Riverside Vocational Technical school was created by Act 288 of 1985 as passed by the 75th General Assembly of the State of Arkansas. The School was created to provide vocational technical educational opportunities to qualified persons incarcerated in the Arkansas Department of Correction. We are an agency of the State of Arkansas.

The main campus and administrative offices are located south of Grady, Arkansas on the property of the Varner unit of the Arkansas Department of Correction. The Varner building contains approximately 55,000 square feet and houses 12 programs and 17 staff members.

The satellite locations are located on the correctional facilities at Tucker and Newport. The Tucker building contains approximately 26,500 square feet, six programs and eight staff members. The Newport facility is housed within the Unit building and includes a separate greenhouse of approximately 900 square feet. The Newport facility has six programs with eight staff members.

Vocational classes existed in the Arkansas Department of Correction prior to the creation of Riverside Vocational Technical School. In August 1970,Vo-tech courses were started at the Cummins and Tucker Units of the Arkansas Department of Correction. These classes functioned under varying conditions and were funded through federal sources.

Classes began at the Women's Unit in 1982 and continue today at the McPherson Unit of the Arkansas Department of Correction.

Until 1985, the Vo-tech courses were managed by several different entities including Pines Vocational Technical School, Department of Vocational Technical Education, M.D.T.A., C.E.T.A., J.P.T.A., and the Employment Security Division. Riverside Vocational Technical School is currently regulated by the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education.