REGION 7 ESC RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS ISO CERTIFICATION

KILGORE, TEXAS — Region 7 Education Service Center (ESC) has been awarded the ISO 9001:2000 certification, an internationally recognized quality management system standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
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 strenuous process of becoming certified, the quality measures involved in ISO were easy to align to the center’s Continuous Quality Improvement System.
Region 7 ESC’s Quality Policy states, “Region 7 Education Service Center is committed to ensuring success for all students by providing quality services to our schools through a continuous improvement process as supported by ISO 9001:2000 standards.
External auditors with ABS Quality Evaluations of Houston, a leading international classification society, visited Region 7 ESC 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.
Region 7 ESC successfully completed the audit, and received a Certificate of Conformance to ISO 9001:2000 standards in July. The ISO certification process ensures ongoing compliance because, once certified, companies are externally audited for three years before having to completely recertify.