Mt. Signal Virtual Academy

Q: Is Mt. Signal Virtual Academy a good school?

Mt. Signal Virtual Academy ranks 1335 th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Mt. Signal Virtual Academy is a public virtual high school serving grades 9-12 in El Centro, California, with 102 students. The school is part of the Central Union High School District, which is ranked 808 out of 1,568 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The data paints a concerning picture of Mt. Signal Virtual Academy, with significant declines in performance over the past two school years. The school's 4-year graduation rate has plummeted from 70.0% in 2021-2022 to just 9.8% in 2022-2023, much lower than the 93.4% graduation rate at the nearby Central Union High School. Correspondingly, the dropout rate has sharply increased from 22.5% to 63.4%, significantly higher than the 3.8% dropout rate at Central Union High. Additionally, Mt. Signal Virtual Academy has very high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching 65.9% in 2022-2023, compared to 15.7% at Central Union High and 19.4% at Southwest High.

Academically, Mt. Signal Virtual Academy students perform significantly worse on standardized tests compared to the nearby district and state averages. In 2023-2024, only 33.33% of Mt. Signal students were proficient or better in 11th grade ELA, compared to 55.74% at Central Union High and 55.73% statewide. In math, the proficiency rate was just 6.67% at Mt. Signal, versus 19.38% at Central Union High and 27.9% statewide. These challenges suggest that the virtual school model may be struggling to effectively engage and support its students, especially compared to the traditional brick-and-mortar high schools in the area.

Detail:

Public, Virtual 9-12

2345 South Second St.
El Centro, CA 92243-5603

(760) 312-7050

District: Central Union High

SchoolDigger Rank:
1335^th of 2,323 California High Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 19.1

Number of students: 71

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

93.0%

White:

5.6%

African American:

1.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 69%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Mt. Signal Virtual Academy ranks worse than 57.5% of high schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 33.02. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Mt. Signal Virtual Academy who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

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Teachers

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Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Mt. Signal Virtual Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Mt. Signal Virtual Academy 1335^th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Mt. Signal Virtual Academy in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Hispanic students:

Central Union High:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Union High 808^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Mt. Signal Virtual Academy

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Rank History for all students at Mt. Signal Virtual Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	41.23	1099^th	2348	53.2%
2024	33.02	1335^th	2323	42.5%

See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Mt. Signal Virtual Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	32.46	1347^th	2247	40.1%
2024	45.47	963^rd	2235	56.9%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Mt. Signal Virtual Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	14.51	1743^rd	2118	17.7%
2024	26.07	1460^th	2098	30.4%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Mt. Signal Virtual Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	50.17	841^st	2142	60.7%
2024	36.63	1216^th	2125	42.8%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Mt. Signal Virtual Academy

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Year	White	African American	Hispanic	American Indian	Total
2022	5	3	126	1	135
2023	1	1	100	0	102
2024	4	1	66	0	71

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Mt. Signal Virtual Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	135	3.0	44.7	54.8
2023	102	3.6	27.8	66.7
2024	71	3.7	19.1	69

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Mt. Signal Virtual Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	135	3.0	44.7	54.8
2023	102	3.6	27.8	66.7
2024	71	3.7	19.1	69

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Schools Near Mt. Signal Virtual Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CAST Science (2024)			Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)		Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	Total
Mt. Signal Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual	9-12	2345 South Second St.	El Centro	92243	Imperial County	Central Union High	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(760) 312-7050	71	4	19.1	69.0%	4 (5.6%)	1 (1.4%)	66 (93.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33	1335^th of 2323 public high schools	42.5%		41.2	1099^th of 2348 public high schools	53.2%	236		23.5	23.5	33.3	33.3	6.7	6.7
Desert Oasis High (Continuation)	Public	9-12	1302 South Third St.	El Centro	92243	Imperial County	Central Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 336-4555	131	10	13.7	93.9%	3 (2.3%)	2 (1.5%)	126 (96.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11.4	1926^th of 2323 public high schools	17.1%		13.2	1892^nd of 2348 public high schools	19.4%	34		4.1	4.1	15.0	15.0	0.0	0.0	$17,160
Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program	Public	9-12	687 State St.	El Centro	92243	Imperial County	Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(760) 482-2600	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Central Union High	Public	9-12	1001 Brighton Ave.	El Centro	92243	Imperial County	Central Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 336-4300	1,955	93	21.1	73.4%	39 (2.0%)	19 (1.0%)	1,876 (96.0%)	12 (0.6%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.3%)	54.7	759^th of 2323 public high schools	67.3%		50.5	856^th of 2348 public high schools	63.5%	97		19.4	19.4	61.4	61.4	23.8	23.8	$14,526
Imperial Pathways Charter	Public, Virtual, Charter	9-12	1398 Sperber Rd.	El Centro	92243	Imperial County	Imperial County Office of Education	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(760) 312-5566	241	10	24.1	92.9%	6 (2.5%)	4 (1.7%)	230 (95.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14.8	1817^th of 2323 public high schools	21.8%		11.1	1997^th of 2348 public high schools	14.9%	180		4.0	4.0
Southwest High	Public	9-12	2001 Ocotillo Dr.	El Centro	92243	Imperial County	Central Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 336-4100	1,842	91	20.1	75.1%	52 (2.8%)	4 (0.2%)	1,759 (95.5%)	21 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	55	750^th of 2323 public high schools	67.7%		56.9	717^th of 2348 public high schools	69.5%	33		29.5	29.5	56.0	56.0	17.8	17.8	$13,789
Imperial High	Public	9-12	517 West Barioni Blvd.	Imperial	92251	Imperial County	Imperial Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 355-3220	1,378	58	23.7	38.3%	121 (8.8%)	13 (0.9%)	1,209 (87.7%)	23 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (0.7%)	61.3	606^th of 2323 public high schools	73.9%		61.2	629^th of 2348 public high schools	73.2%	23	35.8		35.2	62.6	62.6	20.9	20.9
Imperial Ave. Holbrook High	Public	9-12	322 North Imperial Ave.	Imperial	92251	Imperial County	Imperial Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 355-3207	49	2	24.7	57.1%	4 (8.2%)	1 (2.0%)	43 (87.8%)	1 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11.6	1917^th of 2323 public high schools	17.5%		13.7	1879^th of 2348 public high schools	20.0%	38	0.0		0.0	18.8	18.8	5.6	5.6
Aurora High (Continuation)	Public	9-12	1391 Kloke Rd.	Calexico	92231	Imperial County	Calexico Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 768-3940	177	12	14.7	79.1%	1 (0.6%)	2 (1.1%)	174 (98.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7.4	2221^st of 2323 public high schools	4.4%		10	2057^th of 2348 public high schools	12.4%	164		0.0	0.0	3.7	3.7	0.0	0.0
Pinnacle Hall Community Day	Public	6-12	1391 Kloke Rd.	Calexico	92231	Imperial County	Calexico Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 768-3914	11	1	10.4	72.7%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Mt. Signal Virtual Academy

Is Mt. Signal Virtual Academy a good school?

Mt. Signal Virtual Academy ranks 1335^th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Mt. Signal Virtual Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 71 students attended Mt. Signal Virtual Academy.

What district is Mt. Signal Virtual Academy in?

Central Union High

What is the racial makeup of Mt. Signal Virtual Academy?

Students at Mt. Signal Virtual Academy are 93% Hispanic, 6% White, 1% African American.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.