Columbus Arts & Technology Academy (CATA)

Our school

Learn about Columbus Arts & Technology Academy (CATA), our mission, and the programs and values that shape our school community.

About our school

Columbus Arts and Technology Academy is a tuition-free public charter school serving students in Kindergarten through 12th grade on the east side of Columbus, Ohio. For more than 20 years, the school has served East Columbus families with a college-prep education built around art, media arts, and technology. Principal Mackenzie Eikenberry leads a building where content-rich instruction meets hands-on learning, and where students don't have to choose between academics and the creative work that makes school worth showing up for.

The school earned a 3-Star rating for Gap Closing and a 3-Star rating for Progress on the Ohio State Report Card, plus an ACCELY Award for outstanding growth in reading. CATA outperforms Columbus City Schools. Those numbers didn't happen by accident. They happened because the school treats academics and enrichment as the same investment in a child's future.

Career-based intervention programs begin in high school and cover digital content creation and media arts, career tech, gaming, financial literacy and leadership, journalism, and music. These aren't elective fillers. They're structured pathways that connect what a student learns in the classroom to what he or she might do after graduation.

Students in elementary through high school compete in athletics through the Charter School League: basketball, cheer (elementary and middle school), dance, esports, soccer (elementary and middle school), and track and field (elementary and middle school). Practices run twice weekly, games happen on Saturdays, and the school provides transportation. Flexible payment plans are available for sports fees.

Clubs include chess, dance, esports and gaming, student council, and yearbook. Tutoring runs in-school during the year, with summer school available for grades 3 through 12 during a four-week session in June. Saturday School runs twice a year for grades 3 through 12 for students who need targeted academic support.

Counseling is provided through a partnership with NYAP. A family liaison offers direct support for families navigating school and home needs. The PTO sponsors events and initiatives through "Voice of the Parents." A monthly fitness program runs for families, led by a fitness coach. Students receive public library cards through partnerships with local libraries. Community partners include Bob Clubhouse, Big Mommas Day, and Start to Finish. Uniform assistance is available.

Before- and after-care is provided in partnership with Oasis, available from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Fees may apply ($40 monthly per child; includes both services). Free breakfast and lunch are provided for every enrolled student. Transportation is provided through Columbus City Schools.

Free full-day Kindergarten is available, with early entrance for students who turn 5 by December 31 through a readiness assessment.

Columbus Arts and Technology Academy is located at 2743 S Hamilton Rd, Columbus, OH 43232. Call (614) 577-0900 or visit columbusata.org.

Community School

CATA is a public, community school. We are our own school district sponsored by the Ohio Council of Community Schools (OCCS) which provides oversight and enforces academic, fiscal, and legal accountability. We are managed by ACCEL Schools, a high-performing network of over 50 charter schools located throughout the United States. Community Schools (Charter Schools) offer families an alternative to the local public school. Community schools are tuition-free, open to all students in the county, and focused on meeting student needs for success. Community schools are among the top-performing schools in the nation. Read more about charter schools.

Mission

Our mission is to surpass the global standards of academic excellence by investing in partnerships with our students, community, and home environments, in order to encourage the development of creativity and self-direction. Through the cooperative efforts of the school community, students will develop the knowledge, responsibility, and positive self-concept needed to become effective citizens in our ever-changing and multicultural world.

Managed by ACCEL Schools

Founded in 2014, ACCEL Schools is a K-12 public charter school management organization (CMO) serving students across the United States in brick-and-mortar, virtual, and hybrid school settings. We focus on improving academic outcomes of students regardless of geographic location or socioeconomic factors. The leadership team at ACCEL Schools has a combined 1000+ years of experience as global school management operators with expertise in curriculum research and design, assessment, student support services, and education consulting. Our entire team fundamentally believes that all children deserve a great education and students should be supported as they pursue a wide variety of post-secondary options. Our robust technology increases engagement, access to resources, efficiencies, and academic results helping our students become productive global citizens.

Columbus Arts & Technology Academy, Home of the Trailblazers!

Serving elementary, middle, & high school students in Columbus & Franklin County

K-12 Community School Managed by ACCEL Schools

ACCEL Schools is a high-performing network of over 50 charter schools located throughout the United States

Tuition-Free, Public Charter School

Sponsored by Ohio Council of Community Schools (OCCS)

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