As the 2024–25 school year begins, educational service centers across Texas will continue to work to provide services to school districts.
ESC Region 10 serves more than 130 school districts, including Richardson, Frisco, McKinney, Celina and Prosper ISDs.
Rachel Frost is the Head of Communications for ESC Region 10. Frost recently answered questions from Impact on the community via email and explained the history and services of the Education Service Centers in Texas. She also provided insights into how the ESCs are funded.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What is an Education Service Center?
The Texas State Legislature established 20 regional educational service centers in 1967 to support schools and develop innovative solutions. Under state law, the ESCs focus on improving student achievement, helping school districts operate more efficiently and economically, and implementing statewide initiatives.
Where does the funding for an ESC come from?
ESCs do not have the authority to levy taxes or issue bonds and are funded through grants and service contracts with school districts.
How many school districts, charter and private schools, students, district employees and teachers are served by the region?
Region 10 proudly serves nearly 900,000 students and 115,000 school employees, 60,000 of whom are teachers in over 130 ISDs, charter and private schools in 10 North Texas counties.
How often does Region 10 offer opportunities for professional development?
Region 10 offers professional development opportunities 24/7 almost every day. When you visit any of our buildings, you will find rooms full of educators active and learning. We also offer professional development in school districts, online through virtual learning, as well as hybrid learning opportunities. Last year, we offered more than 7,000 professional development courses to more than 500,000 participants, totaling nearly 850,000 hours of professional development.
Have you noticed any trends in the needs of school districts over the past five years?
The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in March 2020, dramatically changed the needs of public schools to serve their students. Initially, Region 10 focused on supporting teachers and administrators as they transitioned to virtual environments. As we moved past the immediate crisis, we saw a trend toward integrating the lessons learned from virtual instruction into traditional instructional models. This hybrid approach has become increasingly prevalent in educator professional development.
Beyond the pandemic-related changes, we have identified several other important trends in school district needs:
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Classroom management and discipline: There is an increased demand for strategies to address behavioral problems, especially as students adjust to in-person learning environments again.
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Support for bilingual and non-English speaking students: Districts are looking for more resources and training to effectively serve their growing, diverse student populations.
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Teacher recruitment and retention: This has become a critical area of focus as districts seek innovative ways to attract and retain qualified teachers in an increasingly competitive job market.
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Budget management training for district leaders: We have identified a growing need for administrative staff to develop better financial skills to navigate complex financing scenarios and optimize resource allocation.
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School Safety and Security: Given ongoing concerns about school safety, districts are placing a high priority on comprehensive security measures and crisis response training.
These trends reflect the evolving challenges facing our school districts. Region 10 continues to adapt our supports and resources to meet these changing needs.
Learn more
For more information about ESC Region 10, visit www.region10.org.
