The top reported proficiency rate is 14% in English language arts. The lowest is 10% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Coleman Elementary School
Coleman Elementary School serves students from second through fifth grade as part of the Watson Chapel School District in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It is a traditional public school, not a charter or magnet, and its grade band means it has no high school graduation rate to report. The school sits in a mid-sized city that functions as the county seat of Jefferson County and the commercial hub of a two-county micropolitan area. Pine Bluff blends residential neighborhoods, a historic downtown, and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff alongside a Harbor Industrial District along the Arkansas River. The surrounding region is flat Delta farmland, and paper mills in the area give the city a distinctive odor familiar to many Arkansans.
On state assessments administered through Arkansas's ATLAS system, proficiency rates across tested subjects and grade levels are low. In math, the share of students scoring at the proficient level or above sits in the low teens in each tested grade. In English language arts, proficiency rates are similarly low, also in the low teens across grades three through five. Science results are lower still, with proficiency rates dipping to the single digits in grade three and rising only slightly in grades four and five. Taken together, the school's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint relative to other districts in Jefferson County, a comparison set of seven districts. A parent considering this school may want to ask the school directly about the specific instructional supports and interventions in place to address these outcomes.
Enrollment at Coleman Elementary is elementary-sized for its grade band. The student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of white students and very small numbers of Asian, Hispanic, and two-or-more-races students. Every enrolled student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a reflection of the economic context of the area. Data on special education identification and English learner status were not available.
Housing in the ZIP code that serves the school is modestly priced compared to national and state benchmarks. The typical home value is well below the Arkansas median, and the typical rent is also below broader averages. The area's affordability is a practical consideration for families; the estimated monthly mortgage payment for a median-priced home is relatively low, and rent consumes a smaller-than-average share of household income at national levels. The local unemployment rate has been steady recently, and the broader Pine Bluff area is on a declining population trajectory, with the city's population decreasing from the 2020 census to its current estimate. The most significant recent development in the city is the Saracen Casino Resort, completed in recent years, which employs a substantial number of full-time staff. No major new housing developments were identified in the publicly available information.
The Watson Chapel School District's publicly reported recent changes were limited; we looked for strategic priorities or notable shifts but found little of lasting impact, so we leave that area open for a parent to explore directly with the district. Coleman Elementary itself did not have available data on discipline rates, staffing ratios, or attendance patterns. A parent may want to ask the school about teacher experience and retention, as well as how the school supports students who are not yet meeting grade-level standards on state tests.
For a family considering this school, the picture is a straightforward one. Coleman Elementary serves a high-poverty student body in a city that has been losing population and offers a modest housing market. The academic proficiency results are soft across all tested subjects and grades, a reality that a prospective parent will want to weigh against the school's specific programs and supports. Without data on course access, special programs, or enrichment offerings, the main evidence available is the state test performance. That evidence points to a school where the majority of students are not yet meeting proficiency benchmarks. A parent would be wise to visit, talk to the principal, and understand what academic recovery and acceleration efforts are in place before making a decision.
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