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County Government Academy

The County Government Academy is designed to educate, inform and engage citizens about the many services and programs Orange County Government provides its residents. It is open to all county residents aged 16 and older and meets on Tuesday nights in the winter/spring.

Sessions

Some sessions are held at the Durham County Technical College Hillsborough Campus. Some nights will feature tours of county facilities like the Orange County Animal Shelter and the 911 Communications Center.

About the Academy

Faculty from the School of Government at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill will teach classes on the roles of counties in the intergovernmental system. Orange County staff will discuss the services provided by departments such as:

Each series of classes will also include an interactive exercise on developing a county budget that puts participants in the roles of county commissioners. The class is limited to 25 participants, who will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. Prospective students must be at least 16 years of age.

View the spring 2019 schedule and curriculum

2019 Spring Class Full; apply now for waiting list

The 2019 class begins Tuesday, February 19. The class will meet on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Classes begin at 6 p.m. and last until 8 p.m. The 2019 class has reached capacity, but if you would like to sign up for the waiting list in case of any dropouts, fill out the sign-up form.