Taking continuing education credits to check a box for retaining professional licensure and educating yourself about emerging and novel concepts in your field are two vastly different things. If anything, CE helps professionals update their knowledge base regarding existing processes and procedures.

Not US, but the seminars to fill in the hours in my country were closer to legal bribes and/or holidays in often exotic places. They usually were provided/funded by the medicine lobby.

Mandate vs interest.

Compare how seriously many SWEs take mandatory HR/compliance trainings vs hanging out on HN, taking online courses, arguing about code, trying new frameworks, coding in spare time, etc.

Neither teachers nor administrators take continuing education seriously, in my local experience.