I thought it was getting better...

[RKBUmp]

Andy can add in more later because he is more involved, but in the Metro Phoenix, AZ area, the AIA rates officials on a scale of 1-4, 1 being a certified umpire, and 4 being a rookie. There is also a 5 designation, but that is for a transfer official who has not yet been reviewed by an observer. Once reviewed they are placed somewhere in the 1-4 rating.

AIA starts out the year for softball officials with a mandatory general meeting for all umpires. They basically go over any rules changes from previous years, general information on what they expect from the new season, have a few presentations, some awards and some raffles.

Then there is about a month worth of classes held at various points all around the metro area. Some of the classes are Mondays, others on Tuesdays, and some others on Wednesdays. Each week all locations cover the same topics, so if you cant make it to one of the classes on say Monday, you can catch the same class at another location on Tuesday. These classes are for the 1 and 2 rated umpires. The 3 and 4 umpires all have their classes at the main AIA offices and also do some on field work over a few nights. In addition to these classes, there is also a Saturday of clinics, usually 4, that cover various topics such as pitching infractions and the look back rule.

I dont remember all the requirements, but certified umpires are required to attend 3 of the weekly classes, 2 of the clinics and score 90% or higher on the test.