Welcome to the CivAssist Clerk Academy.
The Academy was created to provide practical training and reference materials for California local government professionals. Whether you're a first-time clerk, a seasoned administrator, a board secretary, or an elected official looking to better understand the meeting process, our goal is simple: provide clear, practical guidance you can put to use immediately.
The lessons are based on real-world experience—not theory. Each video, sample document, and training module is built around actual situations that occur in cities, counties, and special districts throughout California.
The Academy is built using the same CivSite platform utilized by public agencies to publish agendas, meeting packets, minutes, and other public information. As you explore the site, you'll experience the same intuitive layout and organizational tools that agencies use every day to keep their communities informed.
Current topics include:
* Brown Act compliance
* Agenda preparation
* Minute writing
* Closed session procedures
* Staff reports
* Resolutions
* Public Records Act basics
* Meeting management best practices
* CivAssist and CivSite tutorials
Most lessons are intentionally brief and focused on a single topic. Need to know how to write a closed session agenda description? Looking for guidance on preparing an agenda or documenting board action? Wondering what belongs in meeting minutes? Simply locate the lesson and get the answer.
The Academy will continue to grow as new videos, sample documents, forms, and reference materials are added. As California laws evolve, CivAssist expands, and new questions arise from agencies throughout the state, this resource will evolve with them.
Our mission is straightforward: help public agencies conduct better meetings, create better records, improve transparency, and serve their communities with confidence.
Everything you see on this website—from the agendas and documents to the videos and resources—is managed using CivSite, demonstrating how a modern local government website can be both informative and easy to maintain.