Administrative Assessment Technician
Designation, AAT
The Education Committee of the C.A.A.O., in 1996 established the designation
of Administrative Assessment Technician (A.A.T.) to encourage and recognize
educational accomplishment and to enhance professionalism among assessment
clerks and technicians.
A.A.T. Requirements
C.C.M.A. Class 1-A
C.C.M.A. Class 1-B
A.A.T. Module I or C.C.M.A. Class 2-A
A.A.T. Module II or C.C.M.A. Class 2-B
A.A.T. Module III or C.C.M.A. Class 3
Three (3) years of experience in an assessing office
Successful completion of a comprehensive examination
Continued membership in the C.A.A.O.
Each C.C.M.A. class is 30 hours. Each A.A.T. Module is 6 hours.
Since the Connecticut Association of Assessing Officers is the sponsor of
this designation, the title is exclusively reserved for C.A.A.O. members.
For qualifying former member of the C.A.A.O. the A.A.T. designation may be
requested if membership is reestablished.
The benefits of an A.A.T. designation.
- The educational requirements of the A.A.T. enable you to gain knowledge
and experience in the assessment field.
- Receiving the A.A.T. moves you ahead as a professional in the assessment
field.
- The A.A.T. verifies that you have demonstrated your abilities in the
complicated fields of Connecticut assessment law and general appraisal
principles.
- The A.A.T. can give you increased confidence and professional credibility.
- The A.A.T. enhances your professional credentials.
- You receive recognition for the specialized knowledge that you have
acquired.
Connecticut assessors have long been involved in educational
efforts designed to improve their professional expertise. The annual Assessor’s
School at the University of Connecticut, established in 1944 by CAAO, has the
distinction of being the oldest continuously run education program for
assessment professionals in the country.
A voluntary certification program for assessors was established
by CAAO in 1962. The Certified Connecticut Assessor (CCA) designation created by
the association was modeled on the Certified Assessment Evaluator (CAE)
designation then offered by the National Association of Assessing Officers.
In the mid- to late-1960’s, those who recognized the need for a
more formal process began to request legislation establishing a state sponsored
certification program. At that time, there were still a substantial number of
Connecticut towns that elected a three-member board of assessors. Faced with the
argument that certification would represent an intrusion into the electoral
process, these early legislative proposals were defeated.
With the advent of more complex laws and state-mandated
programs, the need for skilled assessors who could perform their jobs with
knowledge and integrity became more acute. The Meskill Commission's 1972 Report
on Tax Reform recommended the establishment of a state certification program for
assessors. This was the impetus for the 1974 legislation that created the
Certified Connecticut Municipal Assessor (CCMA) Committee.
In accordance with §12-40a, the Secretary of the Office of
Policy and Management (OPM) appoints the seven members of the Certified
Connecticut Municipal Assessor Committee (CCMA Committee). This committee is
charged with establishing programs and procedures for the training, examination,
certification and recertification of assessors and making recommendations to the
OPM Secretary concerning the certification of individuals.
The initial members of the CCMA Committee (Walter Birck, one of
the earliest proponents of a state-sponsored certification program, Richard
Prendergast, Robert Kemp, Joseph Cullen, John Killeen, and Edward Clifford)
approved the first formal guidelines regarding the training, examination and
certification of assessors. Based on the committee’s recommendations, the 35
assessors who then held the CCA designation received their Certified Connecticut
Municipal Assessor (CCMA) designations on October 23, 1974. By the end of that
year, an additional 61 assessing officers had received the CCMA designation.
Awareness of the proficiency assessors must possess has
increased since the first designations were awarded, as has the complexity of
the assessment function. The certification program continues to be voluntary,
however, a new State Statute makes it mandatory that the annual Grand List be
signed by a certified assessor and many towns have made receipt of a state designation a condition of
employment. And while the number of elected three-member boards of assessors has
declined, many board members have become certified. There are currently
approximately 350 persons who have received their designations and all but a
handful of towns have state certified assessors on staff. This is a clear
indication of the success of the certification process and the esteem with which
assessor designations are viewed.
There have been several revisions to the certification program
since its inception. Additional course requirements became part of the
certification criteria in 1987. Two years later, these criteria were formally
adopted as Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. Recertification
requirements were added in 1997, at which time the current two levels of
certification were established. During each of these revisions, there has been
one constant: the underlying principles of education and experience as a
prerequisite for certification have remained unchanged.
The two levels of state certification currently that currently
exist for assessors are CCMA I and CCMA II, with the difference between the two
hinging on their varying education and experience requirements. Comprehensive
examinations for both levels of certification are conducted annually.
Certifications are valid for a five-year period and persons wishing to maintain
their certifications must successfully complete 50 hours of approved courses or
workshops during that five-year period. The CCMA Committee determines which
courses and workshops can be used to fulfill this requirement.
CAAO issues the Administrative Assessment Technician (AAT)
designation to persons involved in the assessment field who either do not wish
to become state certified, or have yet to achieve the necessary education and
experience requirements. CAAO’s Education Committee develops the guidelines
for the AAT designation, which is issued following a person’s successful
completion of required courses and examinations. The designation remains valid
while a recipient is a CAAO member.
While not a state certification, the AAT designation evidences
the professionalism of those who have satisfied the prerequisites for its
achievement.
Given the accomplishments of the certification program and
Connecticut’s historical emphasis on the education of assessors, it can be
assumed that the state’s assessment officials will continue to meet future
challenges with the same enthusiasm and competency they have exhibited in the
past.
