Mandated state-level open government training programs

Although every state in the country has recognized the importance of government transparency by enacting open government provisions, few of those statutes require training programs to encourage records custodians to comply with the law. Ten states mandate training in how to legally respond to public records requests, and some mandates are stronger than others. Using the qualitative research methods of legal statutory analysis, interviews, and content analysis, this paper explores how those states comply with the training mandates. The paper evaluates trainers' pedagogical goals, their opinions of the process, and their perceptions of the people they train. It concludes with suggestions for how states can develop open government training programs.

► Qualitative methods were used to evaluate state-mandated FOI training programs.
► Results of interviews and content analysis explain trainers’ goals and perspectives about training.
► Most FOI training is based on a core instruction unit delivered in person to groups throughout the state.
► Research shows that there is a lack of use of electronic training resources.
► This research also shows that the trainers can be more proactive in eliminating adversarial stance during public records requests.