A compromise for Democrats on charter schools, losing the “power of the purse,” and working toward a more equal society.
Members of Congress have lost control over spending Why has Congress’s “power of the purse” broken down so spectacularly in recent times? Molly Reynolds explains how the rise of all-encompassing omnibus spending bills and other changes to the legislative process have eroded Congress’s exercise of this authority, limiting the influence of the body and its individual lawmakers. Read more | How Democrats can compromise on charter schools to benefit all students Despite support for charter schools from a majority of Black and Hispanic Democratic primary voters, House Democrats and Democratic presidential candidates have proposed reducing or eliminating federal funding of the Charter Schools Program. Mona Vakilifathi argues that Democrats should instead amend the Charter School Program to incentivize charter schools to revert closer to their original intent of improving on low-performing traditional public schools and student performance. Read more | A note on the Brookings response to COVID-19: The Brookings Institution campus in Washington, D.C. will be closed through at least January 4, 2021. For more information, read our full guidance here. As Brookings experts continue to assess the global impacts of COVID-19, read the latest analysis and policy recommendations at our coronavirus page or stay up to date with our coronavirus newsletter. | The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars. | |