Enrollment
45
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gary, IN
Gary Virtual Academy
Federal NCES profile for Gary Virtual Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180387002684
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gary Virtual Academy earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. It is also one of the smallest schools in Indiana.
- #2 of 7
- schools in Gary · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15:1
- students per teacher
- 86.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Gary Virtual Academy has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gary Virtual Academy ranks #2 of 7 schools in Gary, IN.
School address
District: Gary Community School Corp · Indiana
NCES ID 180387002684 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
3.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
86.4%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+75% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gary Virtual Academy compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gary Virtual Academy
Gary Virtual Academy is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Gary, Indiana, enrolling 45 students.
At 15:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Indiana median, within a few percentage points of the 15.9:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 86.4% of students qualify for free meals, 75% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 99% of Indiana schools, with 45 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Its student body is predominantly African American (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
The surrounding Gary Community School Corp spends $19,820 per pupil, 64% above the Indiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 21.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 66 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 45 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Gary's public schools, it stands alongside 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary (1,180 students): Gary Virtual Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15:1 vs 10.3:1).
Gary Community School Corp also operates West Side Leadership Academy (1,232 students) and Glen Park Acad for Excel in Lrn (566 students) alongside Gary Virtual Academy.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Gary Virtual Academy compares
Gary Virtual Academy on the metrics families compare, against Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15:1 | ▼ 6% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 86.4% | ▲ 75% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 45 | top 99% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
45
Bigger than 5% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
86.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 75% above the Indiana average of 49.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 45% in Indiana - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$19,820
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 51 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 33.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 146.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 86.7%
Two or More 6.7%
White 4.4%
Hispanic or Latino 2.2%
Largest group: African American at 86.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 24.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 24.1, Gary Virtual Academy is less mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gary Community School Corp, which includes Gary Virtual Academy.
$19,820
Per student
+64%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
+19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.4%
State 50.2%
Federal 21.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Gary Virtual Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Side Leadership Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glen Park Acad for Excel in Lrn | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Frankie Woods Mccullough Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Daniel Hale Williams Elem Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Beveridge Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gary Virtual Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,232
- Students per teacher
- 25.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 566
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 472
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 450
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 374
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar other schools in Gary
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
21st Century Charter Sch of Gary
Standard public school
1,180 students 10.3:1 students per teacher
Gary Lighthouse Charter School
Standard public school
1,138 students 15:1 students per teacher
Thea Bowman Leadership Academy
Standard public school
773 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Frankie Woods Mccullough Academy
Standard public school
472 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Steel City Academy
Standard public school
286 students 13:1 students per teacher
Mary M Bethune Early Child Dev Ctr
Standard public school
231 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Indiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~45 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gary Virtual Academy's federal record.
- Compare Gary Virtual Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Gary Community School Corp's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Gary Virtual Academy
How many students attend Gary Virtual Academy?
Gary Virtual Academy has 45 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gary, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gary Virtual Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Gary Virtual Academy is 15:1, which is 6% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gary Virtual Academy?
86.4% of students at Gary Virtual Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gary Virtual Academy?
The largest demographic group at Gary Virtual Academy is African American at 86.7% of enrollment, in Gary, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gary Virtual Academy?
Gary Virtual Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Gary Virtual Academy rank among schools in Gary?
By Resource Investment Index, Gary Virtual Academy ranks #2 of 7 schools in Gary, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Gary on the city page.
Is Gary Virtual Academy a good school?
Gary Virtual Academy earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. It is also one of the smallest schools in Indiana. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Gary Community School Corp?
Besides Gary Virtual Academy, Gary Community School Corp also operates West Side Leadership Academy (1,232 students), Glen Park Acad for Excel in Lrn (566 students), and Frankie Woods Mccullough Academy (472 students). See the Gary Community School Corp district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.