OK Certification Program for County Officers

Success Story

Public recognition and certificates awarded by the State Auditor have proved to be a winning educational motivation for county elected officials and their staff. County government personnel have become motivated to take a set of six to seven, one to four day, courses, directly related to their on-going duties and responsibilities in order to receive "basic certification." They have the option to take another set of courses in order to achieve "advanced certification." Last year over fifty courses were offered, some multiple times, for a total of eighty-two session opportunities.

A voluntary certification program for county treasurers in 1991 quickly expanded to include county commissioners, county clerks, sheriffs, and court clerks. The programs are managed and conducted by a partnership effort of Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service and OSU's Center for Local Government Technology. Administration is by the Commission on County Government Personnel Education and Training whose statutory duty is to improve the professionalism and efficiency of county government in Oklahoma.

This program is unique in two regards. First, few states in the nation have a similar program. Secondly, the voluntary certification program has proved to be very popular with county officers and their staff - popular enough that they have become active participants in planning it and supporting the program. To date hundreds of county officers and personnel have successfully completed basic and/or advanced levels of certification. As laws and regulations change, courses and handbooks are revised and new courses created. As needs are met, the certification program expands.