Public Schools

The motto of the Camden Fairview School District is “Truth, Honor, Integrity at Camden Fairview with Cardinal Pride” and they live up to that every day. Camden’s citizens hold a strong belief in the value of education and support a public system that pursues excellence in all aspects. Students in Ouachita County utilize effective communications and thinking skills; develop independent and cooperative learning strategies in a safe, enjoyable atmosphere; achieve respect for self and others; acquire skills necessary for an ever changing society; and promote family and community involvement.

In a nutshell, our school community is motivated to achieve excellence in parenting, teaching and learning. All students are lifelong learners with the individual potential to meet the challenges of a global society.

The Camden Fairview School District ranks 30th in the state in terms of student enrollment with approximately 3,000. The school district operates six school campuses. Nearly 50 percent of the 275 certified staff hold a master’s degree or higher.

There are more than 125 courses to choose from in secondary education in addition to advanced placement courses. Many Camden Fairview students consistently score in the top five percent on the ACT and SAT tests.

Along with academic excellence, students in secondary schools participate in extracurricular activities such as football, basketball, track, cross-country, baseball, tennis, golf, volleyball, softball and gymnastics.

In addition to sports, Camden Fairview students can choose to join the band, cheerleading, drill team, choral music, quiz bowl, speech/drama, journalism, and NJROTC.

In a rural community with a vested interest in agriculture, Camden Fairview Future Farmers of America and 4-H organizations have livestock judging teams and participate in livestock projects and show competition.

Other organizations available: National Honor Society, Beta Club, French Honor Society, Thespians, Astronomy Club, Mu Alpha Theta, VICA, FBLA, FCCLA, FTA, HOSA, Art Club, Key Club, Spanish Club, French Club, Science Club and Student Council. 

The Harmony Grove Public School District serves the areas of East Camden and northeastern Ouachita County, enrolling approximately 800 students per year. The Harmony Grove District maintains one of the lowest dropout rates and some of the highest ACT scores in the region.

The Bearden Public School System is North Central Accredited and is home to the Bearden Bears. The district offers small classroom sizes with a modern, state-of-the-art high school. Distance learning and multimedia classes are available along with athletics, band and a variety of student clubs.

The area has two private schools, Camden Christian Academy and Victory Christian Academy, which offer parents choices concerning their children’s education.

Higher Education

Getting to and from Camden, conveniently located in the center of South Arkansas, is remarkably simple and efficient. The area is fortunate to have some of the best roads in the state, with U.S. Highway 79 linking Camden to destinations north and south, and Interstate 30 less than 40 miles away. Camden sits just 100 miles south of the state capital, Little Rock, and a few hours drive from Shreveport, Memphis, and Dallas. The Camden area is separated from the Louisiana state line by a mere 50 miles. Magnolia and El Dorado, the remaining two-thirds of our tri-county area, can be found within a 30-mile drive from Camden. Scenic Byway 7 runs north and south through Arkansas, with a view of murals in downtown Camden.

The Camden Municipal Airport provides a modern 6500 x 100 foot runway, full length taxi way and 24-hour fuel suitable for all general aviation, corporate aircraft and freight aircraft. Other surrounding airports include South Arkansas Regional Airport in El Dorado (32 miles from Camden), Grider Field Municipal Airport in Pine Bluff (73 miles from Camden), and Little Rock National Airport (98 miles from Camden).

Six motor freight companies serve the Camden area, along with the Union Pacific Railroad and East Camden Highland Short Line Railroad. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains the Ouachita River from Camden south through connecting tributaries to the Mississippi River for navigation, flood control and recreational purposes.