Doing What Works

White House Budget Drives Pay for Success and Social Impact Bonds Forward Article

Gov. Pat Quinn (D-Il) speaks to reporters in his office at the Illinois State Capitol. In the fiscal year 2014 budget, Gov. Quinn outlined plans for Illinois to become the second state to launch a Social Impact Bond program. (AP/ Seth Perlman)

White House Budget Drives Pay for Success and Social Impact Bonds Forward

New proposals in the Obama administration’s budget will help promote an innovative method to changing the way government does business and will provide a new approach to financing social programs.

Apr 23, 2013

Sonal Shah, Kristina Costa

A New Approach to Budgeting Article

Office of Management and Budget Director Jeff Zients briefs reporters at the White House in Washington regarding the budget. (AP/Charles Dharapak)

A New Approach to Budgeting

Jitinder Kohli weighs in on the potential of a recent Office of Management and Budget memorandum to spur agencies to focus on evidence and research in budgeting decisions.

Jun 26, 2012

Jitinder Kohli

The American Community Survey Is Under Attack Article

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) was a prominent supporter of the GOP-led House of Representatives short-sighted vote to eliminate the American Community Survey. (AP/ Charlie Neibergall)

The American Community Survey Is Under Attack

The short-sighted vote in the House of Representatives to eliminate the American Community Survey is an antibusiness vote against informed government, writes Kristina Costa.

May 15, 2012

Kristina Costa

Improving Customer Service at the Federal Government Article

The Government Customer Service Improvement Act would require agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration to solicit and publish customer feedback as part of an effort to push the federal government toward a more customer-friendly orientation. (AP/ David Goldman)

Improving Customer Service at the Federal Government

Gadi Dechter examines the Government Customer Service Improvement Act to highlight its strengths and suggest further steps to boost confidence in our government.

May 9, 2012

Gadi Dechter

Slow Progress Toward a Representative Federal Workforce Article

Lilly Ledbetter is applauded by Vice President Joe Biden and Senior White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett at an event on solutions for families balancing the dual demands of work and caring for family in July 2010. Women have made positive strides in the federal workforce, but much still needs to be done to diversify government employment opportunities.
<br /> (AP/Charles Dharapak)

Slow Progress Toward a Representative Federal Workforce

James Hairston and Vanessa Cárdenas argue that the federal government must do more to increase the number of people of color, particularly Hispanics, throughout its workforce.

Mar 26, 2012

James Hairston, Vanessa Cárdenas

Putting Big Oil Subsidies to Work Article

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), center, accompanied by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), right, and Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), gestures during a news conference to discuss President Barack Obama's decision to halt the Keystone XL pipeline. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)

Putting Big Oil Subsidies to Work

Donna Cooper, Richard Caperton, Kate Gordon, and Daniel J. Weiss detail a plan to redirect billions of dollars in giveaways to Big Oil toward building infrastructure to put Americans back on the job.

Feb 21, 2012

Donna Cooper, Richard W. Caperton, Kate Gordon, 1 More Daniel J. Weiss

Washington State Shows What Works Article

The Legislative Building at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia. The Washington State Institute for Public Policy, which was created by the state legislature in 1983, provides a proven model for data-driven legislative decision-making. (AP/ Ted S. Warren)

Washington State Shows What Works

Kristina Costa explores the state’s telling investment in an institute that judges the effectiveness of programs for beneficiaries and taxpayers.

Feb 10, 2012

Kristina Costa

Finding ‘What Works’ in Education Article

Education Secretary Arne Duncan speaks in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington. There are several

Finding ‘What Works’ in Education

Kristina Costa explores “what works” platforms in education, pointing out their current limitations and also their importance in times of tight budgets.

Feb 9, 2012

Kristina Costa

Doing What Doesn’t Work Article

Research shows that Scared Straight programs, which bring at-risk teens to prisons in an effort to deter them from potential criminal behavior, have no positive effect and can actually lead to a greater likelihood of offending actions. (AP/ Ted S. Warren)

Doing What Doesn’t Work

Jitinder Kohli outlines the importance of government agencies focusing resources on programs that work, not ones like this criminal-justice program run amok.

Feb 8, 2012

Jitinder Kohli

The State of Our Tax Code Is Weak Article