Getting a better return on the firm's CPE investment.

3

Robert J. Ranweiler, CPA, managing partner of Biebl, Ranweiler & Co., New Ulm, Minnesota, describes a three-step plan for getting more out of a firm's CPE investment. Because of the significant time and financial commitment required for continuing professional education, proper planning and evaluation of CPE sessions are critical. Our finn has improved its return on its CPE investment using a program that could be of value to other firms.

The plan involves:

* Formation of a professional development committee to evaluate and monitor CPE course selection.

* Creation of an evaluation form for CPE courses.

* Formalization of staff discussion of CPE courses.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

In our firm, the committee is composed of five members but could be made up of* one or two people in a smaller firm. Members could be both staff and partners, but our committee consists of staff people only because we want staff to know their input is valued.

The committee has the following objectives:

* Evaluate and monitor CPE course selection.

* Schedule in-house seminars and arrange for materials and instructors.

* Ensure timely and thorough completion of CPE records and seminar evaluations.

* Work with staff to develop and update career paths, particularly in terms of continuing education needed.

This committee's initial discussions raised a number of CPE policy issues. As a result, instead of making inconsistent education decisions on a case-by-case basis, we were forced at least to consider various questions, such as

* Should CPE be reserved only for staff required to complete it under law or American Institute of CPAs membership rules or should all technical staff meet AICPA CPE requirements, including noncertified staff and paraprofessionals? We decided the requirements should apply to all technical staff.

* How should additional CPE courses be approved during the year as special needs arise?

* Who should approve out-of-state CPE and what criteria should apply? We are still forming policy on this and the previous question.

* What limit should be placed on meals and lodging expenses for CPE courses attended? Our committee has set guidelines.

* How many people should attend the same course on the same date? We limit the number to two, except in special cases, such as a seminar on a new tax bill.

While these are just a few of the policy issues the committee encountered, the committee's role in CPE course selection has become quite clear. Using catalogs, brochures and other informational material as well as our own evaluations of sessions attended described later in this article), the committee coordinates CPE course selection shortly after April 15 of each year and picks appropriate courses for each technical staff person, taking into account his or her professional development and career as well as CPE budget constraints.

The committee also addresses special requests that come up during the year and whether the firm member would benefit from a course not in the original selection.

In past years, we often found that staff selected CPE courses based on a number of factors, including content, instructor, date and location. Courses are selected based primarily on the professional needs of the individual and the firm. EVALUATION FORMS We developed the form shown in the exhibit at right several years ago to serve two purposes:

1. It evaluates and summarizes important concepts learned.

2. It provides a basis for course selection in future years.

Although the form is designed primarily for group study courses, it can be used for video and audio courses. We find it useful to break down the rating system, asking for one overall rating as well as separate grades for subject matter and instructor. It also is very helpful to require course attendees to detail new concepts learned and note covered areas that would be important to other staff.

Completed forms go to our firm administrator, who uses them to track attendance. The form is then filed by course name and used by the professional development committee to decide if the course would be valuable to others.

STAFF COMMUNICATION

In addition to completing the course evaluation form, those who complete CPE sessions are required to spend 10 to 15 minutes at the next staff meeting summarizing the session for other firm members. They describe important concepts learned and answer questions.

This discussion is worthwhile even when courses don't rate well with the attendee because areas covered may be of interest to others. In addition, the attendee is more likely to retain knowledge from the course if he or she must take notes and summarize information for the staff meeting.

IMPROVING CPE RETURNS

These steps have been very helpful to our firm in planning and evaluating CPE sessions and in obtaining a much better return on the time and financial investment we make in CPE. Firms will benefit by adopting all three steps, but we have found the CPE course evaluation form to be of tremendous value, since it is crucial to the evaluation and selection processes. Firms that keep records of CPE courses taken and their ratings will be able to design more effective, cost-conscious programs. Ll