Program Curriculum
A curriculum of study has been developed for each of the specialty areas and will be delivered through SDAO training programs (annual conference, stand-alone regional seminars, on-site trainings facilitated by SDAO staff, webinars, and online courses) and in coordination with affiliate organization offerings. Courses must be specifically identified as SDAO Academy credit eligible to apply. Training courses or conference sessions will include credit information to indicate eligibility.
Participants can choose their education pathway. Each program module offers various subjects, with some required topics. To receive full credit for a module, participants must complete six topics. Four of these must be done in person, which can be achieved by attending the SDAO Annual Conference, SDAO regional training, or an approved affiliate training. The remaining two topics can be completed either in person or online.
Participants will complete 18 topics across three modules and two elective courses, totaling 20. However, this doesn't mean one topic equals one training session. Trainings can cover multiple subjects, but each topic should be at least one hour long.
District Management - 6 Topics
Only one course per topic will receive credit. Four of the six trainings MUST be completed in-person. If a training was scheduled to be in person and later pivoted to virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those trainings count as in-person credit. We will not accept webinars originally scheduled as webinars as in-person credit.
• Board Relations
• Contract Management
• Elections
• Ethics
• Financial Management
• Insurance Coverages
• Intergovernmental Affairs/Agreements
• Public Meetings*
• Public Records*
• Public Relations
• Strategic Planning
• Succession Planning
Human Resources/Personnel Management - 6 Topics
Only one course per topic will receive credit. Four of the six trainings MUST be completed in-person. If a training was scheduled to be in person and later pivoted to virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those trainings count as in-person credit. We will not accept webinars originally scheduled as webinars as in-person credit.
• ADA
• Discipline / Discharge
• Drug & Alcohol Reasonable Suspicion
• Discrimination
• Harassment
• Hiring Practices*
• HR Audit / Compliance Audit
• Internal Investigations
• Managing Employee Leave
• Performance Management / Documentation*
• Social Media
• Wage & Hour Compliance
• Workplace Equity/Cultural Diversity
Risk Management/Operations - 6 Topics
Only one course per topic will receive credit. Four of the six trainings MUST be completed in-person. If a training was scheduled to be in person and later pivoted to virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those trainings count as in-person credit. We will not accept webinars originally scheduled as webinars as in-person credit.
• Accident Investigation / Reporting*
• Bloodborne Pathogens*
• Confined Space*
• Cybersecurity / Cyber Risks
• Driver Training
• Electrical Safety*
• Emergency Response Planning
• Ergonomics
• Facility Maintenance / Property Inspections
• Fall Protection*
• First Aid & CPR (Can be completed outside of SDAO offerings)
• General Risk Management
• Hazard Communications*
• Injury / Illness Prevention Program
• Lockout / Tagout*
• Respiratory Protection*
• Risk Management and Supervision
• Risk Management Culture
• Safety Committees*
• Safety OR-OSHA Inspections*
• Trenching & Excavation Practices*
• Wellness
*These courses can also be completed through OR-OSHA.
Electives - 2 Topics
Participants may choose electives based on individual interests and/or job requirements. Elective requirements can be fulfilled online or in person and by SDAO or any outside source.
To receive credit for non-SDAO elective courses, the following information must be included when a course is being submitted for approval:
1. Proof of attendance
2. Course title
3. Name of the organization that hosted the course
4. Course date
5. Short description of the course
Please submit the above information to Rebecca Carroll for approval.