Policy
This coverage will look at how public leaders establish new policies in a range of crucial areas of government – health, education, public safety, for example – and how these policies impact people’s lives through better services, effective regulations and new programs. This will include stories examining how state and local government approaches policymaking around emerging areas, including artificial intelligence.
Homeschooling first boomed nationwide in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the trend has had staying power. The number of homeschool students in Minnesota has jumped about 18% since the 2022-23 school year.
More than 1.1 million college students from other countries inject billions of dollars into local economies and support hundreds of thousands of jobs. Losing them over fears of federal immigration policies would be a blow for cities and towns across the country.
Several governors and legislatures are looking to ban SNAP recipients from using their food stamps to pay for candy and soda.
The federal Department of Education maintains an open access database of more than 2 million documents dating back to the 1960s. It will cease operating Wednesday due to DOGE cuts.
The Texas House has approved a $1 billion school voucher program. It’s the latest victory for a school choice movement that’s been on a roll in state legislatures.
With bipartisan support, the legislature has passed one of the nation's most expansive bills offering protection to abuse survivors convicted or accused of a crime connected to their abuse. Other states may follow.
Legislators have agreed to a plan to lift the cap and want to spend $870 million more on special education programs.
Congress and some red states are pushing for work requirements but most recipients already work. Medicaid and other state programs typically don’t offer job assistance or training.
The Washington state district didn’t just make students put phones away. They increased field trips and extracurricular activities, bringing chronic absenteeism down among participants by 13 percent.
Proposals to cut Medicaid will not only end coverage for millions but undermine the health-care system as a whole.
Universities and colleges have historically not done well at enrolling Hispanic students. Now their continued success may depend on it.
Diverting young people who commit low-level offenses to community support programs can help them avoid incarceration down the line. Girls in particular may benefit from these tactics.
Cities and states battling the measles outbreak feel undermined by federal health spending cuts.
Cubans have been granted special status since the Cold War. That's suddenly changed, leading to a sense of betrayal among a staunchly Republican group.
The New Hampshire legislature is considering dozens of policies aimed at making housing more affordable, a priority for first-year Gov. Kelly Ayotte. Some policies are gaining bipartisan support, but debates over local control still rage.
Devastated by fire, then shut down by COVID-19, the school district in Paradise, Calif., has emerged as a leader in keeping homeless students in classrooms.
The high-poverty Rust Belt district is exceptional at teaching kids to read — and has been for more than a decade. Other school districts can learn from its success.
Head Start programs run on slim margins that are now threatened by Trump administration cuts, including the closure of five of the 10 regional offices that administer them.
The state has devoted $350 million to a rural broadband initiative over the past four years but seen little progress due to fights between telecoms and utilities over access to poles.
The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program expires in September. State CIOs told a congressional subcommittee that the program is a success that should be built on, not ended.
Universal vouchers and other private school choice programs have had a lot of momentum in red states. Support from Trump and Congress could push them further.
Utah’s new legislation addresses parents’ concerns, doesn’t tax state or local resources for enforcement, and is popular with the public. Other states should see it as a model.
Some schools have offered free tuition, grown dual credit programs or helped students’ credits transfer when they move on to four-year schools.
Much has been said about the health consequences of severe Medicaid cuts. A new analysis from the Commonwealth Fund considers the jobs and revenue that states could lose.
Methadone is an effective treatment but too often state rules and health-care providers’ practices create barriers to successful outcomes. More sensible approaches are needed.
Too often people think of jury service as a hassle and a financial burden, rather than an empowering way to participate in justice. Some courts are trying to fix that and, in the process, make it easier to diversify their jury pools.
The storm damaged about 20 percent of western North Carolina’s child-care centers. Early childhood education is often neglected in disaster recovery plans and efforts.
If Congress reduces matching funds for the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, many states would suddenly face $2 billion shortfalls apiece.
Downsizing the Department of Education won’t fix what's wrong with our schools. We should mobilize state and local leaders to tackle its problems. Nobody is better qualified to lead such an effort than Lamar Alexander.
The two legislative chambers have passed a bill that would ban diversity efforts and faculty strikes. Critics say the bill's limits on discussions about “controversial beliefs” will stifle academic freedom.
Criminal justice experts say understaffing and trauma can contribute to prison violence. Mental health support and a sense of community may help.
