Needs Improvement
#1269 of 1,280 schools in IA
Mason City Virtual Academy
High School · Mason City Comm School District · Mason City, IA
A Mason City Comm School District high school where students score 28 points below what's typical for similar communities.
1515 S PENNSYLVANIA AVE, Mason City, IA 50401
- Math 29% vs IA 68% (2025)
- Reading 54% vs IA 73% (2025)
- 3/5 advanced STEM subjects
Academics
Full Profile · 4/4 metricsView breakdown
View breakdown
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Students at Mason City Virtual Academy score 41% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 70%).
2025 ISASP proficiency
Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.
Trend
→ SteadyProficiency has held near 41% across the 4-year record (2022–2025).
Show all 2 years by subject
Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 30% (multi-year average, 2022-2025) · reading/ELA 55% (multi-year average, 2022-2025)
Based on 7 test records from IA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).
Equity & diversity
Shown separately, not included in the overall scoreFree/reduced lunch
46.3%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateThe neighborhood
Where Mason City Virtual Academy sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.
Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.
Getting around & local context
- Walk 40Car-Dependent
- Transit 21Minimal Transit
- Bike 51Bikeable
- City Safety: High2,561/100K
Powered by
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Mason City), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details
Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.
Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)
Median income
$63,807
Median home value
$134,100
Median rent
$868/mo
College educated
21.9%
Homeownership
68.2%
Poverty rate
10%
ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50401; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.
Programs & students
Programs & Offerings
Compare nearby
Nearby same-level schools
4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available
| School | Score | Grades | Distance | Enrollment | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Iowa Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition | 5.6private | PK–12 | 0.9 mi | 71 | Compare → |
| Mason City High SchoolEnrollment path unverified | 3.7 | 9–12 | 1.8 mi | 967 | Compare → |
| Alternative SchoolEnrollment path unverified | 2.2 | 9–12 | 1.9 mi | 92 | Compare → |
| Newman CatholicPrivate · tuition | 5.4private | PK–12 | 2.0 mi | 554 | Compare → |
Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.
Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.
Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.
Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.
Mason City Comm School District
- Schools in district
- 9
- Rank in district
- #8 of 9
- District spending per student
- $15,155NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- District child poverty rate
- 14.7%Census SAIPE · 2024
Mason City Virtual Academy is listed in Mason City Comm School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.
About Mason City Virtual Academy
Mason City Virtual Academy is a public high school in Mason City, IA, part of Mason City Comm School District, serving approximately 82 students in grades 7th-12th with a 41:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 2.4 out of 10 and ranks #1,269 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 30% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2022-2025) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2022-2025).
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Mason City Virtual Academy
What grades does Mason City Virtual Academy serve?
Mason City Virtual Academy serves students in grades 7th through 12th.
How many students attend Mason City Virtual Academy?
Mason City Virtual Academy has an enrollment of approximately 82 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mason City Virtual Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Mason City Virtual Academy is 41:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does Mason City Virtual Academy rank in IA?
Mason City Virtual Academy ranks #1,269 of 1,280 schools in IA.
What is Mason City Virtual Academy's MySchoolScout rating?
Mason City Virtual Academy has a current MySchoolScout rating of 2.4 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.
What are the test scores at Mason City Virtual Academy?
Based on loaded state assessment records, Mason City Virtual Academy has 30% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2022-2025) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2022-2025).
Is Mason City Virtual Academy a charter school?
No, Mason City Virtual Academy is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.
Is Mason City Virtual Academy a Title I school?
No, Mason City Virtual Academy is not currently a Title I school.
What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Mason City Virtual Academy?
46.3% of students at Mason City Virtual Academy qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.
School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)
- Grades
- 7th – 12th
- Enrollment
- 82
- Student-Teacher Ratio
- 41:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 2
- Type
- regular
- Setting
- Remote Town
- County
- Cerro Gordo County
- Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
- 29.3%
- Phone
- (641) 421-4401
- Area population (ZIP 50401)
- 28,818
- Area average commute
- 13.9 min
- Area median age
- 42.5
About this school's data
Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.
- School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
- NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
- Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
- MySchoolScout rating and rank
- MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
- Math proficiency
- State department of education · 2025 ISASP · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Source period: 2025 ISASP. A newer release may be available.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Reading/ELA proficiency
- State department of education · 2025 ISASP · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Source period: 2025 ISASP. A newer release may be available.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Student progress (growth)
- NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
- Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
- U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
- Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
- Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 50401; this does not measure the attendance area.
- Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
- CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.
Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2022-2025; directory SY 2023–24
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