Idaho State University and The Wassmuth Center for Human Rights Partner to Provide Professional Development Courses to K-12 Educators Nationwide

Together, they will develop and offer a series of professional development courses tailored for K-12 educators in Idaho and nationwide. These courses will emphasize human rights, including Holocaust education, equipping educators with tools and resources to introduce and teach these critical topics in their classrooms.

“We have a mission to empower educators through continued learning,” Gabriel Rodriguez, Executive Director of The Albion Center said. “This partnership will allow The Wassmuth Center to train thousands of teachers on important human rights issues and offer guidance on effective teaching about the Holocaust.”

The Wassmuth Center for Human Rights is home to the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial and is focused on educating the public and next generation on important human rights issues. “There is growing consensus that education for and about human rights is essential and contributes to building free, just, and peaceful societies,” said Christina Bruce-Bennion, Executive Director of The Wassmuth Center. “Supporting educators in deepening their learning about these important topics is central to our mission and we are excited to partner with ISU on this project.”

Through this agreement, The Albion Center hopes to support the mission and vision of The Wassmuth Center which is “to inspire people of all ages to contemplate the moral implications of their actions and the scope of their civic responsibilities”. With the same mission in mind, House Concurrent Resolution 25, recently passed by the Idaho Legislature this year, encourages greater attention on Holocaust education in K-12 schools through professional development training for teachers. The Albion Center, which serves over 80% of Idaho teachers as of 2024, plans to fill this much-needed service. 

The Albion Center is currently offering a $200 financial credit for new registrants to use toward course offerings, including The Wassmuth Center courses. These courses are anticipated to be available in Fall 2024. As of June 2024, over 62,000 educators nationwide choose and trust The Albion Center for their professional development needs. The 100 percent online, self-paced courses are transcribed as graduate level, non-degree, semester credits and priced competitively at $55 per credit. 

To learn more about The Albion Center, please visit isu.edu/albion. To learn more about The Wassmuth Center for Human Rights, please visit wassmuthcenter.org.