of 859	70.3%	★★★★☆
2021	68.3	192 of 847	77.3%	★★★★☆
2019	52.2	400 of 874	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	39.9	572 of 854	33.0%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	70.6	287 of 1000	71.3%	★★★★☆
2024	82.6	112 of 1012	88.9%	★★★★☆
2023	62.6	390 of 1011	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	55.4	474 of 1017	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	74.0	207 of 1003	79.4%	★★★★☆
2019	62.1	372 of 1002	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.2	550 of 997	44.8%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2023	81.2	68 of 770	91.2%	★★★★★
2022	54.0	283 of 748	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	77.4	88 of 746	88.2%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	48.6	386 of 718	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	62.4	269 of 727	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.4	364 of 715	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	57.3	301 of 704	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	66.2	207 of 699	70.4%	★★★★☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	77.3	109 of 628	82.6%	★★★★☆
2024	79.1	94 of 641	85.3%	★★★★☆
2023	80.2	82 of 640	87.2%	★★★★☆
2022	83.2	65 of 617	89.5%	★★★★☆
2021	66.5	170 of 613	72.3%	★★★★☆
2019	61.4	222 of 594	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.6	217 of 579	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2017	33.3	446 of 612	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	42.2	395 of 609	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2015	46.2	394 of 612	35.6%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	77.3	104 of 573	81.8%	★★★★☆
2024	72.8	141 of 580	75.7%	★★★★☆
2023	75.5	99 of 579	82.9%	★★★★☆
2022	77.3	86 of 576	85.1%	★★★★☆
2021	56.5	247 of 574	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	61.6	213 of 557	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	59.8	220 of 551	60.1%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	66.5	67 of 237	71.7%	★★★★☆
2022	33.3	154 of 221	30.3%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	67.1	124 of 509	75.6%	★★★★☆
2023	89.7	15 of 525	97.1%	★★★★★
2022	94.7	6 of 522	98.9%	★★★★★
2021	60.9	139 of 499	72.1%	★★★★☆
2019	79.5	36 of 487	92.6%	★★★★★
2018	64.4	118 of 489	75.9%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	71.3	157 of 577	72.8%	★★★★☆
2024	82.9	60 of 585	89.7%	★★★★☆
2023	79.1	83 of 591	86.0%	★★★★☆
2022	83.5	53 of 577	90.8%	★★★★★
2021	76.3	80 of 572	86.0%	★★★★☆
2019	57.2	242 of 557	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.8	182 of 551	67.0%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	70.7	81 of 414	80.4%	★★★★☆
2024	65.1	104 of 425	75.5%	★★★★☆
2023	89.9	12 of 439	97.3%	★★★★★
2021	97.6	3 of 437	99.3%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	73.6	79 of 399	80.2%	★★★★☆
2024	61.6	144 of 407	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	70.6	92 of 412	77.7%	★★★★☆
2022	82.8	45 of 397	88.7%	★★★★☆
2021	62.2	130 of 393	66.9%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

Low Socio Economic Status (2023)93rd percentile+18 vs school

Special Education (2023)91st percentile+16 vs school

Male (2025)71st percentile+14 vs school

White (2025)46th percentile-11 vs school

Hispanic (2022)46th percentile-22 vs school

Female (2025)43rd percentile-14 vs school

Middle school

Female (2025)82nd percentile~ school

Special Education (2025)80th percentile~ school

White (2025)80th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)76th percentile-7 vs school

Male (2025)73rd percentile-10 vs school

Hispanic (2025)72nd percentile-11 vs school

By subject vs Wisconsin (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts74%+21 vs state

Social Studies73%+15 vs state

Science65%+15 vs state

Mathematics50%-4 vs state

★

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Schools Near Bridges Virtual Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				Forward Exam English Language Arts (2025)						Forward Exam Mathematics (2025)						Forward Exam Social Studies (2025)			Forward Exam Science (2025)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	Forward Exam English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 4th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 5th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 6th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 7th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 8th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 3rd Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 4th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 5th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 6th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 7th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 8th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 4th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 8th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 10th Grade	Forward Exam Science 4th Grade	Forward Exam Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Bridges Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1201 N Sales St	Merrill	54452	Lincoln County	Merrill Area School District	Yes	No	Yes	No	(715) 536-9593	674	39	17.2	10.8%	545 (80.9%)	14 (2.1%)	55 (8.2%)	13 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	46 (6.8%)								(n/a)	63.2	70.8	76.2	71.4	79.3	78.6	42.1	37.5	42.9	57.1	48.3	67.9	58.3	85.7	72.0	62.5	67.9	$9,183	$176	$9,007
Wausau Area Virtual Education	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	415 Seymour St	Wausau	54403	Marathon County	Wausau School District	Yes	No	Yes	No	(715) 261-0527	152	9	16.4	15.8%	116 (76.3%)	3 (2.0%)	15 (9.9%)	10 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.3%)								(n/a)					40.0						20.0				68.8			$7,559	$307	$7,252

Frequently Asked Questions about Bridges Virtual Academy

How many students attend Bridges Virtual Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 674 students attended Bridges Virtual Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Bridges Virtual Academy?

Students at Bridges Virtual Academy are 81% White, 8% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 2% African American, 2% Asian.

What district is Bridges Virtual Academy in?

Merrill Area School District

Is Bridges Virtual Academy a good school?

Bridges Virtual Academy ranks 445^th of 1044 Wisconsin alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Bridges Virtual Academy!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.