Enrollment
578
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · San Diego, CA
Launch Virtual Academy
Federal NCES profile for Launch Virtual Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 063864014532
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 75
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Launch Virtual Academy earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of California schools.
- #17 of 27
- schools in San Diego · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.1:1
- small classes for California
- 50.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Launch Virtual Academy has class sizes smaller than 78% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Launch Virtual Academy ranks #17 of 27 schools in San Diego, CA.
School address
District: Sweetwater Union High · California
NCES ID 063864014532 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Launch Virtual Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Launch Virtual Academy
Launch Virtual Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in San Diego, California, enrolling 578 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 18.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 50.1% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 578 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,520 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #403.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (77%) and White (10%) (diversity index 40/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 126 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 66.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among San Diego's public schools, it stands alongside The O'farrell Charter (1,862 students): Launch Virtual Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.1:1 vs 20.7:1).
Sweetwater Union High also operates Eastlake High (2,557 students) and Otay Ranch Senior High (2,440 students) alongside Launch 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 Launch Virtual Academy compares
Launch Virtual Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.1:1 | ▼ 16% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.1% | ▼ 10% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 578 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
578
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 22% in California - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
66.4%
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
$13,859
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.6 FTE
Per 126 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.
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
Hispanic or Latino 76.6%
White 9.9%
Asian 4.8%
African American 4.3%
Two or More 3.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 76.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.8, Launch Virtual Academy is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sweetwater Union High, which includes Launch Virtual Academy.
$13,859
Per student
-16%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.2%
State 58.4%
Federal 9.4%
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 Launch Virtual Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastlake High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Otay Ranch Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sweetwater High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Olympian High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bonita Vista Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Launch Virtual Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,557
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,440
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,290
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,289
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,960
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools in San Diego
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
The O'farrell Charter
Standard public school
1,862 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Logan Memorial Educational Campus
Standard public school
1,467 students 29.3:1 students per teacher
Charter School of San Diego
Standard public school
1,375 students 29.9:1 students per teacher
San Diego Scpa
Standard public school
1,297 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Gompers Preparatory Academy
Standard public school
1,175 students 28.7:1 students per teacher
San Diego County Community
Alternative education program
510 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~578 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Launch Virtual Academy's federal record.
- Compare Launch Virtual Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Sweetwater Union High'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 Launch Virtual Academy
How many students attend Launch Virtual Academy?
Launch Virtual Academy has 578 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in San Diego, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Launch Virtual Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Launch Virtual Academy is 18.1:1, which is 16% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 15% higher 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 Launch Virtual Academy?
50.1% of students at Launch Virtual Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Launch Virtual Academy?
The largest demographic group at Launch Virtual Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 76.6% of enrollment, in San Diego, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Launch Virtual Academy?
Launch Virtual Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Launch Virtual Academy rank among schools in San Diego?
By Resource Investment Index, Launch Virtual Academy ranks #17 of 27 schools in San Diego, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in San Diego on the city page.
Is Launch Virtual Academy a good school?
Launch Virtual Academy earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of California 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 Sweetwater Union High?
Besides Launch Virtual Academy, Sweetwater Union High also operates Eastlake High (2,557 students), Otay Ranch Senior High (2,440 students), and Sweetwater High (2,290 students). See the Sweetwater Union High 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.