The center's sponsors paid for curricula development and teacher training seminars, while local governments, which now controlled public schools after half a century of centrally imposed education policy, paid for some training and for the additional lessons in schools. Cooperation with the Mershon Center eased curricula development in the early stages, but the center's trainers and curricula developers are now more independent, sharing their innovations with teachers and local government representatives through regular workshops, seminars and meetings. The main thing that makes the whole initiative work is the fact that local governments believe in the need for civic education and are introducing it to their curricula. When They Want it, They'll Pay Local governments now pay for all of the center's teacher training, and even for some of its administrative costs. Strzemieczny says this is important not only for the center's financial well-being, but also because a local government is more likely to make a program work if it is paying for it itself.
Professional educators are also essential.
Most of the center's curricula developers and trainers have no special training. Aspiring trainers have to meet no explicit set of criteria or performance standards. The jump into Social Science and History curricula development is a big one. In the past, all such material was devised by the Ministry of Education. He adds that the center is always there to answer trainers' inquiries and provide guidance beyond the scheduled get-togethers.