Education Service Center, Region 20 had its start in 1966 as the Inter-American Educational Center (IAEC), established as an innovative educational and cultural organization through Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Its principal objectives were to establish a School of Tomorrow and an Inter-American Institute on the HemisFair site following the end of the fair.

Changes in direction and thinking in the late 1960s brought about the establishment of twenty regional service centers throughout Texas. As many of the educational and cultural objectives on which education service centers were to focus were similar to those of the existing organization, IAEC became the regional service center for the south central region of the state. Basic to the center concept was its working in the development and implementation of comprehensive, exemplary programs for education which would address themselves to the needs of the public schools and would provide the best possible education for all school children in the region. Thus, IAEC became Region 20.

Under girding the provision of services and guiding staff in delivery are certain principles of public service: trustworthiness, responsibility, respect, caring, citizenship, fairness, and service orientation.