Original Research by School Decision on Big Spring Daep
Big Spring DAEP is an alternative school serving grades five through twelve, operated by Big Spring ISD. The school is located at an airbase address on the outskirts of the city. Alternative schools like Big Spring DAEP typically serve students facing behavioral, academic, or disciplinary challenges, or students who thrive in a smaller, more individualized setting than a conventional campus.
Enrollment and operational data for Big Spring DAEP are not currently available in the records reviewed, which is not uncommon for alternative programs. The school operates within Big Spring ISD, which is the sole district serving Howard County's county seat and largest population center. State assessment results, proficiency metrics, graduation rates, and chronic absenteeism data were not available for this school, a gap that reflects the nature of alternative programs, which often serve students outside the tested grade bands or whose academic trajectories differ from the standard cohort measured in state reporting.
Big Spring is a county-seat community in West Texas, shaped by oil-and-gas and railroad heritage, with a downtown that still reflects its 1920s oil-boom architecture. The city sits at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 87 and Interstate 20 and is car-dependent with no public transit. Civic anchors include Big Spring State Park, Comanche Trail Park, the Howard County Library, and a historic downtown anchored by the restored Hotel Settles. The local economy is anchored by public-sector employers such as Howard College, a federal correctional institution, a Veterans Administration hospital, and the state hospital; a major oil refinery; and a growing logistics and distribution sector tied to the highway and rail access. Healthcare is the largest employment sector overall.
The broader county context shows flat to declining population trajectory. Big Spring's population has fallen substantially from its mid-twentieth-century peak, and Howard County's population was stable in recent estimates. The housing stock is relatively old, with limited new construction in recent decades, and median home values are well below the Texas average. The revitalized historic downtown provides the most pedestrian-oriented street life, but most daily errands and work are done by car.
A significant change for families considering Big Spring ISD: in May 2024, voters defeated a bond package that would have funded a brand-new high school to replace the aging existing facility. The bonds would have raised the property tax rate, and their defeat meant that tax increase did not take effect, but it also means the high school campus remains the older structure with no funded replacement plan. Families with high school students would attend the existing campus and should research the condition and long-term plans for the facility with the district directly.
For families drawn to Big Spring DAEP specifically, the alternative-school model is the defining characteristic. These programs are designed for students who need smaller class sizes, individualized attention, flexible pacing, or a setting outside conventional school culture. A parent may want to contact Big Spring ISD to learn about the specific enrollment process, course offerings, support services, and outcomes at the DAEP campus, as these details were not available in the records reviewed.
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