Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Marshalltown Virtual Academy reports doubled enrollment, credit gains and attendance monitoring
Loading...
Summary
Marshalltown Virtual Academy administrators told the board MVA serves 146 students (grades 8–12), enrollment has roughly doubled year‑over‑year, about 23 students are on a waiting list, and the academy projects a 4‑year graduation rate of 77.3% while outlining attendance‑check and intervention processes.
Marshalltown Virtual Academy staff reported to the school board on April 20 that enrollment has roughly doubled and that the online program is seeing measurable progress in credit attainment and graduation projections.
Jordan Terry, administrator for Marshalltown Virtual Academy, said MVA currently serves 146 students in grades eight through 12, with 19 open‑enrolled students and roughly 23 students on a waiting list. Terry described staff and support structure: one administrator, a part‑time instructional coach, one part‑time counselor (shared with MLA), one full‑time special‑education teacher, five part‑time general‑education teachers and additional instructional support from Marshalltown High School and MLA staff.
Terry said weekly monitoring and an attendance team that reviews Edmentum engagement and Infinite Campus check‑ins have produced clearer visibility into participation. "We have regularly around a range of 100 to 110 students who are regularly checking in each day," Terry said, and explained staff use phone calls, on‑site attendance meetings and home visits as part of tiered interventions when students fall behind.
Presenters reported a projected four‑year graduation rate of 77.3% and a five‑year projection of 79% for the program cohort. Credit attainment numbers presented included 242.25 total credits earned and 52 college credits that would transfer into high‑school credit. Trustees questioned staffing and the program’s student‑to‑teacher ratios; staff said some teachers work part time across multiple grades and that the program’s staffing model is constrained by FTE allocations and the need to maintain financial sustainability.
The board asked whether Office hours and live support exist for students; Terry said teachers provide Google Meet sessions and email support as needed and that the district is evaluating set office hours to improve responsiveness.
Trustees also raised a concern voiced by a board member that artificial intelligence might be contributing to growth in online enrollment; staff said they are monitoring engagement and response times and focusing on reducing feedback time between student submission and teacher feedback to maintain instructional quality.
Staff said the district is working to refine data flows between Infinite Campus and Edmentum to better automate attendance and progress reporting and that the district will continue to refine supports for students who require more in‑person interaction. The presentation concluded with trustees thanking the MVA team for the program updates.
