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New residents need look no further than Little Rock schools for their child's education.   From preschool to high school, the city boasts some of the highest-ranked programs in the U.S.  With a wide variety of public, private, charter and even Montessori schools, parents can find the perfect fit for their child in Little Rock.

Preschool

Little Rock has a host of excellent preschools.  The public Pre-K program, known as the Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) for School Success, is completely free to parents and considered one of the top public preschool programs in the nation.  One such school is the Fair Park Early Childhood Center in Hillcrest, a former elementary school now devoted exclusively to Pre-K classes.

Montessori enthusiasts who don't mind paying a little more for tuition have their pick of schools in Little Rock.  The choices include:

• Chenal Valley Montessori School has two locations; the new preschool building is on west Highway 10.  The curriculum now extends to 8th grade.
• Arkansas River Valley Montessori on Pierce Street between Hillcrest and the Heights.  The curriculum is Christian-based for ages 3-15.
• Children's House Montessori on Lee Avenue in Hillcrest.  For grades PK-3.
• Little Rock Montessori, located on North Rodney Parham.  For PK-2.

The following are also highly rated private preschool programs:

• Trinity Methodist Preschool, located on Mississippi and Evergreen near the Heights, is a parent favorite.  The school offers reasonable tuition with the option of half or full days for ages two and up.  The program is accredited with the state of Arkansas.
• A Child's Place Preschool is part of the Easter Seals Arkansas campus on Woodland Heights Road.  The classroom is inclusive, designed for children with and without disabilities.  The teacher-student ratio is 1:5 for the Pre-K class.  Occupational and Speech therapy can be integrated as needed into the classroom.
• Located on T Street in the Heights, Miss Selma's Schools are well-loved among many Little Rock parents.  The schools serve ages 2 years to sixth grade.

Elementary Schools:

Some of the top-rated public elementary schools in Little Rock are:

• Baker Interdistrict Elementary in Chenal Valley
• Jefferson Elementary School in Cammack Village
• Forest Park Elementary School in Hillcrest
• Pulaski Heights Elementary School in Hillcrest

Parents in Little Rock also have several elementary magnet schools to choose from.  Gibbs Magnet School,  Carver Magnet School, and King Interdistrict Magnet School are all located in the downtown area.  Students can request a place on the waiting list at any time and placement is chosen by lottery.  These schools are considered part of the Little Rock School District and are publicly funded.

The eStem public charter school  opened in the 2008-2009 school year and is a non-profit charter school dedicated to improving public education in Arkansa.  Charter schools do not charge tuition.

Many elementary private schools in the city have excellent reputations for their students' academic achievements.  These include:

• The newly expanded Pulaski Academy (secular, PK-12, on Hinson Road in West Little Rock.)
• The Anthony School (secular, PK-8, on Ohio Street near the Heights)
• The Cathedral School (Episcopalian, PK-5, on South Spring)
• Christ the King Catholic School (Catholic, PK-8, on North Rodney Parham)
• Little Rock Christian Academy (Non-denominational Protestant, PK-12, on West Highway 10)

 Middle Schools:

Choices narrow a little when the time comes to choose a middle school.  Two of the best public schools in the area are Henderson Middle School on Barrow Road and Pulaski Heights Middle School in Hillcrest.

Dunbar Magnet School and Mann Magnet School are both excellent schools; as with the elementary magnet schools, student selection is determined by lottery

The LISA Academy (Little Scholars of Arkansas), a long-standing charter school with locations in North Little Rock and West Little Rock, serves grades 6-8 and is well-regarded as a place of high academic achievement.

 High Schools:

The very best in Little Rock education can be found in the halls of the high schools.  In 2006, Newsweek magazine ranked Little Rock Central High School as the 20th best public high school in the country.

Parkview Magnet High School, located on Barrow Road, is an interdistrict school with an emphasis on music, art, and performance.  The Arkansas Democrat Gazette has named Parkview the best high school in Pulaski county; the Magnet Schools of Merit Committee has rated it at the top one percent of national magnet programs.

The LISA Academy also has a charter high school that offers a rigorous, tuition-free college preparatory program.

The best private high schools in Little Rock include:

• Pulaski Academy in West Little Rock
• Little Rock Catholic High School for Boys in Hillcrest
• Mount St. Mary Academy in Hillcrest
• The Episcopal Collegiate School near downtown