Enrollment
55
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Jackson, MI
Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy
Federal NCES profile for Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 263465008759
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data.
- #10 of 10
- schools in Jackson · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 74.1%
- free-lunch eligible
- 55
- students enrolled
By Resource Investment Index, Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy ranks #10 of 10 schools in Jackson, MI.
School address
District: Vandercook Lake Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 263465008759 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Free-lunch eligible
74.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+36% vs state
What stands out at Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy
Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Jackson, Michigan, enrolling 55 students.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 74.1% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 91% of Michigan schools, with 55 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 106 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #89, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 26/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Jackson's public schools, it stands alongside South Central Michigan Virtual (402 students): Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount.
Vandercook Lake Public Schools also operates Townsend Elementary School (316 students) and Vandercook Lake High School (258 students) alongside Vandercook Lake 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 Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy compares
Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.1% | ▲ 36% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 55 | top 91% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
55
Bigger than 6% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Engagement
45.5%
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
$13,587
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
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 85.5%
Two or More 10.9%
African American 3.6%
Largest group: White at 85.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 25.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 25.6, Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Vandercook Lake Public Schools, which includes Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy.
$13,587
Per student
+1%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.6%
State 65.4%
Federal 14.0%
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 Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Townsend Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Vandercook Lake High School | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 316
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 258
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar other schools in Jackson
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
South Central Michigan Virtual
Standard public school
402 students 80.4:1 students per teacher
Jackson Preparatory Early College
Standard public school
260 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Jackson Isd Local Based Special Education Programs
Special-education school
240 students 4:1 students per teacher
Northwest Connect
Alternative education program
157 students 39.3:1 students per teacher
Way East Jackson
Alternative education program
16 students
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Michigan, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy's federal record.
- Compare Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Vandercook Lake Public Schools'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 Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy
How many students attend Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy?
Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy has 55 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Jackson, MI.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy?
74.1% of students at Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy?
The largest demographic group at Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy is White at 85.5% of enrollment, in Jackson, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy?
Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. 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 Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy rank among schools in Jackson?
By Resource Investment Index, Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy ranks #10 of 10 schools in Jackson, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Jackson on the city page.
Is Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy a good school?
Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index on federal resource data. 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 Vandercook Lake Public Schools?
Besides Vandercook Lake Virtual Academy, Vandercook Lake Public Schools also operates Townsend Elementary School (316 students) and Vandercook Lake High School (258 students). See the Vandercook Lake Public Schools 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.