Original Research by School Decision on Everest Virtual Academy
Everest Virtual Academy was a regular public school within the D.C. Everest Area School District, located in Schofield, Wisconsin, that is now closed. It served a span of grades that included both elementary and middle school levels, operating as a virtual academy rather than a traditional brick-and-mortar building. The school’s closure means it is no longer an active option for families in the district.
State testing data from the 2022-23 school year is entirely suppressed for all subjects and grade levels. This likely reflects the very small number of students enrolled, a common situation for online programs where reported counts fall below state thresholds for disclosure. As a result, no proficiency rates, participation rates, or scale scores are publicly available. A parent who wanted to evaluate academic performance through state assessments would find no usable information here.
Enrollment and student demographic data are also absent from the record. There is no information on total enrollment, racial and ethnic composition, economic disadvantage, or special education and English learner populations. The school’s staffing, course access, and disciplinary data are likewise missing. Without these basics, it is not possible to describe the peer environment or student support structure that existed when the school was operating.
The D.C. Everest Area School District, which oversees the now-closed virtual academy, has made recent investments that remain relevant to families in its attendance area. In April 2023 voters approved a two-part referendum: one proposition to construct a new middle school and a second for district-wide renovations and safety upgrades. The tax impact is structured as a modest, predictable increase on typical homes. In August 2024 the district opened a large community center with a fieldhouse, indoor track, and tennis courts, providing expanded athletic and wellness opportunities. These developments speak to the district’s ongoing commitment to facilities, even as the virtual academy itself has been discontinued.
Schofield, the city where the school was based, is a small inner suburb of Wausau in Marathon County. It sits along Lake Wausau, an impoundment of the Wisconsin River, and also contains the Eau Claire Flowage and Eau Claire River. The city was named for William Scholfield, who arrived in the 1800s to open a sawmill. Its built environment is primarily suburban, with a mix of residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors. The median household income and housing values in Schofield are below the Wisconsin averages, and the cost of living is lower than the national average. Population has been relatively stable over recent decades, with modest growth estimated in 2024. The city offers parks, an aquatic center, and some cycling infrastructure, but walkability is limited by its low density. Many residents likely commute to Wausau for employment.
For a family considering the D.C. Everest district today, Everest Virtual Academy is a closed chapter. The district’s referendum-funded middle school project and new community center suggest a focus on physical facilities rather than online programming. Anyone interested in a virtual school option would need to look elsewhere, either within another Wisconsin district or through a statewide virtual charter. The available data gives no window into what the academy’s academic program or student experience was like, and its closure means those questions are now historical rather than current.
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