Charlottesville City Schools to take sole ownership of CATEC

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Charlottesville City Schools will now assume sole ownership of the Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center, also known as CATEC.

This ends a partnership that dates back to 1969 between City and Albemarle County Schools. ACPS offered to buy its share of CATEC for $5.3 million. Charlottesville denied that offer in efforts to make sure its students can still learn at CATEC. The CCS School Board voted to exercise its option under the 1969 agreement to purchase the ACPS stake at that same price.

Dom Morse, the vice chair of the Charlottesville School Board, says CCS has been working with Charlottesville City Council to fit CATEC in the budget and the two have an agreement.

CCS says continuing the joint partnership was its first choice, but this was no longer an option when ACPS chose to dissolve the partnership in the fall. CCS feared selling to ACPS would jeopardize Charlottesville students’ ability to continue learning at CATEC.

”Career technical education is becoming more and more popular as students are deciding that college isn’t worth the costs, so we’re trying to fulfill the needs of the community. That’s why it’s important for us as the City of Charlottesville to protect the interests of our students, as well as provide the services for the region,” Morse said.

Morse says students will not notice any difference, as the plan is for ACPS kids to still be able to attend CATEC under the new CCS ownership.

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