The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in English language arts. The lowest is 30% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Cumberland Academy K-5 Virtual School
Cumberland Academy K-5 Virtual School is a public virtual school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Fayetteville, North Carolina, operated by Cumberland County Schools. The school serves about two hundred students, a small enrollment for its grade span, with the student body drawn entirely through a virtual/remote learning model rather than a physical campus.
The student population is economically challenged and racially diverse. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The racial composition is roughly half Black students, with meaningful populations of white, Hispanic, and multiracial students, along with smaller numbers of Asian and Native American students. Data on students with IEPs or English learners was not available in the school's public reporting.
State End-of-Grade assessments in 2024-25 show academic performance well below proficiency thresholds. In English language arts, fewer than half of tested students in grades three through five scored at proficiency; in math, roughly three in ten reached proficiency. Science proficiency, measured among a smaller tested cohort, was in the low four-in-ten range. These results indicate that virtual delivery, at least in this implementation, is not closing learning gaps for this demographic. A parent considering this school should recognize that the assessment data reflects substantial academic need across core subjects.
The school sits within Cumberland County Schools, a district managing a period of major structural change. The county board has approved a sweeping facilities consolidation and school-closure plan in response to aging buildings and budget pressures from the end of federal pandemic relief funding. Multiple school closures are underway or planned. Simultaneously, the district is expanding high school choice for military-connected families. These changes reshape attendance zones and school communities across the county and are reshaping the district's operational trajectory. A family choosing a virtual option should track whether the district's consolidation and budget decisions affect staffing, support services, or program continuity for remote students.
Fayetteville itself is a mid-sized city shaped by proximity to Fort Liberty, home to the Army's Airborne and Special Operations Forces. The city hosts a steady population of military families in transition, alongside civilians employed in healthcare, education, government, and manufacturing. Housing is moderately affordable compared to many U.S. markets, though the city's 2025 Consolidated Plan identified affordable housing as the top community priority. The city is car-dependent; walkable neighborhoods are limited to the downtown core along Hay Street and the Haymount area nearby. Most daily life occurs along auto-oriented corridors.
A virtual school model appeals to families seeking flexibility, avoiding commutes, or needing a non-traditional learning environment. For students who thrive with independence and structured self-paced work, and whose parents can provide consistent home support, remote school can work well. The test results here suggest, however, that this particular virtual program is not yet serving its economically vulnerable student body at grade level. A parent should ask the school directly about its instructional model, live versus asynchronous instruction, teacher experience with virtual pedagogy, and specific support services for struggling learners. The school's small size means fewer course options and peer diversity than a traditional elementary building, though some families prefer that. A parent may want to look further into whether the school offers tutoring, intervention time, synchronous small-group instruction, or other supports to move students toward proficiency, and whether the district's current budget and consolidation pressure affects those services.
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