Thriving schools make city an education center.

As the home of one of the state's leading public universities and five quality school districts, the Jonesboro area offers its students abundant educational resources and, by extension, limitless career possibilities.

Arkansas State University, located at the north end of Caraway Road in Jonesboro, is the city's premier source of higher education. Traditionally regarded as a teaching university, ASU is putting more emphasis on research. ASU's new Arkansas Biosciences Institute will significantly boost the university's scientific research when it comes on line, although the institute is already funding projects.

The four-year public university, which had an enrollment of 10,435 last year, offers students the complete university experience. Students can live in one of five dormitories, on-campus student apartments, family housing or Greek housing. ASU also has an excellent NCAA sports program, with football, basketball, baseball and track teams competing throughout the year.

ASU offers students an array of degree programs, its most popular bachelor programs being early childhood/elementary education, nursing, biological sciences, business administration and engineering. Students can also receive master's, specialist and doctoral degrees.

ASU is also known for its communications college, where students can pursue degrees in print and broadcast journalism and public relations. It also offers, the state's only degree programs in photojournalism and printing management.

The average ACT composite score for first-time freshmen in 2002 was 22.0, compared with the national average of 20.8 and the Arkansas average of 20.2.

A Growing Campus

During the past four years, ASU officials have reconfigured the campus to accommodate more students and new building projects. The result is a campus that is alive with new construction and expanding possibilities.

The largest project is the ongoing construction of ASU's new $35.1 million student center. The project calls for the renovation of the Carl R. Reng Student Service Center and construction of a new building on Aggie Road, the student union, which will contain everything from a dining hall and meeting facilities to a computer lab and post office. The student union's food court will include franchises such as Starbucks Coffee and Godfather's Pizza. Paid for with student fees, the project is scheduled for completion in January 2005.

South of the student center near the campus' south entrance, students can see the iron frame of the $20.3 million biosciences/biotechnology building. Paid for with money from the state's tobacco lawsuit settlement, the building will be part of the Arkansas Biosciences Institute. It is scheduled for completion in the fall.

ASU is adding new family student housing on the east side of campus. University officials say they have nine of 14 buildings completed. The $7.5 million project will provide housing for 100 families in one-, two- and three-bedroom combinations.

Meanwhile, work continues on ASU's new Health, Physical Education and Sports Sciences Track Facility, a $2.7 million project that includes a 400-meter outdoor track with venues for NCAA-accredited track and field events. ASU intramural contests also will take place at the HPESS facility, which is scheduled for completion in the fall.

Public, Private Schools

Despite a growing population, Jonesboro retains a small-town feel, as parents and other community members have an active role in public schools.

The Jonesboro area has six public school systems: Jonesboro Public Schools, Nettleton Public Schools, Valley View Schools, Westside Schools, Brookland School District and Bay School District.

Jonesboro Public Schools is the largest, with nine schools, plus an alternative, votech school and an adult education center. Longtime superintendent Dr. Bill Beasley said ASU brings families from all over the world into the school district, resulting in a growing and diverse student body.

"They have a teacher education school there, which helps the Jonesboro and surrounding districts keep a good market, a good pool of candidates for teaching positions," Beasley said. "And I know a lot of districts don't have that advantage if they don't happen to have a university located nearby that has a teacher ed program."

Jonesboro Public Schools covers about 38 square miles, most of it in downtown Jonesboro. The other school districts lie in areas away from downtown. Brookland School District, which lies north between Jonesboro and Paragould, has three schools but is poised to grow as traffic and development between the bustling cities increase.

Jonesboro also boasts four private schools, the largest of which offers classes from prekindergarten to 12th grade.

Ridgefield Christian Schools at 2311 E. Nettleton Ave. has an enrollment of about 300. Accredited by the Arkansas Nonpublic Accrediting Association, Ridgefield offers Bible-based education for students at all grade levels.

Other Jonesboro private schools are Blessed Sacrament School, Eastside Baptist Academy and Concordia Christian Academy.

Local Public School Districts

District                              No. of Schools (*)

Jonesboro Public Schools                      9
Nettleton Public Schools                      6
Westside School District                      4
Valley View Schools                           3
Brookland School District                     3
Bay School District                           3

(*) Includes elementary, middle and high Schools

Source: Greater Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce


Local Colleges and Universities

          School                Enrollment       Degrees Offered

Arkansas State University in     10,435      Associate's, bachelor's,
   Jonesboro                                     master's, specialist,
                                                 Ph.D., Ed.D.
Black River Technical
   College of Pocahontas           1,090      Associate's

Williams Baptist College of
   Walnut Ridge                      562      Associate's, bachelor's

ASU Beebe at Newport                 340      Associate's,
                                                 certificates, LPN,
                                                 transfer courses
Crowley's Ridge College
   of Paragould                      157      Associate's

Mississippi County
   Community College of
   Blytheville                       140      Associate's

Source: Greater Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce, the schools