Virtual Academy of Fairfield-suisun, Fairfield CA

Original Research by School Decision on Virtual Academy of Fairfield-suisun

Virtual Academy of Fairfield-Suisun is an alternative school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in Fairfield, operating with a small enrollment for its grade band. The school's student body is economically disadvantaged, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is racially and ethnically diverse, with no single group comprising the majority; students from Hispanic, Black, Asian, and multiracial backgrounds are well represented, along with smaller populations of Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and white students.

The school's academic performance shows a pattern of growth from lower elementary through the middle grades. In early grades, math and English language arts proficiency begins below the midpoint, particularly in grades three and four. By grade five, proficiency in both subjects moves higher, and the gains accelerate through grades six, seven, and eight. In the upper middle grades, proficiency rates become substantially stronger in both subjects. Science proficiency was available for tested grades: in grade five, students met proficiency at a moderate rate, and in grade eight, proficiency was notably higher. Overall across tested subjects and grades, the school's proficiency index places it in the top quartile among districts in Solano County, a meaningful position given how small the enrollment is and how economically challenged the student population is.

This pattern of acceleration from early to late middle grades is distinctive. It may reflect student cohort composition, with students who stay longer in the school building stronger skills, or it may suggest that the school's instructional approach works more effectively with older students. A parent considering this school may want to look into this further with the school directly: what accounts for the progression, how does the school support younger students, and how do families experience the transition years.

Virtual Academy is not a charter but rather a traditional alternative school within Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District. It sits within a district context shaped by two recent bond measures. Voters approved Measure S, a substantial school facilities bond, in 2022, which is funding new construction and modernization across district schools. The district has also taken on property-tax obligations through Bond Anticipation Notes beginning in 2024 to fund construction while deferring bond sales, a financing decision that directly affects homeowners' tax bills without a separate vote. For a student attending Virtual Academy, these district-level decisions mean ongoing facilities improvements, though they also shape the broader tax environment families are navigating.

The school serves Fairfield, a mid-sized city between San Francisco and Sacramento that is on a significant growth trajectory. Major employers include Travis Air Force Base, breweries, candy manufacturing, and healthcare systems. The city is actively pursuing mixed-use development, with major housing plans underway and downtown revitalization efforts. Housing values and rental costs in the Fairfield area are moderate relative to other parts of the Bay Area, though they have shifted slightly in recent years. The city has historically been auto-oriented, though downtown redesign efforts are underway to improve walkability and pedestrian life.

Virtual Academy's small size, economically diverse enrollment, and the pronounced academic progression from early to late middle grades are its defining characteristics. The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate is available. Data on English learner enrollment and special education rates were not reported. For families seeking an alternative educational setting with a smaller enrollment and economically mixed peer group, and who have students ready to benefit from the school's apparent strengths in the upper middle grades, this school merits direct conversation with staff about instructional approaches, support systems for younger students, and the school's overall mission and fit.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 331%

School 31% · District 31%

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 424%

School 24% · District 34% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 540%

School 40% · District 30% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 657%

School 57% · District 26% · ▲ 31 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 33 pts above county median

Grade 759%

School 59% · District 26% · ▲ 33 pts above district

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Grade 879%

School 79% · District 30% · ▲ 49 pts above district

▲ 51 pts above state median · ▲ 56 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 331%

School 31% · District 35% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 422%

School 22% · District 38% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 548%

School 48% · District 43% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 671%

School 71% · District 41% · ▲ 31 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Grade 782%

School 82% · District 42% · ▲ 40 pts above district

▲ 37 pts above state median · ▲ 43 pts above county median

Grade 873%

School 73% · District 43% · ▲ 30 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 40 pts above county median

Science

Grade 540%

School 40% · District 28% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 868%

School 68% · District 28% · ▲ 40 pts above district

▲ 43 pts above state median · ▲ 48 pts above county median

This schoolFairfield-Suisun Unified, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 8Lower-income67%Higher-income85%18 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 8Lower-income73%Higher-income92%19 pp gap