Research universities are critical contributors to our national research enterprise. They are the principal source of a world-class labor force and fundamental discoveries that enhance our lives and the lives of others around the world. These institutions help to create an educated citizenry capable of making informed and crucial choices as…

Scientific thinking and understanding are essential for all people navigating the world, not just for scientists and other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals. Knowledge of science and the practice of scientific thinking are essential components of a fully functioning democracy. Science is also crucial for the…

Washington is at crossroads on K-12 education policy. It can continue down the path of top-down accountability; devolve power to states and districts, thereby returning to the status quo of the last century; or rethink the fundamentals and do something different. In "Choice and Federalism: Rethinking the Federal Role in Education," the…

Publicly available statistics from government agencies that are credible, relevant, accurate, and timely are essential for policy makers, individuals, households, businesses, academic institutions, and other organizations to make informed decisions. Even more, the effective operation of a democratic system of government depends on the unhindered…

In the face of so many daunting near-term challenges, U.S. government and industry are letting the crucial strategic issues of U.S. competitiveness slip below the surface. Five years ago, the National Academies prepared "Rising Above the Gathering Storm," a book that cautioned: "Without a renewed effort to bolster the foundations of…

This book tracks the dramatic outcomes of the federal government's growing involvement in higher education between World War I and the 1970s, and the conservative backlash against that involvement from the 1980s onward. Using cutting-edge analysis, Christopher Loss recovers higher education's central importance to the larger social and political…

"When Research Matters" considers the complex and crucially important relationship between education research and policy. In examining how and under what conditions research affects education policy, the book focuses on a number of critical issues: the history of the federal role in education policy; the evolving nature of educational…

What are employer needs for staff trained in the natural sciences at the master's degree level? How do master's level professionals in the natural sciences contribute in the workplace? How do master's programs meet or support educational and career goals? "Science Professionals: Master's Education for a Competitive World" examines the answers to…

The author states that the Federal Communications Commission is overidentified with the industry it regulates and calls for remedial action. Various proposals are examined and discarded. Basically, what is said to be needed is a structural change--reducing the number of commissioners from seven to five, each appointed for a single term of 15…

A review was made of the regulatory history of frequency modulation (FM) radio, ultra high frequency (UHF) television, cable television (CATV) and subscription television (STV), in order to appraise the Federal Communications Commission's decision-making process and the many proposals that have been made over the years to improve it. The study…

In a world where advanced knowledge is widespread and low-cost labor is readily available, U.S. advantages in the marketplace and in science and technology have begun to erode. A comprehensive and coordinated federal effort is urgently needed to bolster U.S. competitiveness and pre-eminence in these areas. This congressionally requested report by…

This book examines the formation of U.S. government policy toward the American Indian tribes during the period 1820-1890. Chapter 1 describes the early 19th century debate between the Gradualists, who believed in the peaceful assimilation of the Indians into white society, and the Removalists, who advocated forced removal of the tribes to the…

This book analyzes the productivity theory of pensions. First, it reviews the history and institutional practices of private pensions and government policy. Chapter 1 discusses demand-side and supply-side perspectives on pensions, the significance of the productivity theory of pensions, and the organization of this book. Chapter 2 traces origins…

This book offers practical guidance and concrete strategies for making change on behalf of young children and families at the school/center, local, state, and national levels. It includes an updated introduction, clarification of what nonprofit organizations can and cannot do during an election year, and new material on the legislative process,…

Designed to facilitate research, preparation, and presentation of arguments for the national debate topic, this manual summarizes trends in poverty over the past 24 years, examines reasons for changes in the rate of poverty, discusses demographic characteristics of the poverty population, and analyzes methods used to calculate the number of poor…