Enrollment
246
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Newton, AL
Houston County Virtual Academy
Federal NCES profile for Houston County Virtual Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010177002506
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 51
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Houston County Virtual Academy earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Alabama schools.
- #4 of 4
- schools in Newton · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 27.3:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 65.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Houston County Virtual Academy has class sizes larger than 99% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Houston County Virtual Academy ranks #4 of 4 schools in Newton, AL.
School address
District: Houston County · Alabama
NCES ID 010177002506 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
9.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
27.3:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+54% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.3%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Houston County Virtual Academy compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Houston County Virtual Academy
Houston County Virtual Academy is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Newton, Alabama, enrolling 246 students.
Class loads run heavy: 27.3:1 is larger than about 99% of Alabama schools and 54% above the 17.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 65.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 246 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Among 173 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #160, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 34/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 246 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Newton's public schools, it stands alongside Wicksburg Elementary School (636 students): Houston County Virtual Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (27.3:1 vs 19.9:1).
Houston County also operates Rehobeth High School (786 students) and Ashford Elementary School (668 students) alongside Houston County 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 Houston County Virtual Academy compares
Houston County Virtual Academy on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 27.3:1 | ▲ 54% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.3% | ▲ 11% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 246 | top 88% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.3:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
246
Bigger than 25% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
27.3:1
students per teacher
- 54% above state mean
Top 99% in Alabama - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
41.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$10,538
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $12,491
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 246 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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
White 80.5%
African American 9.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
Two or More 2.4%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: White at 80.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 33.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 33.8, Houston County Virtual Academy is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Houston County, which includes Houston County Virtual Academy.
$10,538
Per student
-16%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.8%
State 58.7%
Federal 16.5%
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 Houston County Virtual Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rehobeth High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ashford Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wicksburg Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rehobeth Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cottonwood Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Houston County Virtual Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 786
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 668
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 636
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 590
- Students per teacher
- 9.4:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 502
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Newton
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~246 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~27.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Houston County Virtual Academy's federal record.
- Compare Houston County Virtual Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Houston County'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 Houston County Virtual Academy
How many students attend Houston County Virtual Academy?
Houston County Virtual Academy has 246 students enrolled. It is a public school in Newton, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Houston County Virtual Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Houston County Virtual Academy is 27.3:1, which is 54% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 74% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Houston County Virtual Academy?
65.3% of students at Houston County Virtual Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Houston County Virtual Academy?
The largest demographic group at Houston County Virtual Academy is White at 80.5% of enrollment, in Newton, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Houston County Virtual Academy?
Houston County Virtual Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Houston County Virtual Academy rank among schools in Newton?
By Resource Investment Index, Houston County Virtual Academy ranks #4 of 4 schools in Newton, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Newton on the city page.
Is Houston County Virtual Academy a good school?
Houston County Virtual Academy earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Alabama schools. 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 Houston County?
Besides Houston County Virtual Academy, Houston County also operates Rehobeth High School (786 students), Ashford Elementary School (668 students), and Wicksburg Elementary School (636 students). See the Houston County 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.