Situated in the middle of the desert in between the Franklin Mountains and the Rio Grande, the city of El Paso has been able to keep the rustic western town appeal while maintaining its status as a major economic, financial and cultural center.
There are three main school districts within the city of El Paso; The Ysleta Independent School District, the Socorro Independent School District and the El Paso Independent School District. Overall, El Paso City contains 101 public elementary schools, 33 middle/junior high schools, 22 high schools, 8 specialty schools, 3 adult learning centers, and a couple of alternative schools. There is even an international language school, an academy of science and technology, an early childhood center, and an entrepreneur center. There are over 25 parochial schools and 50 private schools within the city. Among the private schools within this region are renowned for their academic quality and have been known as the nation's best. Two schools that have received the prestigious Blue Ribbon award are St. Clement's Episcopal Parish School and Loretto Academy. There are a couple of other private schools within the city which provide specialized academic, technical or mechanical education.
The two main educational centers within the region are El Paso and Juarez. They are recognized for their diversity within academics to ensure that their students are well-rounded individuals. The most prominent institutions in the region are New Mexico State University, the University of Texas at El Paso, the University of Phoenix and the El Paso Community College. In addition to these schools, there are several other excellent options like the University of Phoenix, the Howard Payne University, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso and Webster University.
The economy of El Paso is based mostly on worldwide trade, because of its close proximity to the border of Mexican. This trade supplies amongst the biggest sources of employment in the area. About half of the top twenty companies are government-related, like for instance the United States Department of Justice. Manufacturing is another essential trade for the economy of El Paso. The apparel and textile trade which El Paso City used to be renowned for is currently going through a downward spiral, although production of electronics, computers and rubber and plastic products continue to increase. Throughout the years, several Fortune 500 companies have worked out of El Paso City.