Free Course Helps Every K-12 School Recognize Grooming

One-hour online training helps teachers and staff spot warning signs early and know exactly what to do next.

(MINNEAPOLIS, MN) – As states across the country move toward requiring grooming-prevention training for educators, Professional Learning Board® (PLB) is offering its new one-hour online course, Recognizing Grooming in Schools, at no cost to every K-12 public and private school in the United States.

Grooming rarely looks like danger. It looks like attention, trust, and favors. The self-paced course trains teachers and school staff to recognize the pattern early: how a person who grooms selects a vulnerable student, builds trust, creates secrecy, and tests boundaries, both in person and online.

“Educators are often the trusted adults who first notice when something isn’t right for a student,” said Ellen Paxton, Chief Learning Officer of Professional Learning Board and a two-time National Board Certified Teacher. “This course gives everyone in a school community shared language, a clear sense of what to watch for, and what to do next, so they can act with confidence and care.”

What the Course Covers

Participants learn to recognize the manipulation and boundary violations that signal grooming. They also explore the risks specific to online and digital communication, and see how grooming connects to sexual abuse and trafficking. The course also covers what educators are required to do under mandated reporting laws, including practical steps for reporting and documentation. Where applicable, teachers learn the grooming laws for educators in their own state. For a general overview of grooming in schools, visit professionallearningboard.com/what-is-grooming-in-schools.

Who It’s For and How It Works

The course is designed for everyone who works in a school: teachers, administrators, instructional aides, paraprofessionals, coaches, substitutes, and support staff. It is delivered 100% online, can be started immediately, and concludes with a short quiz and a certificate of completion.

Schools can sign up for the free course at professionallearningboard.com, while individual educators can access it at RenewaTeachingLicense.com.

About Professional Learning Board

Professional Learning Board®, a service of The Learning Factory®, LLC, has been a trusted provider of online professional development for K-12 educators since 2005. Recommended by teachers and schools across the country, PLB’s courses are approved and accepted for license renewal by state Departments of Education. PLB partners with regionally accredited universities and educational service agencies, and works directly with schools and districts to deliver training, seminar replacement courses, and graduate credit.