You can claim the Lifetime Learning Credit for any post-secondary classes you take; you don't have to be working towards a degree. Some limitations do exist though.
The LLC is not a deduction, but a credit of up to 20% of the first $10,000 of eligible costs. A credit is better because it reduces your tax. A deduction lowers your income, meaning you don’t get a dollar-for-dollar reduction with a deduction.
See What Is the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit?
It’s unlikely professional development classes taken through the school district are deductible because the district would not be an eligible educational education for the tax credit.
You can use the IRS interactive app, Am I Eligible to Claim an Education Credit?, to find out if you can claim an education credit.
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