River Valley Academy

Q: Is River Valley Academy a good school?

River Valley Academy ranks 539 th of 743 Michigan high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

River Valley Academy is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Rockford, Michigan, with a relatively small student population of 51 students. While the Rockford Public Schools district is ranked 41 out of 610 districts in Michigan and has a 5-star rating, River Valley Academy appears to be struggling to provide the same level of educational opportunities and outcomes as its neighboring schools.

Compared to nearby schools like Eastern High School and Northview High School, River Valley Academy has a significantly higher percentage of white students, ranging from 80.39%. However, the school has faced significant challenges, including low graduation rates (9% to 40%), high dropout rates (8% to 31.8%), and extremely high chronic absenteeism (70% to 84.8%). Additionally, River Valley Academy's test scores lag behind the surrounding schools, with only 25% of 11th graders proficient or better in M-Step Science and Social Studies, compared to 46% to 62.3% at the nearby schools.

These performance issues may be exacerbated by socioeconomic factors, as River Valley Academy has a much higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (43.1% to 51.72%) compared to the surrounding schools (14.02% to 50.1%). The lack of diversity at River Valley Academy, in contrast to the more diverse student populations at nearby schools, may also impact the school's culture and learning environment. Overall, the analysis suggests that River Valley Academy is struggling to provide the same level of educational opportunities and outcomes as its neighboring institutions within the Rockford Public Schools district and the state of Michigan.

Detail:

Public 9-12

350 N Main St
Rockford, MI 49341-1020

(616) 863-6324

District: Rockford Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
539^th of 743 Michigan High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $38,299

Student/teacher ratio: 5.5

Number of students: 40

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.5%

Hispanic:

7.5%

Two or more races:

5.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 52.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details River Valley Academy ranks worse than 72.5% of high schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.25. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at River Valley 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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (87.5%), Hispanic (7.5%), two or more races (5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 52.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at River Valley Academy is 5.5. (See more...)

Compare River Valley Academy employs 7.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at River Valley Academy is $38,299.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

River Valley Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks River Valley Academy 539^th of 743 Michigan public high schools. (See River Valley Academy in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

White students:

Rockford Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Rockford Public Schools 41^st of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for River Valley Academy

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Rank History for all students at River Valley Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2007	46.81	487^th	767	36.5%
2009	11.20	662^nd	754	12.2%
2010	6.87	712^th	765	6.9%
2011	11.90	678^th	784	13.5%
2012	22.72	579^th	773	25.1%
2013	25.48	577^th	805	28.3%
2014	24.23	586^th	799	26.7%
2015	30.29	579^th	832	30.4%
2016	18.50	639^th	852	25.0%
2017	10.78	654^th	835	21.7%
2018	33.87	528^th	824	35.9%
2023	40.51	424^th	735	42.3%
2024	26.25	539^th	743	27.5%

See the entire list of Michigan High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at River Valley Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	42.03	356^th	654	45.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at River Valley Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	18.10	555^th	707	21.5%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at River Valley Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	36.04	464^th	708	34.5%
2023	22.83	520^th	647	19.6%
2024	16.76	559^th	638	12.4%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan 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: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for River Valley Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1998	41	0	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	43
1999	30	1	0	2	4	n/a	n/a	0	37
2000	34	1	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	37
2001	33	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	34
2002	50	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	50
2003	50	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	50
2004	45	1	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	47
2005	52	0	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	54
2006	44	3	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	1	53
2007	50	1	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	52
2008	72	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	72
2009	59	1	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	61
2010	56	4	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	1	63
2011	76	5	0	1	1	0	2	0	85
2012	76	6	0	1	0	0	7	0	90
2013	66	5	0	4	1	0	3	0	79
2014	54	1	0	5	0	0	1	0	61
2015	47	0	0	5	1	0	3	0	56
2016	63	1	0	4	0	0	3	0	71
2017	49	2	0	8	0	0	2	0	61
2018	48	3	0	4	0	0	1	0	56
2019	53	2	0	7	0	0	3	0	65
2020	54	1	0	4	0	0	5	0	64
2021	51	1	0	3	0	0	3	0	58
2022	50	2	0	3	0	0	3	0	58
2023	41	1	0	4	0	0	5	0	51
2024	35	0	0	3	0	0	2	0	40

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 River Valley Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1998	43	0.0	0.0	0
1999	37	4.0	9.3	0
2000	37	0.0	0.0	0
2001	34	0.0	0.0	0
2002	50	4.0	12.5	n/a
2003	50	4.0	12.5	n/a
2004	47	4.2	11.2	n/a
2005	54	4.1	13.2	n/a
2006	53	3.4	15.6	0
2007	52	4.6	11.3	23.1
2008	72	4.8	15.0	16.7
2009	61	4.3	14.2	19.7
2010	63	4.2	14.8	30.6
2011	85	4.2	20.0	47.1
2012	90	3.7	24.0	36.7
2013	79	4.0	19.7	60.8
2014	61	4.0	15.2	47.5
2015	56	4.0	14.0	55.4
2016	71	4.0	17.7	31
2017	61	3.9	15.4	32.8
2018	56	3.9	14.1	35.7
2019	65	4.2	15.4	47.7
2020	64	5.0	12.8	45.3
2021	58	5.0	11.6	43.1
2022	58	6.3	9.1	51.7
2023	51	8.5	6.0	43.1
2024	40	7.2	5.5	52.5

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 River Valley Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1998	43	0.0	0.0	0
1999	37	4.0	9.3	0
2000	37	0.0	0.0	0
2001	34	0.0	0.0	0
2002	50	4.0	12.5	n/a
2003	50	4.0	12.5	n/a
2004	47	4.2	11.2	n/a
2005	54	4.1	13.2	n/a
2006	53	3.4	15.6	0
2007	52	4.6	11.3	23.1
2008	72	4.8	15.0	16.7
2009	61	4.3	14.2	19.7
2010	63	4.2	14.8	30.6
2011	85	4.2	20.0	47.1
2012	90	3.7	24.0	36.7
2013	79	4.0	19.7	60.8
2014	61	4.0	15.2	47.5
2015	56	4.0	14.0	55.4
2016	71	4.0	17.7	31
2017	61	3.9	15.4	32.8
2018	56	3.9	14.1	35.7
2019	65	4.2	15.4	47.7
2020	64	5.0	12.8	45.3
2021	58	5.0	11.6	43.1
2022	58	6.3	9.1	51.7
2023	51	8.5	6.0	43.1
2024	40	7.2	5.5	52.5

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.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for River Valley Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$266 (1.8%)	$14,371 (98.2%)	$14,637
2020	$254 (1.5%)	$16,228 (98.5%)	$16,482
2021	$39,456 (58.4%)	$28,098 (41.6%)	$67,555
2022	$447 (1.3%)	$33,541 (98.7%)	$33,987
2023	$371 (1.0%)	$37,928 (99.0%)	$38,299

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on River Valley Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	65	51	21.5%
African American	2	1	50%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	7	4	42.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	53	41	22.6%
Two or More Races	3	5	66.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	47.7%	43.1%	4.6%

Schools Near River Valley Academy

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	M-Step Science (2024)	M-Step Social Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	M-Step Science 11th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
River Valley Academy	Public	9-12	350 N Main St	Rockford	49341	Kent County	Rockford Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 863-6324	40	7	5.5	52.5%	35 (87.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (5.0%)	26.3	539^th of 743 public high schools	27.5%		40.5	424^th of 735 public high schools	42.3%	115			25.0	25.0	$38,299	$371	$37,928
Rockford High School	Public	9-12	4100 Kroes St NE	Rockford	49341	Kent County	Rockford Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 863-6030	1,823	91	20.0	14.1%	1,596 (87.5%)	13 (0.7%)	103 (5.7%)	30 (1.6%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	79 (4.3%)	91.9	50^th of 743 public high schools	93.3%		84.6	89^th of 735 public high schools	87.9%	39	76.3	49.6	60.0	55.4	$13,359	$628	$12,730
Northview Next Learning Center	Public, Virtual	9-12	5365 Plainfield Ave NE	Grand Rapids	49525	Kent County	Northview Public Schools	No	No	Yes	No	(616) 361-7396	101	0	240.4	74.3%	62 (61.4%)	17 (16.8%)	14 (13.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (7.9%)	37.5	451^st of 743 public high schools	39.3%					(n/a)	44.4		28.6	28.6	$8,269	$2,899	$5,369
Cedar Springs High School	Public	9-12	204 E Muskegon St	Cedar Springs	49319	Kent County	Cedar Springs Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 696-1200	1,015	49	20.7	35.1%	897 (88.4%)	5 (0.5%)	48 (4.7%)	6 (0.6%)	6 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	52 (5.1%)	72.7	164^th of 743 public high schools	77.9%		71.8	175^th of 735 public high schools	76.2%	11	57.7	27.6	51.5	53.6	$13,215	$1,118	$12,097
New Beginnings Alternative High School	Public	9-12	204 E Muskegon St	Cedar Springs	49319	Kent County	Cedar Springs Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 696-1203	63	3	20.1	65.1%	52 (82.5%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (7.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (9.5%)								(n/a)					$18,843	$676	$18,167
Northview High School	Public	9-12	4451 Hunsberger Ave NE	Grand Rapids	49525	Kent County	Northview Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 363-4857	1,060	54	19.5	46.3%	755 (71.2%)	105 (9.9%)	92 (8.7%)	16 (1.5%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	89 (8.4%)	72.9	160^th of 743 public high schools	78.5%		74.5	154^th of 735 public high schools	79.0%	6	57.0	32.5	51.6	47.2	$13,981	$1,527	$12,454
Northview Next Career Center	Public	9-12	3801 E Beltline Ave NE	Grand Rapids	49525	Kent County	Northview Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 361-7396	31	2	13.9	74.2%	16 (51.6%)	5 (16.1%)	2 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (22.6%)								(n/a)			36.4		$22,866	$828	$22,037
Comstock Park High School	Public	9-12	150 6 Mile Rd NE	Comstock Park	49321	Kent County	Comstock Park Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 254-5200	505	27	18.4	54.3%	288 (57.0%)	39 (7.7%)	131 (25.9%)	7 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (7.9%)	62.3	244^th of 743 public high schools	67.2%		64	222^nd of 735 public high schools	69.8%	22	45.9	25.6	43.6	54.9	$13,996	$1,895	$12,101
Comstock Park Flex Academy	Public, Magnet	9-12	150 6 Mile Rd NE	Comstock Park	49321	Kent County	Comstock Park Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(616) 254-5200	39	1	30.2	71.8%	19 (48.7%)	7 (17.9%)	9 (23.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (10.3%)								(n/a)					$10,663	$758	$9,905
Sparta Senior High School	Public	9-12	475 W Spartan Dr	Sparta	49345	Kent County	Sparta Area Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 887-8213	818	42	19.7	43.0%	675 (82.5%)	13 (1.6%)	104 (12.7%)	4 (0.5%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	17 (2.1%)	71.4	167^th of 743 public high schools	77.5%		57	293^rd of 735 public high schools	60.1%	126	55.8	31.9	46.0	51.3	$13,191	$2,009	$11,182

Frequently Asked Questions about River Valley Academy

What is the racial makeup of River Valley Academy?

Students at River Valley Academy are 88% White, 8% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.

What district is River Valley Academy in?

Rockford Public Schools

How many students attend River Valley Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 40 students attended River Valley Academy.

Is River Valley Academy a good school?

River Valley Academy ranks 539^th of 743 Michigan high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

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