Virginia Court Clerks' Association

Serving Virginia's Circuit Court Clerks since 1910

Your Association, through the Career Development Committee is working hard to bring the Career Development program to life with full accreditation and funding.  Click on the reference links below to view Career Development documents.

 In 2014, the VCCA

·         Requested and received approval from the Compensation Board for critical changes in the original 2005 versions of the Minimum Criteria requirements for Career Development plans for Clerks and Deputy Clerks.

·         Ended the 1990s-era Professional Certification Program for Clerks and Deputy Clerks, administered by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.

·         Entered into an agreement with the National Center for State Courts to train Clerks to serve as teaching faculty for the “Certified Court Manager” curriculum.

·         Adopted a new Career Development Plan that meets all Compensation Board requirements for career development, making program participants eligible for an annual 9.3% pay increase.

·         The General Assembly has yet to fund career development pay increases. However, many clerks’ offices receive local government salary supplementation for career/professional development achievement.

Reference Links:

2014 VCCA Career Development Program document.

Forms to Enroll, etc. in VCCA Career Development Program.

 Amended Compensation Board Minimum Criteria for Career Development
Plans for Clerks and Deputy Clerks of the Circuit Court.

Career Development presentation at the 2014 VCCA Annual Convention & Supporting Handouts.

Career Development/Career Development Basics.pdf 

Career Development/Overview of the Parties Involved in Career Development Program.pdf 

Career Development/2015 Faculty Development and Program Goals.pdf

HOW THE VCCA CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM WORKS.

The VCCA is the Career Development Program sponsor. Enrollment in the Program is voluntary, at the sole discretion of the Clerk of each Office.

The benefits of a group plan relieves individual clerks from the burden of establishing an individual career development plan, satisfies  the administrative requirements of Career Development Programs required by the Compensation Board, and  provides a professional designation to participants who meet Program requirements.

The “Master Circuit Court Clerk” and “Master Deputy Circuit Court Clerk” credential is awarded by the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service and the University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. The clerk and deputy clerk earns this professional designation upon meeting all criteria of the Compensation Board’s Career Development Program, and all requirements of the VCCA Career Development Program.

The VCCA Career Development is administered by the Certification Review Committee, a standing committee of the VCCA consisting of at least three members appointed by the President of the Association. This Committee has the responsibility of approving applications for Program certification and re-certification, assuring that timely and accurate records are provided to the Compensation Board, and determining contact hour credit for accredited coursework.

The Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service performs the contractual services of maintaining a secure web portal for Program participants to view their respective education transcripts, posting timely and accurate participant information, sending transcripts of Program participants to the Compensation Board, and producing the professional certificate credentials for Program participants who qualify as either “Master Circuit Court Clerk” or “Master Deputy Circuit Court Clerk”.

All records of the Career Development Program shall be kept at the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia.  The Center shall also be the official record keeper, responsible for maintaining accurate, updated records for use by the membership of the Association.  The records will remain the property of the Association.

Weldon Cooper will serve as the contact agent for the VCCA Career Development Program. All matters of enrollment and certification in the Program, and any correspondence dealing with the Program should be directed to the designated Center staff member. The Clerk is requested to report any unresolved problems with Weldon Cooper contact agents to the Certification Review Committee. 

HOW DOES THE COMPENSATION BOARD FIT INTO THE PURSUIT OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATION WITH THE OTHER PROGRAMS?

In 2005, the Compensation Board has established the minimum criteria for career development programs for Clerks and Deputy Clerks. The criteria were amended in 2014, in keeping with program authorizing language and consistency with other constitutional officer and deputy career development programs.

The “difference” between Compensation Board Career Development certification and VCCA Career Development Program certification is based upon intent and purpose.

Compensation Board certification entitles the career development participant to the possibility of an annual salary increase of 9.3%, depending upon annual General Assembly appropriation for that purpose.

VCCA Career Development Program certification entitles the program participant to acquire the professional credential of either “Master Circuit Court Clerk” or “Master Deputy Circuit Court Clerk”.

Both Compensation Board and VCCA programs require the Clerk to achieve and maintain the “Certified Court Manager” designation from the National Center for State Courts.

A Clerk who desires to request a salary increase from the Compensation Board must meet all minimum criteria standards, certify achievement of all requirements, and request a salary increase in the Annual Budget Request through COIN.

HOW TO FIND APPROVED COURSEWORK TO EARN EDUCATION CREDITS.

For initial certification in career development, the Clerk must achieve and maintain the “Certified Court Manager” designation from the National Center for State Courts. After initial certification, the Clerk must complete a minimum number of educational contact hours from the annual Accredited Coursework List approved by the Compensation Board.

For initial and continuing certification, the Deputy Clerk must complete a minimum number of educational contact hours from the annual Accredited Coursework List approved by the Compensation Board.

A copy of the Accredited Coursework List for the current calendar year is available here.  

Notices will be published on this website announcing training courses being offered and the number of educational contact hour credit approved for each course.

Home   Duties   Events   Officers   Executive Committee   Standing Committees   Special Committees   Links   News Releases   Associates   Members