Enrollment
878
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Carson, CA
Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment
Federal NCES profile for Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 062271014635
👥 S:T ratio 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% of California schools.
- #4 of 24
- public schools in Carson · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- small classes for California
- 71.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment has class sizes smaller than 90% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment ranks #4 of 24 public schools in Carson, CA.
School address
District: Los Angeles Unified · California
NCES ID 062271014635 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
61.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
+29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment
Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment is a higher-need, large combined-grade school in Carson, California, enrolling 878 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 14.4:1, Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment is leaner than roughly 90% of California schools and 33% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 71.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 878 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,319 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #43, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (74%) and African American (14%) (diversity index 43/100).
The surrounding Los Angeles Unified spends $21,940 per pupil, 33% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Carson's public schools, it stands alongside Magnolia Science Academy 3 (411 students): Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.4:1 vs 18.7:1).
Los Angeles Unified also operates Grover Cleveland Charter High (2,719 students) and North Hollywood Senior High (2,444 students) alongside Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment.
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 of the Arts & Entertainment compares
Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.4:1 | ▼ 33% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.7% | ▲ 29% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 878 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
878
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 33% below state mean
Top 10% in California - lower ratio than 90% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$21,940
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
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 73.7%
African American 13.7%
White 5.2%
Two or More 5.0%
Asian 1.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 73.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.3, Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Los Angeles Unified, which includes Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment.
$21,940
Per student
+33%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.3%
State 54.5%
Federal 19.2%
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 Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grover Cleveland Charter High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Hollywood Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Phineas Banning Senior High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| San Pedro Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Venice Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,719
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,444
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,398
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,293
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar other schools in Carson
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~878 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment's federal record.
- Compare Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment against another school. Compare schools
- Los Angeles Unified'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 of the Arts & Entertainment
How many students attend Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment?
Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment has 878 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Carson, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment?
The student-teacher ratio at Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment is 14.4:1, which is 33% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 8% 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 of the Arts & Entertainment?
71.7% of students at Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment?
The largest demographic group at Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment is Hispanic or Latino at 73.7% of enrollment, in Carson, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment?
Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 1 factor: student-teacher ratio. 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 Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment rank among public schools in Carson?
By Resource Investment Index, Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment ranks #4 of 24 public schools in Carson, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Carson on the city page.
Is Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment a good school?
Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% 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 Los Angeles Unified?
Besides Virtual Academy of the Arts & Entertainment, Los Angeles Unified also operates Grover Cleveland Charter High (2,719 students), North Hollywood Senior High (2,444 students), and Phineas Banning Senior High (2,422 students). See the Los Angeles Unified 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.