Enrollment
88
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mason City, IA
Mason City Virtual Academy
Federal NCES profile for Mason City Virtual Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 191878002290
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mason City Virtual Academy earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Iowa schools.
- #4 of 5
- schools in Mason City · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 46.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Mason City Virtual Academy has class sizes larger than 95% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mason City Virtual Academy ranks #4 of 5 schools in Mason City, IA.
School address
District: Mason City Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191878002290 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
4.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+49% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.5%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mason City Virtual Academy compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mason City Virtual Academy
Mason City Virtual Academy is a small combined-grade school in Mason City, Iowa, enrolling 88 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22:1 is larger than about 95% of Iowa schools and 49% above the 14.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 46.5% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 94% of Iowa schools, with 88 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Among 58 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #45, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 47/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Mason City's public schools, it stands alongside Harding Elementary School (387 students): Mason City Virtual Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22:1 vs 16.1:1).
Mason City Comm School District also operates Mason City High School (891 students) and Lincoln Intermediate (485 students) alongside Mason City 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 Mason City Virtual Academy compares
Mason City Virtual Academy on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22:1 | ▲ 49% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.5% | ▲ 28% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 88 | top 94% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
88
Bigger than 9% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22:1
students per teacher
- 49% above state mean
Top 95% in Iowa - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
23.9%
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
$15,108
per pupil, district-wide
- above Iowa avg of $12,854
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
White 70.5%
Hispanic or Latino 18.2%
Two or More 4.5%
African American 3.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 3.4%
Largest group: White at 70.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.6, Mason City Virtual Academy is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mason City Comm School District, which includes Mason City Virtual Academy.
$15,108
Per student
+18%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.1%
State 44.8%
Federal 11.2%
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 Mason City Virtual Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mason City High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Intermediate | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John Adams Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harding Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hoover Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mason City Virtual Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 891
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 485
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
- Enrollment
- 463
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 387
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 361
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar other schools in Mason City
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Harding Elementary School
Standard public school
387 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Hoover Elementary School
Standard public school
361 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Roosevelt Elementary School
Standard public school
348 students 12:1 students per teacher
Jefferson Elementary School
Standard public school
292 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Iowa, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~88 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mason City Virtual Academy's federal record.
- Compare Mason City Virtual Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Mason City Comm School District'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 Mason City Virtual Academy
How many students attend Mason City Virtual Academy?
Mason City Virtual Academy has 88 students enrolled. It is a public school in Mason City, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mason City Virtual Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Mason City Virtual Academy is 22:1, which is 49% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 40% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mason City Virtual Academy?
46.5% of students at Mason City Virtual Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mason City Virtual Academy?
The largest demographic group at Mason City Virtual Academy is White at 70.5% of enrollment, in Mason City, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mason City Virtual Academy?
Mason City Virtual Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Mason City Virtual Academy rank among schools in Mason City?
By Resource Investment Index, Mason City Virtual Academy ranks #4 of 5 schools in Mason City, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Mason City on the city page.
Is Mason City Virtual Academy a good school?
Mason City Virtual Academy earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Iowa 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 Mason City Comm School District?
Besides Mason City Virtual Academy, Mason City Comm School District also operates Mason City High School (891 students), Lincoln Intermediate (485 students), and John Adams Middle School (463 students). See the Mason City Comm School District 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.