The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in English language arts. The lowest is 5% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Lone Star Online Academy
Lone Star Online Academy is a tuition-free, full-time online public school serving kindergarten through seventh grade, open to students from anywhere in Texas. It operates under Roscoe Collegiate ISD but serves a student population far larger and more geographically dispersed than the small in-person district campuses in the rural West Texas town of Roscoe itself. The school launched in 2021 and has grown substantially, enrolling a large student body across the state.
The academic performance data reveals a school working with significant achievement gaps. In English language arts, proficiency rates range from low to modest across the tested grades, with about a quarter of seventh graders reaching proficiency and a third of sixth graders doing so, but only about a fifth of fourth graders meeting the standard. Math proficiency is considerably lower, with single-digit percentages of students at most grade levels reaching proficiency; even at the upper grades, only a small portion of students are meeting grade-level standards. Science proficiency in eighth grade stands at about one in seven students, and social studies proficiency is quite low, with about one in twenty eighth graders proficient. Reading the overall proficiency index shows the school well below the midpoint among districts in Nolan County, its comparison cohort.
These results should be understood in the context of online, self-paced learning. Virtual schools of this type often serve students with diverse needs and circumstances: those seeking flexibility, credit recovery, students who have struggled in traditional settings, and families across a wide geographic area and range of educational backgrounds. The data provided does not break out why these proficiency rates are where they are, so a parent may want to look into further with the school what student composition looks like, what supports are in place for students who are falling behind, and how the school approaches struggling learners in an online environment.
The enrollment is substantial, drawing students statewide. The school serves a racially and ethnically diverse student body, with the largest share identifying as Hispanic, followed by Black students, white students, and other groups. Free-or-reduced-price-lunch eligibility data was not available, so the economic profile of the student population is unclear from these numbers alone.
The school operates in partnership with K12/Stride, a major virtual school provider, meaning curriculum, instructional design, and many support systems come from that platform rather than being built from the ground up by the district. For families considering this option, understanding how Stride's model aligns with their child's learning style and home circumstances is important. Online school requires significant family engagement and self-direction from students; it is not simply traditional school moved online.
Roscoe itself is a small, slowly declining rural town in northwest Nolan County, set in farming and ranching country with a major onshore wind complex as a regional economic anchor. The town is compact, mainly residential, and most people own their homes. There is no dedicated public library or public transit system in Roscoe. Housing is affordable, with home values well below the national median. This is the fiscal and community base of the district, but Lone Star Online Academy's students live across Texas and may have little connection to the town itself.
A parent interested in this school should understand that it is a virtual, self-paced program designed for students who can thrive with that structure. The academic proficiency data shows it is currently serving a population with low baseline achievement; whether that reflects the student population it attracts, the effectiveness of the instructional model, or both would be worth exploring directly with the school. The large enrollment and statewide reach make this a very different choice from the small in-person campuses Roscoe Collegiate ISD also operates.
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