Wisconsin Virtual Academy High (WIVA)

What Wisconsin Virtual Academy High (WIVA) does

Wisconsin Virtual Academy (WIVA) is a tuition-free, full-time online public charter school serving Wisconsin residents in grades 4K through 12. Founded in 2009 in partnership with the McFarland school district and governed by the Four Lakes Board, WIVA delivers instruction through the K12-powered Online Learning System (OLS), a Canvas-based learning management system that supports live Class Connect sessions, the K12 Launch Pad daily dashboard, and the K12 Zone virtual campus for student socialization. Curriculum is supplied by K12 (a Stride company) and includes core subjects across elementary, middle, and high school levels, plus honors, AP, NCAA-approved, AVID college-readiness, and self-guided electives. The school holds Cognia accreditation (April 2024) and NCAA approval (school code 501269), and offers specialized programming for gifted learners, English Language Learners, students with disabilities (Section 504), migrant and McKinney-Vento-supported students, and military families.

The business model is a single-tier, no-cost public enrollment offering, with revenue derived from Wisconsin per-pupil state education funding and taxpayer dollars rather than tuition. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through Wisconsin's state-mandated open enrollment window (February-April) and Alternative Open Enrollment (open year-round), supported by segmented information sessions, the K12 Enrollment Portal (with DocuSign-based applications), a Family Advisory Council, and Strider Squads in-person meetups. Students receive K12 curriculum materials shipped to their homes and access instruction via the K12 platform, with state testing administered at regional sites.

WIVA sits within the broader Wisconsin Virtual Academies network alongside DCAWI and ISWI schools. Leadership includes Executive Director Dr. Sara R. Cutler (Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from UW-Madison, 20+ years in public education), supported by grade-band principals, a Senior Operations Manager, and Senior Academic Administrators overseeing Special Programs and academics. The school has graduated 1,321 students since founding and currently operates with a staff of approximately 58 employees from its McFarland, Wisconsin headquarters.

Name

Wisconsin Virtual Academy High (WIVA)

Legal name

Wisconsin Virtual Academy

Website

https://wiva.k12.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Wisconsin Virtual Academy (WIVA) is a tuition-free, full-time online public charter school serving Wisconsin residents in grades 4K-12, powered by K12's Canvas-based LMS, Class Connect live instruction, and Cognia-accredited curriculum with NCAA-approved courses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Time Virtual K–12 Schools (Statewide/Cyber Charters & District Programs) (EDAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Virtual School Course Providers (Single-Course/Part-Time Enrollment) (EDAJADAE)

Keywords

• Online K-12 education
• Virtual public school
• Charter school program
• Distance learning school
• E-learning K12

Headquarters

HQ city

McFarland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public School Funding: As a tuition-free public virtual charter school, WIVA is funded by taxpayer dollars and state education budgets. The school leverages K12's innovative technology and curriculum while receiving public education funding. Families do not pay tuition but are responsible for common household items like printer ink and paper.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wisconsin Virtual Academy (WIVA) is a tuition-free, full-time online public school serving students in grades 4K-12 across Wisconsin. The school delivers K12's comprehensive online curriculum through the Canvas-based K12 School (OLS) learning management system, supported by live Class Connect sessions led by Wisconsin-licensed teachers. Students receive textbooks and hands-on materials at home, progress through personalized learning plans, and can access NCAA-approved, honors, AP, and AVID courses at the high school level.

Product overview

Wisconsin Virtual Academy (WIVA) is a tuition-free, full-time online public school serving Wisconsin students in grades 4K-12, powered by K12's curriculum and learning management system. The core educational offering combines the K12 School (OLS) Canvas-based learning platform with live Class Connect instruction sessions led by Wisconsin-licensed teachers. Students access the K12 curriculum featuring interactive lessons across core subjects (English/Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Art) with additional offerings including AP courses, honors programs, NCAA-approved courses, and self-guided electives. The student experience extends through the K12 Zone virtual campus for social engagement, Strider Squads for in-person gatherings, and comprehensive support services including special education, English Language Learning, gifted programs, and K12 Tutoring. Enrollment is managed through the K12 Enrollment Portal with both full-time and part-time options available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full-Time Online K-12 Education (4K-12) Tuition-free, full-time online public school education for Wisconsin residents in grades 4K-12, delivered through the K12 online learning platform with live Class Connect sessions and Wisconsin-licensed teachers.
• K12 Zone Virtual Campus Interactive virtual campus providing a gamified social environment where students can connect, participate in clubs, attend virtual assemblies, play games, and build avatars through customizable profiles.
• K12 Tutoring Online tutoring service featuring state-certified teachers providing personalized support across major K-12 subjects and college admission test preparation for enrolled students.
• Part-Time Enrollment Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's Part-Time Public School Open Enrollment allowing students to take individual courses at WIVA while remaining enrolled in their home district.
• Strider Squads In-person social opportunity program connecting small groups of local students for monthly meetups led by trained parent volunteer Squad Leaders.
• Middle School Academics (Grades 6-8) Core subjects with self-guided electives in music and world languages for grades 6-8, designed to build independence while maintaining structured support.
• High School Academics (Grades 9-12) Multi-level courses (on-level, honors, AP) in all core subjects for grades 9-12, with graduation credit requirements of 4.0 English, Math, Social Studies, Science, 0.5 Health, 0.5 PE, 0.5 Personal Finance, and 3.0 elective credits.
• Elementary School Academics (4K-5) Core subjects including English/Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Art for grades 4K-5, with a 4K transitional kindergarten program using the Embark curriculum and kindergarten curriculum with Strider the Fox mascot.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• K12coreTechnology or IntegrationK12 provides the core online learning technology platform, curriculum, and operational infrastructure for WIVA. WIVA is powered by K12, a leader in online education for 25 years. K12 provides the OLS platform, Class Connect technology, curriculum materials, and customer support services. Families interact with K12 systems for enrollment, course access, and technical support.
• TallominorOthersTallo is a platform referenced for helping students find college and career options in one place. WIVA promotes Tallo as a resource for enrolled students to explore post-secondary pathways.
• Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerGraduates of K12-powered schools can save 20% off tuition at Southern New Hampshire University. This partnership provides a tuition discount pathway for WIVA graduates pursuing higher education.
• NCAAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWIVA is NCAA-approved, meaning high school courses at WIVA count toward the 16 NCAA-approved courses required for college athlete eligibility. This enables student-athletes to pursue both academic and athletic goals.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Insight School of Wisconsin (ISWI): Sister school within the Wisconsin Virtual Academies network governed by the Four Lakes Board and powered by K12/Stride. Operates as a statewide virtual public charter school serving overlapping Wisconsin student populations with similar curriculum, NCAA-approved courses, and open enrollment mechanics.
• Destinations Career Academy of Wisconsin (DCAWI): Another sister school in the Wisconsin Virtual Academies network under the Four Lakes Board and powered by K12/Stride. Focuses on career and technical education pathways for Wisconsin students, sharing the same charter governance, enrollment portal, and operational infrastructure as WIVA.
• iForward Public Online School: Wisconsin statewide public virtual charter school and the most direct local competitor to WIVA. Serves grades K-12 across Wisconsin through tuition-free online instruction, competing for the same families during open enrollment periods.
• Connections Academy of Wisconsin: Online public school serving Wisconsin students in grades K-12, also operated within the broader Stride/K12 portfolio. Competes head-to-head with WIVA for Wisconsin families seeking tuition-free virtual schooling, sharing similar funding model, NCAA-approved coursework, and open enrollment processes.
• Florida Virtual School (FLVS Flex): Statewide public virtual school offering supplemental and full-time K-12 courses to Florida residents. Highly comparable in operating model (state-funded, statewide online charter), NCAA-approved courses, and asynchronous/synchronous instruction, though in a different state.

Regional players

• Ohio Virtual Academy: K12/Stride-powered statewide virtual public charter school in Ohio serving grades K-12. Operates on an identical technology stack (OLS/Canvas, Class Connect, K12 Zone) and charter funding model as WIVA, but does not compete geographically. Useful benchmark for K12-powered school performance.
• Indiana Virtual Academy: K12/Stride-powered statewide virtual public charter school in Indiana. Shares the same OLS platform, curriculum library, and open-enrollment operating mechanics as WIVA but serves a different geography, making it a useful operational peer rather than direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Stride Inc. Public parent company of K12 and operator of 80+ online schools nationwide including WIVA. Stride provides the LMS, curriculum, teacher training, and operational infrastructure that defines WIVA's offering; understanding Stride's strategy is essential to forecasting WIVA's roadmap and risk profile.
• Pearson Online Academy (Obridge Academy): Historically a major online K-12 operator (formerly K12 International Academy); now operating under Pearson with state-aligned public and private online schooling options. Competes in the same K-12 online space as WIVA, with comparable curriculum, NCAA-approved coursework, and supplemental enrollment offerings.

Emerging players

• Laurel Springs School: Accredited private online K-12 school offering full-time and supplemental enrollment with college-prep and NCAA-approved courses. Comparable in offering NCAA-approved college-prep online instruction but operates on private tuition rather than public funding, serving a different niche than WIVA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WisconsinVirtual

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin Virtual Academy High (WIVA)