> [Topics] included the state’s Open Meetings Act, Freedom of Information Act, ethics in government, budgeting, audits, and being responsive to the electorate.

-- https://tricitytimes-online.com/2023/01/25/going-old-school-to-serve/ [tricitytimes-online com]

Those topics seem like essential knowledge. Most of it is likely to be legal requirements. If you can go to jail for not knowing and following these requirements, going to a class to learn about them seems to be a good thing.

That said, anything that isn't based around legal requirements could probably be done multiple ways (or perhaps not done at all), and reformers would likely do things differently.

https://libranet.de/display/0b6b25a8-1863-dcc2-fe39-e63112062815