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Overview
he Education Service Center (ESC) Region 12 provides professional
development and technical assistance for the purpose of improving
student performance for all students. The center is one of 20 centers located throughout the state of Texas. In 1967, the Texas Legislature authorized the State Board of Education to set up regional media centers as part of its commitment to provide quality training and support to educators and school districts.
ESC Region 12 was established and originally housed at Baylor University in Waco. By 1973, the demand for the center’s services and programs outgrew its small offices; and therefore, it moved to a larger site in downtown Waco. As the counties in the region continued to expand, so did the need for educational support. In March 1994, the center moved into a brand new facility located near IH 35, where it still resides today.
Region 12 continues to experience growth in size and the services it provides to educators, districts and charter schools. Still located in the heart of Central Texas, the center maintains its pledge to provide professional development and technical assistance for the purpose of improving student performance for all students.
The main office offers more than 7,000 square feet of meeting rooms with a maximum capacity of 700 people. The region encompasses 11,024 miles which includes Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Freestone, Hamilton, Hill, Lampasas, Limestone, Mills, McLennan and Navarro counties, and is comprised of:
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77 independent
school districts
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11 charter schools
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141,007 students
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more
than 19,000 educators, administrators and staff
The center in Waco provides built-in multimedia and audiovisual equipment, as well as two state-of-the-art computer training labs. ESC Region 12 currently employs 147 full and part-time staff members who directly serve districts and students.
In an effort to provide professional development training at convenient locations throughout Region 12, the center has five satellite sites. The Educator Preparation and Certification Program (EPCP) is offered at the ESC training facilities in Nolanville and Waco.
The center does not have tax levying or bonding authority, but receives revenue from three primary sources: federal, state and local. The center is governed by an eight-member board of directors, seven elected by members of local district boards of trustees and one from a charter school. The panel oversees the center’s budget and develops policies regarding management, operations, programs and services. In addition, it is empowered to employ and dismiss an executive director, subject to the approval of the State Commissioner of Education.
ESC Region 12 is committed to the continuous improvement model for enhancing programs and services as defined in the following four strategic priorities:
1) To assist school districts in improving student performance.
2) To assist school districts in increasing effectiveness and economy of operations in a safe and orderly environment.
3) To assist school districts in the implementation of statewide and regional initiatives.
4) To enhance quality communication as the key to positive climates and productive partnerships.
The internal structure of the center is organized around the following components: Accountability, Administrative and Business Services, Curriculum and Instructions Services, Educator Preparation and Certification, Executive Services, Financial Services, Human Resources and Certification Services, Information Services, School Improvement and School Support Services, Special Education Services and Technical Services. Dedicated staff members provide an array of programs and services to regional districts and charter schools.
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ESC Region 12 Programs and Services
Historical Overview of ESC Region 12
In 1967, ESC Region 12 began as an instructional
media center and was housed at Baylor University in Waco
until 1973. As the need for programs and services increased,
more space was needed and the ESC office moved to downtown
Waco in 1973. Nearly 20 years later, the Center built a
new facility and opened its doors in March of 1994, where
it currently resides.
Since 1965, twenty regional education service centers in
Texas have played an integral role in providing necessary
and essential services to school districts and charter schools.
As one of those twenty regional service centers, ESC Region
12 has carried out the mandates and initiatives set forth
by the Texas Legislature and the Commissioner of Education
in an effort to improve student performance among school
children in Central Texas.
These efforts have proven themselves critical in the overwhelmingly
positive improvement of Central Texas school districts and
school children over the past twenty years. In that cause,
Region 12 has focused expertise and resources on providing
educators in this area with professional development and
technical assistance as well as administrative and financial
services support.
In recent years, the ESC Region 12 has taken
the lead in preparing Texas teachers in the areas of reading
and math to meet the ever increasing demands of Texas Assessment
of Academic Skills (TAAS) and now the Texas Assessment
of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). One approach to addressing
the area of TAKS has been the establishment of the TAKS
Academies.
Additionally, ESC Region 12 has focused
sharply on assisting the Texas Education Agency in promoting
the financial health and viability of Texas school districts
during rapidly changing and more complicated financial
times. To address these issues, staff members have been
designated to work with districts specifically on financial
matters and with grants and grant writing.
Education Service Center Region 12 is a
service organization, not a regulatory arm of the Texas
Education Agency. Therefore, any district or campus may
choose to participate in services provided by the Center
on a voluntary basis.
Chronological History of Education Service
Center Region 12
And Regional Education Service Centers
1965 – Title III of
Elementary and Secondary Education Act passed by Congress
provided limited funding for instruction-related training
and services for teachers. Twenty media centers were established
by the Texas Legislature to provide Title III funded services.
1967 – ESC Region 12
is located in a building near Baylor University, and exists
primarily for media purposes under the leadership of Executive
Director Mack W. Mullins
1969 - ESC Region 12 offers
computer services.
1971 - Centers receive initial
basic state support for regional services to schools, regional
coordination
in planning, and for center administrative costs.
1973 – ESC Region 12
moves to a location in downtown Waco.
1977 - Management and Services
audits of centers began.
1984 – ESC Region 12
offers PEIMS training and School Board Training.
1986 - State Board of Education
adopts the State Plan for Regional Education Service Centers
defining the roles of the centers and their relationship
to the agency. Essential functions of the centers are defined.
1983 – ESC Region 12
employs new Executive Director Otto
Mills.
1988 - State Plan for Regional
Education Service Centers is reviewed and updated.
1989 – ESC Region 12
assists districts with accreditation, training and curriculum.
1990 - Price Waterhouse
study of agency recommends assigning “operational technical
assistance” to the centers. ESC Region 12 hires Dr.
Harry J. Beavers as Executive Director.
1992 – ESC Region 12
assumes from TEA the decentralized functions of certification
and child nutrition, and establishes a partnership with
TEA for communicating with districts/campuses and in identifying
systems to share “best practices.” TEA established
the following:
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Field Service Agents who serve as liaisons
among the ESC’s, districts and TEA (three are employed at ESC 12 - a total of sixty in all twenty ESC’s.The
Partnership Schools Initiative (PSI) was established,
and ESC Region 12 employs one staff member for the PSI
position.
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The Mentor Network was established by TEA,
and ESC Region 12 designates staff members to serve as
elementary, middle and high school mentor network coordinators.
1992 – The ESC plays
a vital role in providing Site Based Decision Making (SBDM)
training to campuses/districts and technical assistance
in developing campus/district plans.
1994 – ESC Region 12
moves to current location.
1995 – ESC Region 12
expands the decentralized functions from TEA, and increases
technical assistance in preparing districts for accreditation
monitoring visits.
1996 - Commissioner conducts
ESC 2000 study in preparation for sunset review of centers
by the 75th Texas Legislature.
1997 - 75th Texas Legislature
re-authorizes the ESC’s and clarifies the role of
the centers in improving student performance.
1998 – ESC Region 12
develops a system of evaluation by using the results of
the Client Satisfaction Survey. ESC Region 12 hires Dr.
Tom Norris to serve as Executive Director.
1999 - 76th Texas Legislature
authorizes the Student Success Initiative, better known
as the Texas Reading Initiative, which provided training
for all kindergarten, first and second grade teachers.
ESC Region 12 serves as the primary administrator and provider
of this training. The current facility is expanded to better
serve campuses/districts.
2000 – ESC Region 12
establishes satellite sites in Hillsboro, Corsicana, Copperas
Cove and Goldthwaite to provide additional opportunities
for participation in workshops and training events.
2001 - 77thTexas Legislature
expands the Texas Reading Initiative to the third and fourth
grades and authorizes the implementation of intensive training
for math teachers beginning with grades five through eight.
ESC Region 12 served as the primary administrator and
provider of this training. ESC Region 12 embraces the Continuous
Improvement Model for priority planning.
2002 - ESC Region 12 provides
extensive technical assistance to districts in financial
planning. ESC Region 12 serves as the primary administrator
for National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and
Marketing (DECA). Both positions were decentralized from
TEA
2003 - ESC Region 12 provides
grant writing technical assistance to districts and opens
an additional satellite site at Teague.
2006 - ESC Region 12 provides
printing services to schools. ESC Region 12 receives ISO
9001:2000 Certification by establishing, implementing and
maintaining a Quality Management System dedicated to providing
programs and services of the highest standards to satisfy
our customer needs.
The Avenue E. Satellite Center is closed and moved to a Killeen ISD campus in Nolanville. The new satellite opened September 1 and is called ESC 12 South Center. ECP soon closes its small Killeen office and provides all services out of Nolanville and Waco.
Construction on the expansion of Waco offices begins in November. See more about expansion>>>
2007 - ESC Region 12 completes ISO surveillance audit and is re-certified for ISO 9001:2000.
ESC Region 12 has flourished under the leadership
of four executive directors:
For in depth information about regional education
service centers, please visit: http://www.texasresc.net or http://www.tea.state.tx.us/ESC/support/78rd.pdf (PDF
file)
Last updated 6/11/2007
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