The importance of the research is closely connected with reforms in the system of education and reorganization of the municipal management system in Russia. The paper considers the issue of effective certification processes applied to municipal officers. It reveals regulatory features of certification of municipal officers, defines the concept of “state funded educational institution” and the sources for financing of state funded educational institution. The authors analyze a number of scientific works relative to the issues of administrative law, some aspects of assessment and certification of employees of various enterprises and organizations. The paper describes the results of theoretical analysis of the practice of holding certification of municipal officers, analyzes provisions of laws and regulations that govern the assessment of employees’ activity while switching to professional standards. The authors scrutinize the content of the sample regulation for certification of pedagogical staff and executives of the government and municipal educational institutions and organizations of the Russian Federation. It was found out that the main purpose of certification is to stimulate interest in improvement of skills, performance of teaching and administrative work, as well as development of creative initiatives to ensure social and legal protection of employees. It states the need to change the certification procedure by forming the criteria corresponding to acting laws and regulations, and application of a wider range of assessment techniques. The authors discuss the requirements of the professional standard of a “Teacher”, which characterize the job functions of teachers, especially teachers of preschool and primary education. The paper studies the structure of an effective contract as a tool for improving the qualification of employees of municipal educational institutions, and shows possible directions to improve the effectiveness of certification systems for employees of municipal institutions, in particular, in the field of education, in modern situation of their switch to professional standards.