The County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas (CJCAT) is pleased to announce the renewal of a comprehensive educational program designed specifically for members of the commissioners court.
Commissioners Court Advanced Curriculum (CCAC), formerly known as Curriculum 2000, will debut in February at the 48th Annual County Judges and Commissioners Continuing Education Conference & Educational Exposition, sponsored by Texas Cooperative Extension’s V.G. Young Institute of County Government.
“This program strengthens the credibility of our elected officials, helping them garner respect as they seek out education that will help them excel in their official duties,” said Bell County Commissioner Richard Cortese, chair of the CJCAT Education Committee.
The Curriculum 2000 program was adopted by the CJCAT in 1992 to provide curriculum for a 64-hour course of study in county government offered in four phases. The new program, which will follow the same structure, merges the foundational information provided in the original program with updated material necessitated by legislative changes and the new and varied challenges faced by a rapidly growing state.
The development of Commissioners Court Advanced Curriculum is a combined effort of the CJCAT, V.G. Young Institute of County Government, and Texas Association of Counties (TAC).
“When the multiyear Curriculum 2000 program was established, it gave commissioners court members an opportunity to participate in a truly professional and in-depth county government education program,” said TAC Assistant Executive Director Karen Ann Norris. “The plans we’ve seen for CCAC call for taking new and updated material and incorporating adult learning concepts to turn many sessions into interactive learning experiences.”
Since the original program’s inception, 263 county judges and commissioners have earned their Curriculum 2000 Certificate of Completion. The first certificates were awarded in 1997 at the V.G. Young Institute of County Government annual conference. Since that time, certificates have been presented at the CJCAT Annual State Conference.
“This advanced educational program has given me valuable tools to help me perform my job as county commissioner to the best of my ability,” said Ector County Commissioner Freddie Gardner, who received his certificate in 2004. “The coursework provides specific information on topics that I deal with on a regular basis, such as grant seeking, working with the Legislature, ethical governing, and indigent health care. I advise all county officials to pursue this course of study.”
State law requires 30 hours of continuing education for judges during their first year of office, and 16 credit hours for each 12-month reporting period following the first year in office. Commissioners are required to take 16 hours for each 12-month period in office, as well. CCAC takes this mandated education a step further, providing a comprehensive 64-hour course of study as follows:
Phase I Orientation – 16 hours
Phase II Basics – 16 hours
Phase III and IV Electives – 32 hours
Phase I Orientation courses currently are offered at the LBJ School of Public Affairs Seminar for Newly Elected County Judges and Commissioners every January following an election year. Attendance at this seminar has traditionally been limited and restricted to new judges and commissioners. Since it was not feasible to require county judges and commissioners to retroactively attend the LBJ Orientation Seminar, county judges or commissioners who assumed office prior to Jan. 1, 1995, are permitted to substitute 16 hours of other approved instruction for the orientation course.
Phase II County Government Basics includes instruction concerning the duties and responsibilities of all county officers and departments. Phase III and IV include advanced instruction in the functions of county government. These courses are offered at the annual County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas regional and state conferences and the annual V.G. Young Institute of County Government Continuing Education Conference.
“This project would not have been possible were it not for the commitment to advanced education for commissioners court members by the County Judges and Commissioners Association, Texas Association of Counties, and Texas Cooperative Extension,” said Rick Avery, director of the V.G. Young Institute. “We are pleased to be offering the first updated curriculum of the new program during the V. G. Young Institute Conference.”
Credit for Commissioners Court Advanced Curriculum courses will only be awarded once to each official. Officials who currently are pursuing a certificate can apply courses already taken under Curriculum 2000 toward the new program, Avery said.
For more information, contact Bell County Commissioner Richard Cortese, chair of the CJCAT Education Committee.
By Julie Anderson
