Central to success in this area in Ontario was the signing of a four-year collective bargaining agreement with the four major teachers' unions. In reaching the accord, the ministry was able to negotiate items that were consistent with both its educational strategy and the unions' interests, thus providing a basis for pushing forward the education agenda while creating a sustained period of labour peace that allowed for continued focus on educational improvement. That was facilitated because union agreements could be reached at the provincial level, which may be more challenging in the context of the United States, with the more decentralised nature of union-managemenl decision making. For example, the United Stales has directed new federal funding for teacher preparation towards more clinical programmes such as teacher "residency" programmes, in which teacher candidates learn to teach in schools under the guidance of experienced teachers while taking classes outside of leaching hours.