The public sector – government and its nonprofit partners – is rich enough with talent that it should rival the commercial world for innovations in business models, operational efficiencies and technology. But the absence of a profit motive requires different ways of inspiring great ideas and nurturing the best of them into social transformations that improve the world. Please join the Center for American Progress' Doing What Works project for a presentation and release of two practical new guides, produced in conjunction with the Young Foundation: Capital Ideas: How to Generate Innovation in the Public Sector and Scaling New Heights: How to Spot Small Successes in the Public Sector and Make Them Big.

As the Supreme Court nomination hearings for Solicitor General Elena Kagan get under way, please join us for an enlightening discussion with legal expert Dahlia Lithwick on the intellectual history of "the living Constitution" and its relationship to originalism and other contemporary Court debates. 

Please join us for a discussion on the development and future of the progressive blogosphere with two great practitioners, Amanda Terkel of Think Progress and Tim Fernholz of TAPPED.  We will discuss the relationship between the blogosphere and other media outlets and explore how progressive bloggers are seeking to shape public discourse through investigative journalism, opinion writing, and innovative reporting.

Soon the Senate will have an opportunity to ratify the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START, to continue mutual, verifiable nuclear weapons reductions in the U.S. and Russia. Although ratification has widespread bipartisan support among national security experts and military leaders, it is unclear what New START’s fate will be in today’s sharply polarized Senate. Please join us for remarks by former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle on the importance of New START to nuclear stability, global nonproliferation, and America’s international leadership. After his remarks, John Podesta will moderate a conversation on the politics and policy of New START between Sen. Daschle and nonproliferation expert Joseph Cirincione, president of the Ploughshares Fund.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, our Progressivism on Tap event this Wednesday has been canceled.  Many thanks to all who signed up and please look for our fall season starting in late October.

While Washington waits to see if the Senate can pass an energy and climate bill this summer, the world waits as well. A successful global response to the problem of climate change depends on whether the United States shows leadership on this critical issue. If the United States does not pass a climate bill that caps carbon pollution, spurs innovation on clean energy technology, and leverages private capital to assist developing countries to make the transition to a low carbon economy, then a solution to global warming will become more and more difficult. On the other hand, U.S. leadership on the reduction of carbon pollution will jump start a global race to create markets in clean energy technology that will benefit all.

This conference will feature engaging conversations among change leaders such as HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, Sen. Mark Warner, and D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee. We will also release major new public opinion research by Peter D. Hart Research Associates on reforms that might help restore public confidence in government. And we will draw on the knowledge of all conference participants—using an interactive problem-solving methodology called DeepDive—to develop solutions for three current problems in government.

Most states fail to hold teacher preparation programs accountable for producing effective teachers, and students pay the heaviest price. Few states require that teacher preparation programs report on teachers’ impact on student growth, or even their teaching skills. Moreover, states rarely take action to ensure that weak programs improve or are shut down.

This lack of state accountability would not matter so much if these programs were consistently producing excellent teachers. But they aren’t.

What might a state accountability system look like that holds teacher preparation programs accountable for producing effective teachers? Join us for a conversation that explores this question and others. We will be releasing a paper by Edward Crowe that outlines a potential accountability model for teacher preparation programs and will talk with a number of experts on teacher preparation and state policy.

At a time of consequential economic choices for the country, Secretary Geithner will outline a pro-growth strategy on tax and fiscal policy for the 21st century American economy. Following his remarks, the secretary will engage in conversation with a bipartisan audience.