The Panhandle Educational Services Organization (PESO) was officially established in 1965 at Dwight Morrow Elementary School. It was the first educational service center created in the state of Texas. PESO was formed to help area school districts complete the Title 1 federal program application, based on the principle that working together was better than working independently.

PESO officially evolved into Region 16 Education Service Center, and a model for the 19 other centers being established across the state. Of the 20 centers, Region 16 represents one of the largest geographical regions. The center was founded through the collaborative efforts of leaders like Dr. Emmitt Smith (Vice President of West Texas State University), Mr. Huelyn Laycock (Dean of the College of Education at WTSU), and Dr. Kenneth Laycock, (Vice President of WTSU).

In an effort to serve its youngest learners, Region 16 launched its Head Start program in 1971, supported by the federal initiative.

The center began developing its own administrative software for schools.

• Amarillo ISD was the first district to use the software developed by Don Pearcy and Region 16 programmers.

• Caprock High School and Canyon Jr. High were the first pilot schools for student grade reporting.

• Region 16 data entry staff entered grades (key punch cards) and Region 16 print shop printed report cards for all Amarillo secondary students.

• The first personal computer was purchased with board approval for $5,000, with 10K of memory.

In 1981, the Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program was born from the advocacy of families and professionals on the steps of the Texas Legislature through Senate Bill 36. ECI quickly became a vital part of Region 16’s mission.

The major establishment of new Education Service Center programs in the 1980s was driven by the landmark House Bill 72 legislation in 1984, which significantly reformed public education in Texas. Region 16 dramatically increased its role in providing specialized staff development and training to teachers and administrators, which was critical for implementing the sweeping reforms and new curriculum standards mandated by HB 72. HB 72 established a greater emphasis on standardized testing and academic accountability, requiring the ESCs to expand their services in data collection, reporting (like PEIMS), and ensuring district compliance with new state rules. Region 16 submitted the first PEIMS data to TEA October 1987.

The center purchased its first IBM mainframe computer (IBM125 Model 30) and moved its computer services staff back onsite from the WTAMU campus, where they had been stationed in an effort to learn more about the
evolving technology.

Region 16 was honored to host visits from prominent state leaders, including former Governor Ann Richards and former President George W. Bush.

The annex building at the Cleveland Street location was constructed.

The Nelson Street Head Start Center was built and opened in October 1998.

A major milestone was reached with the official ribbon-cutting for the new building at 5800 Bell Street, a former Homeland Grocery store.

A science lab was added to the Bell Street facility through a remodeling project made possible by a grant.

Throughout the decade, Region 16 Education Service Center provided crucial benefits to Panhandle districts by enabling financial efficiency through shared business and grant services and ensuring regulatory compliance in critical areas like PEIMS and Special Education.

Furthermore, the ESC acted as the essential regional hub for professional development and administered large-scale specialized programs, including Head Start, directly supporting student readiness and local workforce stability.

Today, Region 16 continues its long- standing mission, serving over 2,000 migrant students each year and building on the Head Start program’s legacy of having served an estimated 60,000 students over its history.

Multiple statewide initiative were added, including the Texas Center for Student Supports, Escalate Leadership Coaching and Development, Strategic Integration Liaisons, HB3 Reading Academies, Strong Foundations, and the Texas Migratory Education Program.

Region 16 is defining the future of EdTech. In 2024, we launched our powerful Data Center and Network Operations Center (NOC) which provides a robust digital foundation.

In 2025, we became the first Education Service Center (ESC) in Texas to train on artificial intelligence (AI). By focusing on AI integration and infrastructure, we ensure that we are staying decisively ahead of the curve– equipping our community for tomorrow, today.