Recognition in Special District Governance

The Recognition in Special District Governance was designed to honor special district board members and trustees, and is comprised of two distinct parts: the completion of the Special District Leadership Academy and 10 hours of continuing education.

The Special District Leadership Academy is comprised of four courses: Governance Foundations, Setting Direction/Community Leadership, Board’s Role in Human Resources and Board’s Role in Finance and Fiscal Accountability. The four courses are unique from any other courses on special district governance in that they are curriculum that has been created by special districts and agreed upon as what governing officials of special districts should know. SDLF has endorsed the Academy as the core special district governance training in California.

Those seeking recognition would also need to submit 10 hours of continuing education received from any of the SDLF partners.

The recognition is designed so that the Academy covers the essentials of good governance and the electives cover service-specific knowledge.

In addition to recognitions given to individual directors, there are also district recognitions. Districts that have a majority of their governing board holding recognitions will receive a Silver Recognition, and districts with their entire board holding recognition will receive a Gold Recognition. District recognitions will be presented at a sponsoring association’s annual conference.