Summary
Wausau Area Virtual Education is an alternative public virtual school in Wausau, Wisconsin, serving grades K–12 with 152 students as part of the Wausau School District. Its closest comparison in the area is Bridges Virtual Academy in Merrill, about 16.5 miles away, which serves PK–12 with 674 students and belongs to the Merrill Area School District.
Graduation and dropout numbers show a mixed picture. WAVE's 2024–2025 graduation rate of 93.1% is above its district (90.5%) and the state (92.0%), but below Bridges' 97.9%. Its dropout rate of 2.7% is higher than Bridges (0.6%), the district (0.4%), and the state (1.1%), and was 3.5% the prior year. Chronic absenteeism is the standout concern: 26.2% in 2024–2025, well above the district (15.2%), the state (17.3%), and Bridges (1.2%). WAVE reported 0.0% in the three years before that, so the jump may reflect a reporting or definition change, but as reported it is a major outlier. WAVE also spends $13,786 per student — more than double Bridges' $6,124 — while its student-teacher ratio (16.4) is similar to Bridges' (17.2), so smaller classes do not explain the spending gap.
Academically, WAVE's brightest results are in the early grades: in 2025–2026 its 4th graders scored 100% proficient in ELA, social studies, and science and 80% in math, all above the state and Bridges. Middle-school math is a recurring weakness — 8th grade math was 20% versus 53.67% statewide and 44.68% at Bridges — and 10th grade ACT results lagged the state in all three subjects (ELA 35.48%, math 19.35%, science 38.71%), with Bridges higher in each. Because WAVE enrolls only 152 students K–12, individual grade-level results can swing sharply from year to year, so families should watch these trends over several years.
Thank you for your feedback!