Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) serves more than 13,200 students in grades pre-K through 12 in Albemarle County, Virginia, the sixth largest county by area in the Commonwealth of Virginia and one of the nation’s top places to raise a family, according to Forbes magazine.A diverse locality of 726 square miles in the heart of Central Virginia, Albemarle County is a blend of rural, suburban and urban settings. The County’s urban areas include the area around the independent City of Charlottesville, as well as the Village of Rivanna and the Community of Crozet. The rural areas encompass about 690 square miles. We are proud to maintain community-based elementary schools and state-of-the-art secondary schools. We also offer opportunities for students through two charter schools, a STEM magnet school operating at Albemarle High School, and the Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC). Regional services are available for students who require a non-traditional learning environment or additional specialized services.
The City of Charlottesville values education highly and the Charlottesville City School Division offers the very best in curriculum and community. Neighborhood schools with a global orientation expose students to a wide variety of experiences, viewpoints, and opportunities—preparing them not only for post-secondary education but for life. Small class sizes promote individual attention in a collaborative climate, where each child can build a solid academic foundation while developing his or her unique interests and strengths. Our teachers are trained to address the multiple learning styles of the young, active minds and to foster complex, creative thinking. The K-12 years are a time of growth and exploration, and Charlottesville City schools provide programs and activities that expose students to many facets of life and learning. We incorporate the 4 C's of relevant, project-based learning--Creativity, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, and Communication--into all subject areas so that students are actively engaged in learning and applying information.