Virtual Academy, San Bernardino CA

Original Research by School Decision on Virtual Academy

Virtual Academy is an alternative school serving kindergarten through twelfth grade in San Bernardino. It enrolls a small population, with a student body that is predominantly Hispanic and economically disadvantaged—a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school sits within San Bernardino City Unified School District, which serves both San Bernardino and Highland.

Academic performance at Virtual Academy is weak across measured subjects. On the most recent state testing, proficiency in English language arts reached modest levels in some middle grades but fell to very low proficiency in elementary grades. Math proficiency was substantially lower across all tested grades, with particularly limited achievement in early elementary. Science proficiency, assessed only in grades five and eight, showed very limited attainment overall. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among the county's school entities. Parents should recognize that Virtual Academy's test results reflect significant academic challenges and would want to understand the school's support systems and instructional approach in detail.

As an alternative school, Virtual Academy likely serves students with distinct needs or circumstances that differ from traditional public schools, though the specific populations it targets and the educational model it employs are not detailed in available data. The location is residential San Bernardino, a city marked by mixed neighborhoods ranging from downtown and renter-heavy urban areas near the civic core to tree-lined mid-century residential districts and foothill areas. Housing is moderately valued in the area, and the broader district encompasses both San Bernardino and the adjacent city of Highland.

San Bernardino City Unified has adopted a strategic plan, Vision 2030, that emphasizes high academic expectations, equity, and safe learning environments. The district has also invested substantially in Linked Learning career pathways at the high school level, integrating college-prep academics with career-technical education and dual enrollment. These pathways represent a lasting structural change in how college and career readiness is delivered across the district's comprehensive and alternative high schools, though Virtual Academy's specific role within this framework was not detailed.

State testing data was available only through the most recent school year; prior-year trends could not be established. Information on graduation rate, attendance, discipline, special education or English learner population rates, and detailed course and program offerings was not available. A parent considering Virtual Academy would need to inquire directly with the school about its educational model, support services, and fit for their child's needs.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 30%

School 0% · District 31% · ▼ 31 pts below district

▼ 43 pts below state median · ▼ 35 pts below county median

Grade 423%

School 23% · District 23%

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 50%

School 0% · District 19% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 614%

School 14% · District 24% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 714%

School 14% · District 24% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 812%

School 12% · District 23% · ▼ 11 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 30%

School 0% · District 31% · ▼ 31 pts below district

▼ 41 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

Grade 427%

School 27% · District 32% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 517%

School 17% · District 34% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 639%

School 39% · District 38% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Grade 737%

School 37% · District 38% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 827%

School 27% · District 39% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Science

Grade 54%

School 4% · District 18% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 827%

School 27% · District 22% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

This schoolSan Bernardino City 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.