Schools have always used standardized tests to evaluate student progress. Although many colleges and universities have made tests optional, many still use standardized tests for admissions. One of the newer practices is using standardized tests by federal and state governments to monitor student performance in specific subject areas and assign ratings to local schools. These mandated tests are our focus here. What is their purpose, and how do they influence what students learn?

One of the primary methods for preventing foreign terrorist attacks on U.S. soil is to prevent individuals and groups from entering the country in the first place. Recent data released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shows that some individuals from the Terrorist Screening Dataset (TSDS) have tried to enter the U.S. at ports of entry at the border with Mexico. Others have been detained after attempting to enter the U.S. illegally between ports of entry. Do these cases point to an increased risk of future terrorist attacks on U.S. citizens?

As discussed in our brief on Decarbonization (linked in Further Reading), reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a key strategy for reducing global temperature increases. There are many ways to achieve this goal with new technologies, such as requiring Americans to use electric vehicles instead of those powered by gasoline. Cap and trade offers another strategy, one that leaves it up to individual decision-makers to decide when and how they will reduce greenhouse gasses. Is cap and trade a good alternative or complement to government regulations?