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| Education |
The
U.S. Department of Education’s Promise Neighborhood
Programs
are reshaping schools and the delivery of services to students. Launched
in 2010, the programs are modeled after the Harlem Children's Zone, which has
found success in improving classroom performance by intervening in children's
needs outside of school. The initiative involves local organizations that identify
gaps in services, connect existing programs, and fund new operations to create networks
that provide "wraparound" services, including college counseling, health
check-ups, and extracurricular activities for students. The Department plans to
significantly increase its investment by providing up to $30 million annually for
these cradle-to-career programs.
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| Civic Engagement |
To
assist disabled voters during this month's elections, Oregon election officials
implemented the use
of iPads
to help this population cast their ballots. County election workers, armed with
the tablets and portable printers, traveled to locations such as nursing homes
and community centers to help people vote. Older accessible voting equipment tended
to be difficult to move and set up. With the tablets, voters could quickly tap
the screen to pick a candidate, print the ballot, and send it in the mail. For those
voters with vision problems, the tablet could also read aloud the candidates’
names and the voter pamphlet. Oregon plans to use the iPads again during
special elections in January, and if the pilot is successful, they will expand
use of the tablets throughout the state.
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| Policing and Crime Prevention |
To
assist local law enforcement in identifying unknown persons in photographs, the
FBI will test a nationwide facial
recognition tool
in Michigan, Washington, Florida, and North Carolina. Under the new system,
local authorities can upload an image of an unknown person and receive a list of
mug shots with similar features from the 10 million photos stored in the
bureau's archives. Although advocacy groups have raised concerns about
some aspects of the new initiative, officials insist that the new system simply
provides law enforcement with another method to facilitate an existing
investigative tool. The database is expected to be unveiled nationwide in 2014.
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| Education |
The
Miami-Dade County school district has made midterms and final
exams optional
at the instructor’s discretion for grades six through 12, in an effort to
reduce the testing burden of its students. Currently, students must manage
federal, state, and local assessment tests in addition to regular classroom exams.
Although some teacher advocates feel that the change devalues the
classroom-specific curriculum that teachers design, officials note that the
elimination of this requirement will give students more time to master concepts
and skills.
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| Natural Resources |
In California, fishermen and others using recreational areas can now use their smartphone to instantly determine whether they are in a marine protected area (MPA). The state’s Department of Fish and Game has created a website that is optimized for the iPhone, iPad, and Android, which allows users to search for current MPAs by name, county, or general area to determine which types of activities are permitted. And, with the GPS feature enabled, the user can determine if they are currently in
an active MPA. Testing connectivity in the open water has been largely
successful.
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| Services to Specific Populations |
To
address the persistent digital divide, the Federal Communications Commission is
partnering with cable and computer firms to provide low-income households with inexpensive computers
and broadband connections. In the spring of next year, millions of families
eligible for federal school-lunch programs can obtain a computer for $150 and
Internet service for $10 per month, with free installation and a two-year modem
rental. Officials hope that by offering increased access, this population can
connect to key social and economic opportunities often only available online.
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| Communications |
Visitors
and residents of New York City catching a cab will now be entertained in the
backseat by "NYC Channel." The channel
will provide programming on taxi televisions that will serve as a video guide
for tourists, as well as provide public service announcements about city
services, finding a job, and information about arts and culture. The channel will
also feature an optional survey to provide feedback about the rider's experience.
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| Public and Private, Head to Head |
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Mayor Rahm Emanuel is turning to a competition marked by fairness to improve the efficiency of Chicago’s recycling program. Emanuel's actions demonstrate that he understands an important point: from the taxpayers' perspective, it is less important whether a service is delivered by public or private workers; the competition is what is likely to deliver the best value.
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| The Business of Social Innovation |
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Social enterprises — hybrid businesses whose profits support community needs — can be a strong force for local economic development and job creation. This column outlines key lessons to help public officials evaluate the potential of social enterprises in their communities.
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| Sacramento Power Play |
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To finance energy-efficiency improvements for local businesses, California's capital is trying an innovative public-private approach. The Sacramento program is showing that good environmental policy can also be good fiscal policy.
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| Proof That Government Can Work |
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The finalists for the Innovations in American Government Award show that government can work.
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| Forums for Smarter Government |
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New collaborative initiatives are tapping a growing willingness for Washington and the states to work together to find innovative ways to deliver services. These initiatives not only bring together networks of experts but also serve to originate and continue a dialogue on ways to innovate across programs and jurisdictions to serve citizens with better outcomes.
Newsletter produced by: Jessica Engelman, editor; Brendan St. Amant, researcher and writer.
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About the Ash Center
The Roy and Lila Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation advances excellence in governance and strengthens democratic institutions worldwide. Through its research, education, international programs, and government innovations awards, the Center fosters creative and effective problem solving and serves as a catalyst for addressing many of the most pressing needs of the world's citizens. The Ford Foundation is a founding donor of the Center. Additional information about the Ash Center is available at http://ash.harvard.edu.
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