Elementary teachers are facing a dilemma. They are expected to uphold the Massachusetts (MA) state mandate and deliver Common Core State Standards (CCSS), use the programs their school has adopted aligned with CCSS and meet the various cognitive and behavioral needs of their students. Sometimes the teachers experience competing commitments between meeting standards, using programs, pacing, scripted curricula, and meeting the immediate needs of their students. How they navigate this dilemma when it occurs and where the classroom teacher’s knowledge become usable knowledge in the MA education system are the two foci of this study. Using Senge’s model of learning organizations and applying it to the MA education system will shed some light on how five elementary teachers use their professional knowledge and autonomy in their classrooms.