The Manila School District is a rural district located in Mississippi County in the northeastern part of Arkansas. The district covers 142 square miles.  Within this area are the communities of Manila, West Ridge, Etowah, Lost Cane, and Milligan Ridge.  The school district has a population of about five thousand residents with the majority of those residing in Manila.  The city of Manila has a population of approximately 3270 and was the hometown of World War I sniper Herman Davis.  A park in Manila honors his memory today.   The Mississippi County region is referred to as the Mississippi Delta.  Boasting some of the richest farmland, Mississippi County is one of the largest row crop counties in Arkansas.  Many homes are surrounded with fields of cotton, soybeans, corn, wheat or rice, and a good portion of the district’s adult population is employed in farming or agriculturally related business. The county is also home to Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge.  This 11,038 acre refuge winters several species of waterfowl, over 225 bird species, bald eagles and other wildlife.  Hunting is a favorite pastime for many residents, and Big Lake serves as host to duck hunters each year.  In addition to farming, some of the industries surrounding Manila provide a large percentage of the area’s employment. The presence of Nucor Yamato Steel and Big River Steel makes northeast Arkansas one of the largest steel making regions in the nation.  Other industries within a forty mile radius include American Greeting Corporation, Nucor Yamato Steel, Denso, Tanaris, Kagome Creative Foods, Viskase, and Wal-Mart, as well as the broad based industrial plants in the Jonesboro industrial park.  Local businesses include Southworth Manufacturing, the largest elevator manufacturing plant in North America. Arvest Bank, Sourthern Bancorp, SouthBank, Farmer’s Bank,  Razorback Concrete, Wagner’s  Medical Clinic, Wagner’s Pharmacy, Delta Drug, Dollar General, Harold's Furniture, Towell & Sons’ Auto, Farmer’s Market Grocery and Deli, Sonic, Subway and other local restaurants and businesses. Our peaceful community is also home to a popular water park and athletic complex and just minutes away from additional restaurants, shopping and entertainment. 

Manila School District consists of two schools, Manila High School and Manila Elementary School.  The district serves a population of 1,100 students. Manila High School is a comprehensive high school inclusive of grades seven through twelve.  The curricular program of students includes the 38 courses required by the ADE, over one hundred additional course offerings, including STEM opportunities and vocational classes through Arkansas Northeast College, and digital courses through Virtual Arkansas. Manila High School offers advanced placement classes in Chemistry, Calculus, US History, English Language Composition and English Literature Composition, as well as concurrent college credit opportunities in English Composition and Literature.  The high school also offers a variety of extracurricular programs including FCCLA, FFA, FBLA, Beta, football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, golf, track, cross-country, trap,quiz bowl, choir, band, and other clubs and organizations.  Manila Middle School is comprised of grades five through eight. Manila Elementary School is a Pre-Kindergarten through sixth grade configured school.  The Preschool program is made up of four Pre-K classrooms and is grounded in a core curriculum that focuses on social and emotional development, physical and cognitive development, and communication skills. Grades kindergarten through four offer  a curriculum rich in literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies.  The foundation for the elementary reading program is based on the science of reading and intervention supports and enrichment are available for all students. Technology is fully utilized in classrooms and computer labs.  At the elementary level, the emphasis in mathematics is geared toward providing a solid framework for later learning acquisition of advanced thinking and problem solving skills.

 The district is under the governance of a seven member board elected at large.