ESC Region 12 Executive Director to be Honored by Texas Legislature for 35 Years of Service
Norris to receive special recognition April 4 on House Floor

Texas House of Representatives Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts will recognize Education Service Center (ESC) Region 12 Executive Director Tom Norris, Ed.D., for his long-time dedication to public education in Texas at 1 p.m., April 4 on the House Floor. Norris will retire in June after 13 years at the center and 35 years serving in education.

Pictured from left: Jerry Maze, Leslie Bennett, Rep. Jim Pitts, Ruth Ann Norris, Tom Norris and House Speaker Joe Straus

Norris joined ESC Region 12 as executive director in 1998, after serving as interim superintendent and superintendent of Round Rock ISD for 5 years.

At the center, Norris helped lead efforts to serve Region 12’s 77 school districts and 13 charter schools, in 12 counties, reaching 155,000 students and 25,000 educators.

After earning a bachelor’s degree from Columbia College, Norris pursued his master’s and doctorate degrees in educational administration at Baylor University.

Norris has also served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, director of secondary curriculum and instruction, assistant superintendent, and interim superintendent, working in Midway, Temple, Milford, La

Marque and Round Rock school districts, before joining the staff at ESC Region 12.In his time as a school administrator and superintendent, Norris impacted the education of more than 30,000 students in the state.

According to the resolution by Pitts to honor Norris, filed on March 4, “This esteemed Texan [Norris] has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in all of his professional endeavors, and his hard work and dedication have significantly benefited many school children across the Lone Star State.”

ESC Region 12 provides more than 1,800 training sessions per year to participating educators, parents and students.

“Under Dr. Norris’ leadership, the center has increased services to customers and trained more than 48,000 participants in 2009-2010 alone,” Pitts wrote in his resolution

The Texas House of Representatives is not the only state entity to recognize Norris’ achievements in his work at the center and in Texas public education as a whole. Commissioner of Education Robert Scott, Ed.D., said he is thankful for Norris’ service.

“Dr. Norris was an extremely successful superintendent who went on to become one of our most effective voices for public schools and education service centers,” Scott said.

In his time at the center, Norris led ESC Region 12 in the development and implementation of a nationally endorsed business model built on the Total Quality Management framework. As a result, ESC Region 12 has attained the internationally recognized ISO 9001:2008 certification from 2006 to present. His educational influence has extended beyond his work as a teacher, administrator and ESC Region 12 executive director. Norris also received a Texas Senate Commendation in 2008 for leadership services to ESC Region 12.

“Dr. Norris has shared his expertise as chair and legislative chair of the Commissioner’s Cabinet for Regional Services, as a board member of the Greater Waco Community Education Alliance and Academic Decathlon, and as a member of the Texas and American Associations of School Administrators, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and Phi Delta Kappa; his efforts have earned him a number of honors through the years, including the title of Administrator of the Year from the Texas Association of Journalism Educators,” Pitts wrote in his resolution.

Jerry Maze, Ed.D., Associate Executive Director for Administrative Leadership and Business Services, has been approved by Scott to be named Executive Director for ESC Region 12. The ESC Region 12 Board of Directors will meet to officially confirm the position and finalize details.

Once retired from the center, Norris will remain connected to the field of education, and has accepted the position of executive director of the newly formed MoveLearningForward Foundation created by Compass Learning in Austin. He will continue to reside in McGregor with wife Ruth Ann, and serve as a deacon at First Baptist Church in Woodway. Norris has two sons, Brad and Blake.

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