Education Service Center Director Selected for National E. Robert Stephens Award

WACO, Texas – Education Service Center (ESC) Region 12 is pleased to announce that Jerry Maze, Ed.D., executive director, has been selected to receive the 2011 E. Robert Stephens Award for his research and writing connected with his dissertation study on Education Service Centers in Texas, “Superintendent Perceptions of their Professional Development in Leadership for Student Achievement at Texas Regional Education Service Centers.”

The E. Robert Stephens Award, given by the Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA), acknowledges contributions that advance the understanding of regional educational agencies through research, writing, and/or publications at the regional, state and national levels.

“We are proud of Jerry for receiving this award. He is truly a deserving education leader who is committed to providing quality support and services to Central Texas schools. He is an educator’s educator—and focuses on what is good for kids and schools,” Joe Pirtle, board president for ESC Region 12, said.

Maze’s dissertation examined the partnership between Texas superintendents and their regional education service centers (RESCs) in affecting student achievement. His research included a statewide study of nearly 300 superintendents that examined superintendent perceptions of the effectiveness of their professional development at ESCs that assisted them in leading for student achievement.

Maze focused the study on three leadership behaviors: establishing firm goals for student achievement, establishing board alignment with and support for district goals; and monitoring goals for achievement and instruction. Results from the study evidenced a high level of agreement among superintendents that their partnership with RESCs makes a difference related to their professional development for leading student achievement in Texas.

Maze’s study provides guidance for Texas ESCs in their continued efforts to create and refine relevant professional development opportunities for superintendents in their leading role of improving student achievement. He believes that ESCs must continuously create innovative and relevant solutions, which are responsive to superintendents’ needs, in order to remain an effective provider of leadership training for superintendents.

Before becoming executive director last May, Maze served 24 years in education, as superintendent, college professor, administrator, public relations consultant and teacher.

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About AESA
The Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA) is a professional organization serving educational service agencies (ESAs) in 45 states; there are 553 agencies nationwide with hundreds of thousands of staff members. AESA is in the position to reach well over 80% of the public school districts, over 83% of the private schools, over 80% certified teachers, and more than 80% non-certified school employees, and well over 80% public and private school students. Annual budgets for ESAs come to $14.7 billion. AESA’s membership is agency wide and includes all ESA employees and board members.

About ESC Region 12
One of 20 regional education service centers statewide, Education Service Center Region 12 (ESC Region 12) is dedicated to serving school districts, charter schools and area private/parochial schools in improving student performance. ESC Region 12 partners with school districts to deliver services and solutions to educators so they may help all children be successful. Based in Waco, with satellite offices in Corsicana, Hamilton, Nolanville and Teague, ESC Region 12’s service area includes Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Freestone, Hamilton, Hill, Lampasas, Limestone, McLennan, Mills and Navarro Counties.