Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy

Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy, a roomy multi-level school in MANISTEE, Michigan, overseen by Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy, hosts 3,934 students, covering grades pre-K through 12. Enrollment runs roughly 1300% larger than the state mean of about 281.

Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy sits inside Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy, the local public-school operator responsible for the campus.

Demographically, Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy logs that the most-represented group is White (53%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups; the rest comes out to 25% Black, 11% Hispanic, 10% multiracial. By comparison, Manistee County as a whole is about 89% White, so the school skews meaningfully less White than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, The school lists 206 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 19.1:1. The state averages around 17.3:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. An estimated 78% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. Set against Manistee County (around 67%), the school's rate is somewhat above typical.

In the broader community, the surrounding county (Manistee County) logs that the typical household earns roughly $63,516 per year, about 25% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 8%. Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy is one of 14 public schools in Manistee County (combined enrollment of about 6,511 students).

The closest other public school is Thomas Jefferson Elem School, roughly 0.7 miles away. Within five miles, there are 5 other public schools.

The school occupies a small-town site. Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy operates as a public charter school, meaning it is publicly funded but governed independently of the surrounding district's traditional schools. As a virtual school, attendance and instruction happen remotely rather than in person.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count ticked up 42%: 2,771 students in 2018 compared to 3,934 in 2025. The White share of enrollment ticked down from 65% to 53% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 23.2:1 in 2018 to 19.1:1 today.

Within the allk12 community for this school, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Members of the school community can share what they know.