Carrots, Sticks, and the Bully Pulpit: Sobering Lessons from Half a Century of Federal Efforts to Improve America's Schools

Since the 1960s, the federal government has become increasingly involved in K-12 education, altering the federal-state-local division of labor. Yet, while we often debate the merits of particular federal initiatives or whether policies "work," we have spent far less time considering what a half century of federal involvement has taught us about which goals and policies Uncle Sam can effectively pursue, and what we can learn from his missteps and successes. Over the past fifty years, what have we learned about the nature of a smart, sensible federal role in K-12 schooling? 

On May 23rd, the American Enterprise Institute held a conference on these issues--click the link below for the event's materials.