Original Research by School Decision on College Hill Pre-k Center
College Hill Pre-K Center is a public school in Texarkana, Arkansas, serving only pre-kindergarten students. Because it serves only pre-K, the school has no state testing results, no graduation rate, and no comparable academic performance data. The absence of these measures is a direct result of the grade band it serves; state assessments do not begin until third grade, and graduation is years away for its students. A family looking at this school will not find test scores to evaluate, which is normal for a pre-K setting.
The school is part of the Texarkana Arkansas School District, which operates in a mid-sized border city that functions as a single commercial area with its Texas twin across State Line Avenue. The city has a mix of residential neighborhoods, a historic downtown with museums, and industrial and transportation uses tied to its role as a railroad and highway junction. Agriculture, manufacturing, and military and government employment shape the local economy. The largest single employer is the Red River Army Depot. The city's population has been declining slightly between recent censuses, with estimates suggesting continued decline, though the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana has been a growth area through expansion and new bachelor's degree partnerships.
The enrollment is fairly small given that it serves only one grade level. The student body is predominantly Black, with a significant share of White students and much smaller shares of Hispanic, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and two or more races students. A very high share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a common characteristic in pre-K centers that serve as community hubs for early childhood education. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the record.
The housing market in the area shows home values and rents that are more affordable than national benchmarks, and the typical monthly mortgage payment is lower than the typical rent, a dynamic that may matter to families deciding where to settle. The local unemployment rate has been steady at a modest level nationally.
Because this is a pre-K center, the discussion of academic pathways, peer environment, and student support looks different than it would for an elementary or secondary school. The school likely functions as an entry point into the Texarkana district's system of elementary magnet schools, junior high learning academies, and the Freshman Academy at Arkansas High School, though specific program offerings at College Hill were not in the available data. A parent considering this school should expect a focus on early childhood development and readiness, with no standardized test accountability for the school itself. The lack of state testing data or graduation metrics is not a sign of weakness; it simply reflects the fact that the school does not serve tested grades or graduate students. Families who want to understand the academic trajectory their child would follow after pre-K would need to look at the district's elementary schools for the next step.
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