Hiring more full-time federal bureaucrats will result in smaller and better government

The United States’ federal government has expanded greatly since the 1960s, with spending having increased by a factor of six in over that time. The number of federal employees, however, has not similarly increased, with present numbers close to those of the Reagan Administration and fewer than were present during Kennedy’s term. John J. DiIulio Jr writes that the federal government has become a Leviathan by Proxy, which gives billions of dollars and thousands of contracts to state and local governments, contractors, and non-profits. He argues that recent government problems such as the 2005 reaction to Hurricane Katrina and 2013′s Obamacare rollout show that the federal civil service is overloaded not bloated. In order to make government smaller and better, he calls for the hiring of one million more federal civil servants by 2035 and the introduction of better performance management practices

The Silent Epidemic: Perspectives of High School Dropouts

Presents findings from a survey that examines why some students do not complete their high school education, and what academic and personal supports would have helped them stay in school. Includes recommendations for improving graduation rates

Achievement Trap: How America Is Failing Millions of High-Achieving Students From Lower-Income Families

Assesses the elementary school, high school, college, and graduate school experiences of students who score in the top 25 percent on national standardized tests and whose family incomes are below the national median

On the Front Lines of Schools: The Perspectives of Principals on the High School Dropout Problem

Explores teachers' and administrators' views on the causes of dropouts and support for reforms such as higher academic expectations, alternative learning environments, smaller classes, early detection, and better parental outreach. Makes recommendations

Engaged for Success: Service-Learning as a Tool for High School Dropout Prevention

Outlines service-learning -- learning through investigating a community problem, planning a solution, taking action, and reflecting on results -- as a strategy to reduce dropouts, prepare students for college, and instill civic responsibility