Enrollment
177
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Winston-Salem, NC
Virtual Academy
Federal NCES profile for Virtual Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 79/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370150002518
👥 S:T ratio 82
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 84
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Virtual Academy earns 79/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of North Carolina schools.
- #1 of 20
- schools in Winston-Salem · Resource Index
- 79
- Resource Index · Higher
- 4.4:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 71.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Virtual Academy has class sizes smaller than 99% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Virtual Academy ranks #1 of 20 schools in Winston-Salem, NC.
School address
District: Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370150002518 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
4.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-72% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Virtual Academy compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Virtual Academy
Virtual Academy is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, enrolling 177 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 4.4:1, Virtual Academy is leaner than roughly 99% of North Carolina schools and 72% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 71.8% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 177 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 99% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 58 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #1, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (40%) and White (25%) (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 79 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Its district draws 22.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Winston-Salem's public schools, it stands alongside Meadowlark Elementary (827 students): Virtual Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (4.4:1 vs 15:1).
Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools also operates West Forsyth High (2,145 students) and Ronald W Reagan High School (2,122 students) alongside 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 Virtual Academy compares
Virtual Academy on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 4.4:1 | ▼ 72% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.8% | ▲ 9% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 177 | top 90% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
4.4:1
Leaner classes than 99% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
177
Bigger than 17% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
4.4:1
students per teacher
- 72% below state mean
Top 1% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 99% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$13,036
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.3 FTE
Per 79 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
African American 39.5%
White 25.4%
Hispanic or Latino 19.2%
Two or More 14.7%
Asian 1.1%
Largest group: African American at 39.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.1, Virtual Academy is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools, which includes Virtual Academy.
$13,036
Per student
+8%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.3%
State 52.1%
Federal 22.5%
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 Virtual Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Forsyth High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ronald W Reagan High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| R J Reynolds High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Forsyth High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parkland High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Virtual Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,145
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,122
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,759
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,647
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,569
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in Winston-Salem
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Meadowlark Elementary
Standard public school
827 students 15:1 students per teacher
Quality Education Academy
Standard public school
776 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Kimmel Farm Elementary
Standard public school
760 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Wallburg Elementary
Standard public school
717 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Gibson Elementary
Standard public school
589 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Jefferson Elementary
Standard public school
560 students 14:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~177 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~4.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Virtual Academy's federal record.
- Compare Virtual Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Winston Salem / Forsyth County 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 Virtual Academy
How many students attend Virtual Academy?
Virtual Academy has 177 students enrolled. It is a public school in Winston-Salem, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Virtual Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Virtual Academy is 4.4:1, which is 72% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 72% 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 Virtual Academy?
71.8% of students at Virtual Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Virtual Academy?
The largest demographic group at Virtual Academy is African American at 39.5% of enrollment, in Winston-Salem, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Virtual Academy?
Virtual Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 79/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Virtual Academy rank among schools in Winston-Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, Virtual Academy ranks #1 of 20 schools in Winston-Salem, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Winston-Salem on the city page.
Is Virtual Academy a good school?
Virtual Academy earns 79/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of North Carolina 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 Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools?
Besides Virtual Academy, Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools also operates West Forsyth High (2,145 students), Ronald W Reagan High School (2,122 students), and R J Reynolds High (1,759 students). See the Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools district page for the complete list.
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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.