Fredericksburg Schools Receive $1M Donation for CTE Expansion

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — A $1 million donation from local developer Larry D. Silver will fund the expansion of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in Fredericksburg City Public Schools (FCPS), officials announced Monday. The gift, the largest in the division’s history, will support the eventual construction of a CTE center named in Silver’s honor.

Deputy Superintendent Matt Eberhardt revealed the donation during a school board meeting, noting that the agreement with the Silver Foundation had been in development for months. The funds will be distributed as annual $100,000 payments over the next decade and held by the Fredericksburg Education Foundation.

Silver, a James Monroe High School graduate, said the donation reflects his commitment to giving back to the community. “This CTE program is needed in our school system. We are so far behind,” said school board member Malvina Rollins Kay, a fellow James Monroe alumna. “This is indicative of how we were taught in the city—the spirit of giving back.”

FCPS has been planning to upgrade its CTE offerings since 2019, with recent efforts accelerating over the past six months. The division’s new middle school, set to open next fall, was designed with CTE spaces in mind. Programs under development include criminal justice, culinary arts, emergency medicine, and trades such as HVAC and plumbing.

School board member Jarvis Bailey, a CTE teacher in Stafford County, praised the donation, predicting it would spark further investment. “This will have a snowball effect,” Bailey said. “I’m excited about CTE in Fredericksburg. We’re going to shock the world.”

Meanwhile, in Fairfax County, the McLean Citizens Association (MCA) is challenging plans to build a new $80 million elementary school in Dunn Loring. The group argues that declining enrollment at nearby schools undermines the need for the project. According to Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) data, enrollment at Freedom Hill, Shrevewood, and Stenwood elementary schools is projected to drop significantly over the next five years.

“CIP enrollment data and projections show substantial current surplus capacity in the elementary schools around the Dunn Loring site,” the MCA wrote in a letter to the school board. “To proceed on the current schedule would lead to even greater surplus capacity, representing ineffective use of public funds.”

Fairfax County School Board At-Large Member Kyle McDaniel has echoed these concerns, urging a reevaluation of the project. “We need to focus on maintaining existing facilities and addressing needs in areas where schools are over capacity,” McDaniel said during a recent work session.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is set to vote on the project Tuesday. If approved, construction could begin soon, with the school expected to open by 2027.