Education & Training

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SCAC strives to develop skillful and informed county leaders through advocacy, education, and collaboration. The Association offers a strong portfolio of educational programs with opportunities for orientation, certification, e-learning, and collaboration.

Institute of Government for County Officials

SCAC’s Institute of Government for County Officials (Institute of Government) provides the knowledge and skills that policymakers and executive staff need to address critical issues, meet the daily needs of their communities, and monitor the county’s performance.

Learn More About the Institute

E-Learning

 
Since 1996, SCAC has provided training to county officials and employees via distance education programs. Today, the Association hosts training via webcasts and webinars. Each training session is made available as streaming video through SCAC’s online library  or a loaned DVD. The webcasts and webinars are an invaluable tool for providing education at no cost to the counties.
 
Learn more about Webcasts and Webinars

Planning and Zoning Officials Training

All of the Association’s planning and zoning training programs are approved by the S.C. Planning Education Advisory Committee. The Association provides orientation training and continuing education that addresses current issues and changes in state law. One course fulfills the annual planning/zoning continuing education requirement. Local planning/zoning officials and employees may also earn continuing education credit for four courses offered by the Institute of Government.

Learn More About Planning and Zoning Training Programs

Training for Council Officers

 
In February, SCAC offers a workshop for council chairmen and vice chairmen in conjunction with the Institute of Government. The workshop provides information about the duties, powers, and responsibilities of both leadership positions.
 
Participants learn strategies for running effective meetings; the importance of rules of procedure; and how a bill becomes state law. The value of building effective working relationships with local delegation members, council members, other elected officials, and the county chief administrative officer is also addressed.

Orientation for Newly-Elected Council Members

 
The Association hosts an orientation program for newly-elected council members in even-numbered years. Designed to provide a thorough insight into their new roles and responsibilities, the event also highlights how Association programs and services will be a valuable resource for them. The training is provided free-of-charge, and participants earn six hours of Institute of Government credit toward Level I certification.
 

SCAC/NACo Partnership on Leadership Academies

Local Government Leadership Institute

The Local Government Leadership Institute (LGLI) is a skill-building educational experience for new and potential executive-level managers in South Carolina local governments. For more information , visit the SC City and County Management Association page.

NACo Civic Education Resources

The Marvelous Adventures of Countyland

A new, innovative children's book written and illustrated by NACo using new generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications. The objectives of the project are to:

  • Inspire the next generation of public servants to explore the roles of county government,
  • Showcase the capabilities of AI technologies, and
  • Stimulate policy discussions regarding the applications of AI across the spectrum of beneficial to detrimental effects.

Visit Counties 101 Resource Hub at NACo.org for more of NACo's portfolio of educational materials.

NACo and iCivic Grades 6-12 Education Resources

NACo, together with iCivics, has created a full curriculum to educate students, grades 6 through 12, about the important role and functions of county government. The curriculum — along with the online game, "Counties Work" — assists teachers with preparing lessons on county government.

NACo Report on Roles and Responsibilities of Counties

Counties are one of America’s oldest forms of government, governed by locally elected officials, including more than 19,000 county elected executives and board members and another 18,000 independently elected constitutional officers. Counties translate policy into action at the local level and are an integral part of the federal-state-local relationship.

NACo's report provides an overview of the county landscape and illustrates the essential role counties play in fostering safe, vibrant and healthy communities across the nation.

ICMA K-12 Civic Education Resources

The resources listed on the ICMA site will help elementary, middle and high school teachers of local government build a curriculum with lesson plans and activities for each of the elementary, middle and high school grade levels. To learn more, visit ICMA's site.