The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in Math. The lowest is 42% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Manhattan Virtual Academy
Manhattan Virtual Academy is the online school of the Manhattan-Ogden school district, serving students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. It is not a charter or magnet school, and it operates from a physical address on Poyntz Avenue in downtown Manhattan, though instruction happens remotely. The school’s small enrollment of roughly a couple hundred students skews heavily toward the upper grades, with the largest groups in tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade. The lower grades each have only a handful of students. The student body is predominantly white, with small numbers of Hispanic students and students identifying as two or more races, and even fewer Black, Asian, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. Data on students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, students in special education, and English learners was not available in the records examined.
State assessment results are reported only for eighth grade, which is a common testing year in Kansas. In math, something above half of tested students met the state’s proficiency standard. In English language arts, the share was below half. In science, the result was around the midway mark. Because the state changed its cut scores for math and ELA in recent years, these results may not be directly comparable to prior years. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages the reported rates across tested subjects and grades, places it below the midpoint relative to other districts in Riley County. That comparison set includes two other districts in the county, so the position is based on a small group.
No graduation rate was available in the data, even though the school serves twelfth grade. The reason for the gap is not stated in the records, but it may reflect the virtual school’s reporting structure or a data collection issue. A parent considering Manhattan Virtual Academy for high school completion should seek the four-year graduation rate directly from the school or district, as that information is a central indicator of how well the program supports students to finish. Chronic absenteeism data was also missing, and no information was provided on discipline, staffing, course access, or program offerings.
The school’s home community is Manhattan, Kansas, a college town dominated by Kansas State University. The university is the largest employer in the city, and the Manhattan-Ogden school district is the second-largest employer. The city sits on a flat floodplain at the junction of the Kansas and Big Blue rivers, with a downtown core that features a mix of local retail, dining, and civic institutions like the Riley County Courthouse and the Flint Hills Discovery Center. Housing values in the Manhattan area are slightly above the state average, though still below the national median. The housing market has seen modest appreciation, and rental costs have risen as well. The local economy is heavily public-sector driven, and many residents also work at nearby Fort Riley.
Because no district-level updates were found from publicly available searches, there is nothing to report about recent bond referendums or strategic changes in the Manhattan-Ogden district. The virtual academy itself appears to be a relatively small online option within a traditional district, likely appealing to families who want flexibility, credit recovery, or an alternative to brick-and-mortar schooling. The available test data, limited to one grade, gives only a narrow window into academic performance. For a fuller picture of how students progress through the grades and whether they graduate at rates comparable to the district’s other schools, a parent would need to request more detailed information from the school’s administration.
See more original research from School Decision →