1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

The process for approving groups to provide continuing education credits for Washington teachers lacks proper oversight and vetting. Groups like Moms for Liberty, labeled an extremist organization by the Southern Poverty Law Center due to its opposition to teaching about race and gender in schools, have been able to get on the approved provider list with little scrutiny of their curricula or agenda. This undermines the state's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in education. Thankfully, recent legislation will enable the Professional Educator Standards Board to establish standards for clock hour providers and revoke approval for those not complying with equity standards. A robust review process must be implemented to ensure teacher training aligns with best practices and does not promote discriminatory ideologies. Educators deserve high-quality professional development that prepares them to support all students. Allowing unvetted groups could introduce harmful biases into classrooms. Prioritizing an accreditation system for clock hour providers will uphold teaching as the respected profession it should be.