Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/498229
around professional development, which also became part of the bargain. "We knew what we wanted profes- sionally. Trying to be reasonable, we calculated how much it cost to get a unit of credit, time and money, and then built in a buffer for the unexpected." They settled for $600,000, which came to about $500 per member. H o l d e r s a y s t h e r e s u l t i n g CCSS Steering Committee and the PD Academy mark a complete shift in the district's thinking and vision. "It's more cooperative and teacher-centered. The teacher is the expert and primary mover. All other staff are to support the teacher so the students are successful." This is a culture shift from being reactive to proac- tive, he adds. The "waves of change mean teachers have to step out of their comfort zone and make their voices heard" on instructional and professional issues, he says. "Political changes opened doors. Are educators willing to walk through? In Madera, we said yes." That led to the PD Academy, which receives rave reviews from members like Paula Hill, who says, "The infusion of new ideas for applying instructional strategies utilizing Common Core standards has helped me to feel that I am using best prac- tices in my daily student instruction." Other members say they appreciated learning from peers, rather than outside consultants. Instructional Leadership Corps member Amanda Wade, also a strike coordinator back in 2013, coordinated the Academy. Madera ILC col- leagues Jacob Mortier and Linda Tolladay and ILC teachers Ben Avila and Laura Bolton, Central Unified Teachers Association in Fresno, were among the 24 classroom teacher presenters. School board members also participated in the Saturday sessions. "Board members are changing their perspective of MUTA and teachers," Holder says. "They see we're about improving teaching and giving every kid a quality education. That's a change from board members who didn't really like us two years ago during the bargaining." MUTA's advocacy and community engagement efforts are ongoing. "Did we win everything? No. Did we get close? Yes," says Holder. "We're on the right path as long as we're willing to stand our ground." Prop. 30 passing + Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) + Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) + CTA Strategic Plan + Common Core State Standards + Instructional Leadership Corps = Madera Professional Development Academy Linda Tolladay and Jacob Mortier, Madera Instructional Leadership Corps members, were also presenters. Teacher-led workshops were hands-on and collaborative. Amanda Wade Advocacy 35 V O L U M E 1 9 I S S U E 8