Academics in Pine Bluff: K-12 and Higher Education

Pine Bluff is home to three public K-through-12 schools systems, one community college, and one four-year university, providing quite a big picture for academics in Pine Bluff.  Here is a summary of these schools and the contact information for their main administrative offices.

• The K-through-12 Public School Districts
  • Dollarway School District
    • Three schools:  high school, middle school, and elementary schools
    • Street address:  4900 Dollarway Road, Pine Bluff, AR  71602
    • Web:  http://www.dollarwayschools.org/o/district
    • Phone:  (870) 534-7859
  • Pine Bluff School District
    • Seven schools:  one each for high school, junior high, and middle school; four elementary; and one pre-Kindergarten.
    • Street address:  512 South Pine Street, Pine Bluff, AR  71601
    • Web:  http://www.pinebluffschools.k12.ar.us/
    • Phone:  (870) 543-4200
  • Watson Chapel School District
    • Five schools:  high school, junior high, intermediate, and two elementary schools
    • Street address:  4100 South Camden Road, Pine Bluff, AR  71603
    • Web:  http://wc-web.k12.ar.us/
    • Phone:  (870) 879-0220

• Southeast Arkansas College
  • One community college campus offering two-year degrees
  • Street address:  1900 Hazel Street, Pine Bluff, AR  71603
  • Web:  http://www.seark.edu
  • Phone:  (870) 543-5900

• University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
  • One university campus offering four-year degrees
  • Street address:  1200 North University Drive, Pine Bluff, AR  71601
  • Web:  https://www.uapb.edu/
  • Phone:  (870) 575-8000

For a town this size, Pine Bluff enjoys quite the selection in both primary and secondary education. Of special note is the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), a HBCU that traces its beginnings back to 1875 as the Branch Normal College, a branch of Arkansas Industrial University (now the University of Arkansas). Its primary mission was to educate future teachers. In 1892, Branch Normal College was designated as a land-grant institution (as provided in the Morrill Act of 1890).

In 1927, Branch Normal College had a name change to the Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical, and Normal (AM&N) College. The following year, athletic teams were added, and the Lion became the school’s mascot. Over the decades, enrollments grew and programs expanded, and the campus required a larger area and thus relocation.

In 1972, Arkansas AM&N merged with the University of Arkansas system and became the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). It is known for excellent programs in arts (visual arts and music, fine and performing), humanities, science, and business. Their fisheries program is notable as a great example of two-fold accomplishments: multiple disciplines coming together to serve the state’s and region’s needs.