ISO 9001:2000 applies to organizations involved in the design and development, manufacturing, installation, and servicing of products and programs. To be certified to the standard, companies must implement a comprehensive quality management system that addresses all areas of operation - from internal staff training practices to program design, delivery and service.

While it is unique for an education entity to complete the arduous process of becoming certified, the quality measures involved in ISO were easy to align to the center’s Continuous Quality Improvement System. ESC Region 12’s Quality Policy is to provide programs and services of the highest standards to satisfy customer needs including their expectations for quality and service.

External auditors with ABS Quality Evaluations of Houston, a leading international registrar, visited ESC Region 12 in May and spent several days conducting a comprehensive audit. Auditors examined all of the center’s quality systems, including product development processes, materials documentation practices, and measurement systems for tracking customer satisfaction and supplier performance.

ESC Region 12 successfully completed the audit, and received a Certificate of Conformance to ISO 9001:2000 standards in July of 2006. The ISO certification process ensures ongoing compliance because, once certified, companies are externally audited for three years before having to completely recertify.