Original Research by School Decision on Andrews Education Center
Andrews Education Center serves the upper grades of Andrews ISD as an alternative high school, located in the county seat of Andrews in West Texas. This is a small school, with enrollment concentrated in grades ten through twelve, and it carries the dual identity of an alternative pathway for secondary students within a district that also runs a traditional high school.
The school's testing profile shows mixed performance across subjects. In English language arts, students meet grade-level standards at a solid rate. Social studies is particularly strong, with all tested students reaching the approaches level and a substantial majority reaching the meets level. Science shows a higher floor for basic proficiency but lower performance at higher achievement bands. Mathematics data for this school was suppressed by the state, likely due to small cohort sizes, so a full picture of quantitative skills cannot be drawn from the available record.
In practical terms, this means a parent would want to understand from the school directly how mathematics instruction is structured and supported, since state testing data does not illuminate that piece. The school's small enrollment and alternative designation suggest it may serve students navigating non-traditional pathways—those returning to finish high school, managing significant barriers, or seeking a learning environment different from a large comprehensive high school. The specific mission and student intake criteria of this alternative center would be worth clarifying with the school.
Economically, the school's student body reflects Andrews ISD's broader demographics. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is predominantly Hispanic with a smaller white population. The enrollment is tiny, and the grade distribution shows the largest cohort in grade eleven.
Andrews itself is the only incorporated city in Andrews County and functions as its hub. It is a car-dependent small town whose economy relies heavily on oil and gas; mining, quarrying, and extraction employ more people than any other sector, followed by education and retail. The area has seen modest county population growth, though the city proper has been relatively flat. Housing values are below state and national medians, and affordability sits at a reasonable ratio relative to national benchmarks. The community is described as tight-knit and family-oriented, with civic anchors including a county library, a network of parks and recreational facilities, and nearby commercial air service in Midland.
The alternative school sits within a district context about which little recent parent-facing change information is publicly available. A parent considering this school would benefit from a direct conversation with the center about its program design, entrance criteria, course scope, and how it prepares students for post-secondary transitions—particularly given the reliance on alternative pathways and the suppressed mathematics data that hints at very small sample sizes in that subject.
See more original research from School Decision →