Schools in Texarkana, AR

The city of Texarkana, Arkansas, is served by 11 public schools across two distinct districts—the Texarkana School District and the Genoa Central School District—educating roughly 4,873 students from elementary through high school, and the data reveals a dramatic performance gap between these two systems.

The Genoa Central School District is the clear academic leader, with its three schools—Genoa Central Elementary School, Gary E. Cobb Middle School, and Genoa Central High School—consistently ranking in the top 10-20% of Arkansas schools. In contrast, the Texarkana School District ranks in the bottom 20% of the state, with most of its eight schools serving a student population where 100% qualify for free or reduced lunch. A standout exception is North Heights Community School, which achieves proficiency rates far exceeding its district peers despite the same high poverty level, while College Hill Harmony Leadership Academy is the lowest-performing school in the area, ranking in the bottom 10% of Arkansas elementary schools.

Perhaps the most surprising finding is that the lower-performing Texarkana School District spends an average of 35% more per student ($14,908) than the higher-performing Genoa Central School District ($11,002), suggesting that funding alone does not drive success. The graduation rate at Genoa Central High School (92.9%) also outpaces Arkansas High School (89.1%), and its dropout rate is a mere 0.3% compared to 2.1%. For parents, this data highlights that school-level leadership and culture—as demonstrated by North Heights Community School—can overcome significant socioeconomic challenges, making it essential to look beyond district averages when choosing a school.