Roanoke City Public Schools

Community Empowerment & Education Center

Roanoke City Public Schools’ (RCPS) Booker T. Washington Community Empowerment & Education Center will welcome all members of the community, increase accessibility to essential services, promote community collaboration, and empower families with knowledge and resources that will enrich their lives and the city.

The third phase of RCPS’ Equity in Action Project, the Community Empowerment & Education Center, is expected to open in 2025. It will offer:

• A Welcome Center for students and families who need assistance with school enrollment, especially for families whose native language is one other than English
• Adult Education programs, including GED preparation, vocational training, and English classes for non-native speakers
• Classrooms and flexible spaces for use by RCPS and the community, including a Parent & Guardian University offering classes on topics of interest such as supporting students’ social and emotional growth; social media and internet safety; supporting students with disabilities; and preventing gang involvement.
• Additional community resources and services in partnership with community organizations

A Generational Investment for the Community, by the Community

RCPS is partnering with community members to ensure the new center reflects the community’s vision. The Superintendent’s Community Engagement Committee conducted a community needs assessment in April 2023 to guide planning, with more than 600 respondents that represented every school in the division. The survey showcased a strong alignment between the community’s need and the vision for planned services.

The Community Empowerment & Education Center will be housed in the building that is currently used as RCPS’ Central Office, with a rich history nearly a century old. It was originally built in 1928 as an all-Black high school. During the 1930s, Career & Technical Education students built an addition to be used as a vocational school. The school was renamed Booker T. Washington Junior High School in 1952, and the building was repurposed into RCPS’ Central Office in 1971 following integration.

Today, the building remains a cornerstone of the Northwest Roanoke community. Renovating the building to maintain its structural integrity while preserving its history will ensure it can remain a source of civic pride for the next 100 years as it enters its next chapter as the Booker T. Washington Community Empowerment & Education Center.

The Superintendent’s Community Engagement Committee is working with community partners to identify areas of synergy and is seeking funding for the center.