Am I Eligible?

Pathway to Certification

Step 1: Take and pass SFO Exam Part 1: Accounting
Step 2: Take and pass SFO Exam Part 2: School Business Management
Step 3: Adhere to the ASBO International Certification Code of Conduct

Certification Prerequisites

Step 1: There are no prerequisites to take the SFO Exam Part 1: Accounting.
Step 2: Meet one of the three options below.

Master’s degree in a field related to school business management plus two years of experience as a school business official with overall administrative responsibility for, or administrative experience in, the areas in the exam competencies.
Bachelor’s degree plus three years of experience as a school business official with overall administrative responsibility for, or administrative experience in, the areas in the exam competencies.
Professionals not meeting the educational requirements, but who believe they are seasoned practitioners can request eligibility through the seasoned practitioner application process.

Experience Requirements

Depending on education level, you must have at least 24 or 36 months of overall administrative responsibility at a K-12 or community college education system in each of these school business related areas:

Managing accounting systems
Managing accounting functions
Conducting financial planning and analysis
Conducting budgeting and reporting activities.

You must also have at least 24 or 36 months of administrative experience at a K-12 or community college education system, depending on education level, in at least three of the following school business related areas:

Risk management activities
School facilities
Information systems
Human resource functions
Ancillary services.

For more information about each of these areas of school business management, view the exam content outline. View the Candidate Handbook for more details about eligibility.

Don't meet the program criteria and you are a seasoned practitioner? Learn more about applying through the Seasoned Practitioner application process.