Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations
Updating Theories of American Federalism
[PDF]States have played a strong and leading role in responding to domestic needs; they still do; and their role has been crucial for the development of national domestic policies and programs.
Richard P. Nathan, a chapter from Intergovernmental Management for the 21st Century, the Brookings Institution © 2008.
Accountability in K-12 Education
[PDF]With the No Child Left Behind Act up for renewal, it’s time for big thinking on intergovernmental collaboration in the ways we measure and report results in our schools.
Allison Armour-Garb, June 2008
Rebuilding the Government Statistics Infrastructure
[PDF]After completing the first-ever external review of the work of the Governments Division of the U.S. Census Bureau, the Committee on National Statistics of the National Academies called for a two-track strategic plan. This new approach would deliberately prioritize the steps that Census Bureau management would undertake under either of two scenarios: if its resources continued to be constrained, or if, instead, it saw opportunities to develop its programs.
Yolanda K. Kodrzycki, Senior Economist and Policy Advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, and Member, National Academies Review Board on Government Statistics, March 2008.
About This Program Area
Updating Theories of American Federalism
[PDF]Federalism balances the U.S. political system. However, as the years have gone by, it has become less of a checking instrument. The theory of dual federalism — that there is a division of responsibilities between the national government and the states — was strongly manifest in the nineteenth century. But that was then. What about now?
Richard P. Nathan, September 2, 2006.
Federalism and the Executive Branch
[PDF]State and national agendas are converging, and this has made the federal executive branch and its interactions with the states a primary locus for producing major changes in domestic policies.
Thomas Gais, and James W. Fossett, in Joel Aberbach and Mark Peterson (eds), Presidents and Bureaucrats: The Executive Branch and American Democracy (Oxford University Press, 2005).
Striking While the Iron Is Hot — State and Local Transitions and the First 100 Days
[PDF]There is no time like the beginning. There is excitement and high expectation; and, hopefully, there are few angry flared-up controversies to contend with. There are two things that count the most in the early days of a new administration — people and ideas. The sooner a leader has a good handle on them, the better, including decisions made in and before a victorious campaign began.
Richard P. Nathan, February 2006.