Original Research by School Decision on Centerpoint Academy of Agriculture & Skilled Trade
Centerpoint Academy of Agriculture & Skilled Trade is a public charter school in Amity, Arkansas, serving only grades 11 and 12. It belongs to the Centerpoint School District. The school operates as a career-and-technical-education pathway, offering students an alternative to a purely academic high school experience. Its mission is built into its name: agriculture and skilled trades are the curricular focus, reflecting a district-wide push for vocational programming.
This is a very small school. Its student body is entirely white, and a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Because the school serves only the final two years of high school, it does not have state testing results for the grades typically assessed, and there is no graduation rate data available. A parent should note that the absence of those metrics does not reflect poor performance; it is a function of the school's limited grade span and specialized mission.
The school is located in Amity, a small rural town in Clark County near the Ouachita National Forest. Amity has a history as a logging and lumber town, centered on a public square. The local economy was long dominated by the Bean Lumber Company, which closed its Amity mill years ago, diminishing employment and contributing to population decline. The town has since adapted with events like Amity Trade Days, a monthly flea market in the former mill facility. Housing values are modest, and the area has experienced slow population decline.
The Centerpoint School District was formed when the Amity and Glenwood school districts merged. Centerpoint High School is located on a separated campus midway between Amity and Glenwood in Rosboro. The Academy of Agriculture & Skilled Trade represents a distinct option within the district for students seeking hands-on preparation for careers in agriculture or the trades. For a family in the area, this school fits a student who knows they want to move directly into a skilled trade or agricultural field after high school, rather than pursue a broad college-preparatory curriculum. The school's size means a deeply individualized setting, but also limited course breadth and extracurricular range.
We looked for state testing data, a graduation rate, and chronic absenteeism information for this school, but none was available. That is expected for a school that serves only grade 11 and 12 and is a specialized pathway program. A parent who wants a fuller picture of academic outcomes may want to ask the school directly about post-graduation placement rates or industry certifications earned by its students. Compared to other districts in Pike County, we could not position this school on proficiency, graduation rate, or absenteeism because the data were missing.
Overall, Centerpoint Academy of Agriculture & Skilled Trade is a niche option within a small rural district. It is designed for juniors and seniors who want to focus on agriculture and skilled trades in a very small school setting. Families considering it should understand that the traditional academic benchmarks used to evaluate most high schools do not apply here, and that the school's value is best measured by its career preparation outcomes.
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