CALIE built a program. The graduates built something even bigger.

The inaugural cohort of CALIE Certified Educators crossed the finish line, and what they built along the way is worth paying attention to.

A celebratory moment at Spring CUE, powered by CALIE

This spring, the work of the first cohort of CALIE Certified Educators received recognition at the Spring CUE, powered by CALIE conference. On the first day of the event, the group was invited on stage where conference attendees and partners applauded their achievement – a wonderful, proud moment that honored months of learning, risk-taking, and leadership in the service of students. The graduates also hosted an informational session for conference attendees where they showcased capstone projects, shared what they learned, and answered questions from prospective participants. The session made clear that the problems they are solving are unique and impactful – practical, context-driven solutions emerging from real school and district challenges.

Working with this cohort, what stood out to me was how quickly participants moved from idea to classroom action. I watched educators iterate on solutions with humility and rigor, test approaches with colleagues and students, and return to the work with clearer evidence and stronger plans. Seeing those capstone projects presented publicly – and hearing the thoughtful questions from peers and prospective participants – made clear that this program doesn’t just develop skills; it cultivates sustained leadership and change-making capacity.

“There’s something different that happens when educators get the kind of professional learning they deserve. “

In a time when new problems are emerging rapidly and old ones are intensifying, waiting isn’t an option. With the right support, educators begin to recognize their voice, trust their expertise, and step into the leadership our schools need right now.

That’s the environment we set out to build with the CALIE Certified Educator program. Cohort 1 proved what happens when educators are trusted to lead and supported to act. This was more than a series of sessions – it was a shift in mindset. Participants began to see themselves differently: not as responders to change, but as leaders of it.

When learning is structured around school-based problems, people actually solve them.

The Certified Educator program is built around a core belief: the best people to lead change in education are educators. Every session, from designing transformative professional learning to balanced and sustainable leadership, is intentionally designed to help participants recognize their influence, strengthen their voice, and develop the courage to lead the change our schools need. The program is not just about improving teaching and learning – it is about empowering educators to see the impact they already have and step confidently into leadership on their campuses.

The cohort model works because it asks more of participants – and gives more in return.

That sense of shared accountability came through in every showcase presentation. Throughout the program, everything was grounded in the real contexts where these educators work. 

The Certified Educator program isn’t a self-paced certification you complete at midnight between other obligations. It asks participants to show up, engage with colleagues they may not have met otherwise, and invest in work that extends beyond the session itself.

That investment is returned in kind. Throughout the program, participants work alongside experienced education leaders and experts who provide guidance, challenge assumptions, and help strengthen the ideas participants are developing. This level of access is uncommon in traditional professional learning. Participants are not learning about leadership, they are learning alongside leaders. That proximity builds confidence and clarity, giving educators the support they need to move from planning change to leading it.

The work outlasts the program, and that was always the point.

The participants in Cohort 1 often reflected that the capstone and colleague showcase was powerful, but not the ultimate win, rather, the work they were bringing back to their schools and districts, and the ability to see it making a difference was the ultimate value in the program.

“This program provides the frameworks, expert insights, and peer support to move from addressing challenges with surface-level solutions to instead driving systemic change. No matter what role you play in education, you’ll have space to build sustainable solutions rooted in equity and built for lasting impact.”

– Lindsay Munoz, Certified Educator Cohort 1 graduate

Cohort 2 is forming now.

If you’ve been waiting for a professional learning experience that takes your leadership seriously, this is it. Cohort 2 begins August 2026 and space is limited.