Contemporary public policy

(1) In the fictional city of Brookside, parents complained for months about speeding cars near two elementary schools. After a child was struck by a car and injured, a local news story and a petition with 1,200 signatures brought the problem to the city council's attention.

(2) The council asked city staff to study the problem. Staff proposed three options: lowering the speed limit near schools from 30 to 20 miles per hour, adding speed bumps, or installing speed cameras. Staff estimated the cost of each option.

(3) In March, the council voted 5–2 to lower the speed limit in school zones and to add speed bumps on four streets. The two members who voted no said speed bumps would slow down fire trucks and ambulances.

(4) Over the summer, the public works department installed new signs and speed bumps, and the police department began enforcing the new limit.

(5) One year later, city staff reported to the council. Average speeds in the school zones fell from 31 to 23 miles per hour, and collisions near the schools fell from 9 to 4. Fire department response times on those streets rose by an average of 15 seconds. The council will use the report to decide whether to keep, expand or change the policy.

Article I of the Constitution gives Congress control over federal taxes and spending, often called the "power of the purse."

(1) Article I, Section 7: "All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills."

(2) Article I, Section 8: "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;"

(3) Article I, Section 8 (continued): Congress shall have power … "To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;"

(4) Article I, Section 9: "No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time."

(1) Every year, the fictional Maple County Board of Commissioners adopts a budget that shows how the county will spend its money. The chart shows this year's general budget of $500 million.

Policy experts often describe five stages of policy-making: agenda setting (a problem gets officials' attention), formulation (options are developed and studied), adoption (officials choose and approve a policy), implementation (the policy is put into action) and evaluation (results are measured and judged).

(1) For years, every household in the fictional city of Harlow paid the same trash fee — $20 a month — no matter how much it threw away. In 2017, the operators of the city landfill warned that it would be full within 12 years. A news series and several crowded neighborhood meetings made landfill space a top issue for the city council.

(2) A council committee studied three options: building a new landfill, trucking trash to another county, or a pay-as-you-throw system, in which households pay by the size of their trash cart and recycling is collected for free. City staff estimated the cost of each option, and the committee held two public hearings.

(3) In June 2019, the council voted 6–1 to adopt pay-as-you-throw starting in January 2020. The monthly fee became $14 for a small cart, $20 for a medium cart and $30 for a large cart. Low-income households could apply for a 50% discount. The one member who voted no worried that some residents would dump trash illegally to avoid the fee.

(4) During the second half of 2019, the city mailed guides to every home, delivered new carts and trained collection crews. Starting in January 2020, inspectors began issuing warnings and fines for illegal dumping.

(5) In 2024, city staff reported the results shown in the graph. Staff also reported that reports of illegal dumping rose from 85 in 2019 to 120 in 2020, then fell to 90 by 2023. The landfill's expected life grew by about five years.

(1) Each year, the legislature of the fictional state of Avalon passes a general-fund budget, and the governor signs it. The table shows how the state planned to spend its general fund in two years. All amounts are in millions of dollars.

Article I of the Constitution gives Congress control over federal taxes and spending, often called the "power of the purse."

(1) Article I, Section 7: "All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills."

(2) Article I, Section 8: "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;"

(3) Article I, Section 8 (continued): Congress shall have power … "To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;"

(4) Article I, Section 9: "No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time."

The legislature of the fictional state of Carver is debating Senate Bill 12. The bill would let parents who take their child out of public school receive about $7,000 a year from the state in an education savings account (ESA). Parents could spend the money on private school tuition, tutoring, therapy or approved learning materials. Below are statements from two fictional officials.

State Senator Dana Whitfield (supports the bill)

(1) Every child deserves a school that fits how they learn. Right now, a family's address largely decides where a child goes to school. Families with money can move to another neighborhood or pay private tuition. Families without money usually cannot.

(2) SB 12 would give more families a real choice. Parents know their children best. When schools must compete for students, I believe they will work harder to improve.

(3) The bill also requires families to keep receipts for every purchase, and it requires private schools that accept ESA money to give students a yearly standardized test, so taxpayers can see the results.

Marcus Hale, County School Board Member (opposes the bill)

(4) I agree that every child deserves a school that fits how they learn, and I agree that taxpayers should be able to see how public money is spent. But SB 12 is the wrong way to get there.

(5) Public schools have costs that do not shrink when a few students leave — buildings, buses, heating. If funding leaves with each student, the students who remain could face larger classes and fewer programs. In rural areas, there may be no private school nearby to choose.

(6) Public schools must accept every student and follow state rules on testing and special education. Private schools that take ESA money would not have to follow all of those same rules. Tax money should come with the same accountability wherever it goes.

(1) In 2016, the fictional state of Northfield adopted a rule requiring its coal- and gas-fired power plants to cut emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO₂), a pollutant linked to acid rain and breathing problems. Plants could meet the rule by installing pollution-control equipment or switching to cleaner fuels. The neighboring state of Easton, which has similar power plants, adopted no new rule.

(2) Supporters of Northfield's rule said it would protect public health. Opponents warned that it would raise electricity prices and cost jobs at power plants.

(3) The table shows data reported by the two states.

The legislature of the fictional state of Delmar is considering House Bill 40. The bill would require every public school to keep students' cell phones stored away — for example, in lockers or locked pouches — for the entire school day, including lunch. Schools would have to allow exceptions for students with medical needs, and parents could still reach their children through the school office. Below are statements from two fictional people.

State Representative Joanna Pike (supports HB 40)

(1) Teachers in my district tell me the same story: phones pull students' attention away from lessons many times a day. Rules that change from classroom to classroom are hard to enforce, so one clear statewide rule is fairer to teachers and students alike.

(2) Several schools in our state that already store phones all day report fewer fights recorded on video and more conversation at lunch. Students deserve a full school day to focus on learning and on each other.

(3) HB 40 keeps the school office as a reliable way for families to reach students, and it lets a doctor's note override the rule for students who need their devices for health reasons.

Lionel Grant, President of the Delmar Parents' Council (opposes HB 40 as written)

(4) I share Representative Pike's concern about distraction. Phones should not be out during lessons, and many of our members support stronger classroom rules.

(5) But a single rule for every school ignores real differences. A high school senior who drives to an after-school job is not a second grader. Local school boards, which answer to local voters, are better placed to set rules that fit their own students.

(6) Buying lockable pouches and storage for every student costs money, and HB 40 provides no state funding, so districts would have to cut something else to pay for it. Parents also worry about reaching their children quickly during an emergency.

(1) Starting in 2017, the fictional city of Danfield began building protected bike lanes — lanes separated from car traffic by curbs or posts. The city's transportation office later published the data below.

(2) A city council member said, "These numbers prove that our bike lanes caused the drop in cyclist injuries."

The legislature of the fictional state of Delmar is considering House Bill 40. The bill would require every public school to keep students' cell phones stored away — for example, in lockers or locked pouches — for the entire school day, including lunch. Schools would have to allow exceptions for students with medical needs, and parents could still reach their children through the school office. Below are statements from two fictional people.

State Representative Joanna Pike (supports HB 40)

(1) Teachers in my district tell me the same story: phones pull students' attention away from lessons many times a day. Rules that change from classroom to classroom are hard to enforce, so one clear statewide rule is fairer to teachers and students alike.

(2) Several schools in our state that already store phones all day report fewer fights recorded on video and more conversation at lunch. Students deserve a full school day to focus on learning and on each other.

(3) HB 40 keeps the school office as a reliable way for families to reach students, and it lets a doctor's note override the rule for students who need their devices for health reasons.

Lionel Grant, President of the Delmar Parents' Council (opposes HB 40 as written)

(4) I share Representative Pike's concern about distraction. Phones should not be out during lessons, and many of our members support stronger classroom rules.

(5) But a single rule for every school ignores real differences. A high school senior who drives to an after-school job is not a second grader. Local school boards, which answer to local voters, are better placed to set rules that fit their own students.

(6) Buying lockable pouches and storage for every student costs money, and HB 40 provides no state funding, so districts would have to cut something else to pay for it. Parents also worry about reaching their children quickly during an emergency.

The Constitution gives both Congress and the President a part in making national policy.

(1) Article II, Section 3 (the President): "He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient;"

(2) Article I, Section 7: "Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated," …

(3) Article I, Section 7 (continued): "If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law."

(4) Sixteenth Amendment (1913): "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."

Policy experts often describe five stages of policy-making: agenda setting (a problem gets officials' attention), formulation (options are developed and studied), adoption (officials choose and approve a policy), implementation (the policy is put into action) and evaluation (results are measured and judged).

(1) For years, every household in the fictional city of Harlow paid the same trash fee — $20 a month — no matter how much it threw away. In 2017, the operators of the city landfill warned that it would be full within 12 years. A news series and several crowded neighborhood meetings made landfill space a top issue for the city council.

(2) A council committee studied three options: building a new landfill, trucking trash to another county, or a pay-as-you-throw system, in which households pay by the size of their trash cart and recycling is collected for free. City staff estimated the cost of each option, and the committee held two public hearings.

(3) In June 2019, the council voted 6–1 to adopt pay-as-you-throw starting in January 2020. The monthly fee became $14 for a small cart, $20 for a medium cart and $30 for a large cart. Low-income households could apply for a 50% discount. The one member who voted no worried that some residents would dump trash illegally to avoid the fee.

(4) During the second half of 2019, the city mailed guides to every home, delivered new carts and trained collection crews. Starting in January 2020, inspectors began issuing warnings and fines for illegal dumping.

(5) In 2024, city staff reported the results shown in the graph. Staff also reported that reports of illegal dumping rose from 85 in 2019 to 120 in 2020, then fell to 90 by 2023. The landfill's expected life grew by about five years.

The Constitution gives both Congress and the President a part in making national policy.

(1) Article II, Section 3 (the President): "He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient;"

(2) Article I, Section 7: "Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated," …

(3) Article I, Section 7 (continued): "If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law."

(4) Sixteenth Amendment (1913): "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."

(1) In 2016, the fictional state of Northfield adopted a rule requiring its coal- and gas-fired power plants to cut emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO₂), a pollutant linked to acid rain and breathing problems. Plants could meet the rule by installing pollution-control equipment or switching to cleaner fuels. The neighboring state of Easton, which has similar power plants, adopted no new rule.

(2) Supporters of Northfield's rule said it would protect public health. Opponents warned that it would raise electricity prices and cost jobs at power plants.

(3) The table shows data reported by the two states.

(1) Starting in 2017, the fictional city of Danfield began building protected bike lanes — lanes separated from car traffic by curbs or posts. The city's transportation office later published the data below.

(2) A city council member said, "These numbers prove that our bike lanes caused the drop in cyclist injuries."

Policy experts often describe five stages of policy-making: agenda setting (a problem gets officials' attention), formulation (options are developed and studied), adoption (officials choose and approve a policy), implementation (the policy is put into action) and evaluation (results are measured and judged).

(1) For years, every household in the fictional city of Harlow paid the same trash fee — $20 a month — no matter how much it threw away. In 2017, the operators of the city landfill warned that it would be full within 12 years. A news series and several crowded neighborhood meetings made landfill space a top issue for the city council.

(2) A council committee studied three options: building a new landfill, trucking trash to another county, or a pay-as-you-throw system, in which households pay by the size of their trash cart and recycling is collected for free. City staff estimated the cost of each option, and the committee held two public hearings.

(3) In June 2019, the council voted 6–1 to adopt pay-as-you-throw starting in January 2020. The monthly fee became $14 for a small cart, $20 for a medium cart and $30 for a large cart. Low-income households could apply for a 50% discount. The one member who voted no worried that some residents would dump trash illegally to avoid the fee.

(4) During the second half of 2019, the city mailed guides to every home, delivered new carts and trained collection crews. Starting in January 2020, inspectors began issuing warnings and fines for illegal dumping.

(5) In 2024, city staff reported the results shown in the graph. Staff also reported that reports of illegal dumping rose from 85 in 2019 to 120 in 2020, then fell to 90 by 2023. The landfill's expected life grew by about five years.

The legislature of the fictional state of Delmar is considering House Bill 40. The bill would require every public school to keep students' cell phones stored away — for example, in lockers or locked pouches — for the entire school day, including lunch. Schools would have to allow exceptions for students with medical needs, and parents could still reach their children through the school office. Below are statements from two fictional people.

State Representative Joanna Pike (supports HB 40)

(1) Teachers in my district tell me the same story: phones pull students' attention away from lessons many times a day. Rules that change from classroom to classroom are hard to enforce, so one clear statewide rule is fairer to teachers and students alike.

(2) Several schools in our state that already store phones all day report fewer fights recorded on video and more conversation at lunch. Students deserve a full school day to focus on learning and on each other.

(3) HB 40 keeps the school office as a reliable way for families to reach students, and it lets a doctor's note override the rule for students who need their devices for health reasons.

Lionel Grant, President of the Delmar Parents' Council (opposes HB 40 as written)

(4) I share Representative Pike's concern about distraction. Phones should not be out during lessons, and many of our members support stronger classroom rules.

(5) But a single rule for every school ignores real differences. A high school senior who drives to an after-school job is not a second grader. Local school boards, which answer to local voters, are better placed to set rules that fit their own students.

(6) Buying lockable pouches and storage for every student costs money, and HB 40 provides no state funding, so districts would have to cut something else to pay for it. Parents also worry about reaching their children quickly during an emergency.

The legislature of the fictional state of Carver is debating Senate Bill 12. The bill would let parents who take their child out of public school receive about $7,000 a year from the state in an education savings account (ESA). Parents could spend the money on private school tuition, tutoring, therapy or approved learning materials. Below are statements from two fictional officials.

State Senator Dana Whitfield (supports the bill)

(1) Every child deserves a school that fits how they learn. Right now, a family's address largely decides where a child goes to school. Families with money can move to another neighborhood or pay private tuition. Families without money usually cannot.

(2) SB 12 would give more families a real choice. Parents know their children best. When schools must compete for students, I believe they will work harder to improve.

(3) The bill also requires families to keep receipts for every purchase, and it requires private schools that accept ESA money to give students a yearly standardized test, so taxpayers can see the results.

Marcus Hale, County School Board Member (opposes the bill)

(4) I agree that every child deserves a school that fits how they learn, and I agree that taxpayers should be able to see how public money is spent. But SB 12 is the wrong way to get there.

(5) Public schools have costs that do not shrink when a few students leave — buildings, buses, heating. If funding leaves with each student, the students who remain could face larger classes and fewer programs. In rural areas, there may be no private school nearby to choose.

(6) Public schools must accept every student and follow state rules on testing and special education. Private schools that take ESA money would not have to follow all of those same rules. Tax money should come with the same accountability wherever it goes.

Policy experts often describe five stages of policy-making: agenda setting (a problem gets officials' attention), formulation (options are developed and studied), adoption (officials choose and approve a policy), implementation (the policy is put into action) and evaluation (results are measured and judged).

(1) For years, every household in the fictional city of Harlow paid the same trash fee — $20 a month — no matter how much it threw away. In 2017, the operators of the city landfill warned that it would be full within 12 years. A news series and several crowded neighborhood meetings made landfill space a top issue for the city council.

(2) A council committee studied three options: building a new landfill, trucking trash to another county, or a pay-as-you-throw system, in which households pay by the size of their trash cart and recycling is collected for free. City staff estimated the cost of each option, and the committee held two public hearings.

(3) In June 2019, the council voted 6–1 to adopt pay-as-you-throw starting in January 2020. The monthly fee became $14 for a small cart, $20 for a medium cart and $30 for a large cart. Low-income households could apply for a 50% discount. The one member who voted no worried that some residents would dump trash illegally to avoid the fee.

(4) During the second half of 2019, the city mailed guides to every home, delivered new carts and trained collection crews. Starting in January 2020, inspectors began issuing warnings and fines for illegal dumping.

(5) In 2024, city staff reported the results shown in the graph. Staff also reported that reports of illegal dumping rose from 85 in 2019 to 120 in 2020, then fell to 90 by 2023. The landfill's expected life grew by about five years.

The legislature of the fictional state of Delmar is considering House Bill 40. The bill would require every public school to keep students' cell phones stored away — for example, in lockers or locked pouches — for the entire school day, including lunch. Schools would have to allow exceptions for students with medical needs, and parents could still reach their children through the school office. Below are statements from two fictional people.

State Representative Joanna Pike (supports HB 40)

(1) Teachers in my district tell me the same story: phones pull students' attention away from lessons many times a day. Rules that change from classroom to classroom are hard to enforce, so one clear statewide rule is fairer to teachers and students alike.

(2) Several schools in our state that already store phones all day report fewer fights recorded on video and more conversation at lunch. Students deserve a full school day to focus on learning and on each other.

(3) HB 40 keeps the school office as a reliable way for families to reach students, and it lets a doctor's note override the rule for students who need their devices for health reasons.

Lionel Grant, President of the Delmar Parents' Council (opposes HB 40 as written)

(4) I share Representative Pike's concern about distraction. Phones should not be out during lessons, and many of our members support stronger classroom rules.

(5) But a single rule for every school ignores real differences. A high school senior who drives to an after-school job is not a second grader. Local school boards, which answer to local voters, are better placed to set rules that fit their own students.

(6) Buying lockable pouches and storage for every student costs money, and HB 40 provides no state funding, so districts would have to cut something else to pay for it. Parents also worry about reaching their children quickly during an emergency.

(1) Each year, the legislature of the fictional state of Avalon passes a general-fund budget, and the governor signs it. The table shows how the state planned to spend its general fund in two years. All amounts are in millions of dollars.