Abortion Issue Guide

Public Agenda.

Where advocates on both sides see absolutes, the public seems to see conflicts and conditions, with solid majorities supporting a woman's right to an abortion if her reasons seem sound and if it's not too late in the pregnancy. On an individual level, medical technology is making the issue more complex. Public Agenda Issue Guides or ?“Citizen Choicework Guides?” contain background information on the topic and present three different approaches to the issue for people to deliberate.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/frontdoor.cfm?issue_type=abortion

After the Storm: Working Through the Implications of Hurricane Katrina

Public Agenda.

The aftermath of Katrina raises questions about poverty, race, energy policy, the federal budget, in fact just about every corner of American society and the purpose of government itself. Public Agenda Issue Guides or ?“Citizen Choicework Guides?” contain background information on the topic and present three different approaches to the issue for people to deliberate.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/specials/katrina/katrina.cfm

America?’s Global Role Issue Guide

Public Agenda.

September 11th dramatically recast how the U.S. engages the world. The U.S. remains, as it has for the past decade, the world's sole remaining superpower. The question of how we relate to the world -- whether on economic globalization, the environment, human rights, global health crises, relations with China and Russia -- needs to be addressed, whatever happens in the struggle with al Qaeda. Public Agenda Issue Guides or ?“Citizen Choicework Guides?” contain background information on the topic and present three different approaches to the issue for people to deliberate.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/frontdoor.cfm?issue_type=americas_global_role

Campaign Reform Issue Guide

Public Agenda.

When money changes hands in politics, a cloud of suspicion rises. Now so much money is changing hands -- upwards of $3 billion in a presidential election year -- the cloud never lifts. Running for office is an expensive proposition, particularly for president or for statewide offices like governor or senator, but the amounts that have changed hands in recent years are staggering. Public Agenda Issue Guides or ?“Citizen Choicework Guides?” contain background information on the topic and present three different approaches to the issue for people to deliberate.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/frontdoor.cfm?issue_type=campaign_finance

Child Care Citizen ChoiceWork Guide

Public Agenda.

Should we encourage a parent to stay home even if it means a loss of financial security or a slow down in their career? What if there's only one parent or if a family simply can't live on one income? What kinds of child care policies by government and employers would be the most helpful to today's families? This Citizen ChoiceWork Guide (and video) from Public Agenda examines three approaches: help parents take care of their own children; provide quality, affordable child-care options for those parents who need the most help; and provide comprehensive, quality child care for all families.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/pubengage/pe_toolkit.cfm

Child Care Issue Guide

Public Agenda.

America has changed drastically over the past 30 years and so has the way it performs one of society's basic acts: caring for its children. Our world is now filled with two-income families and single-parent families, and far fewer of what we consider the "traditional" family: a father who works and a mother who stays home with the children. Public Agenda Issue Guides or ?“Citizen Choicework Guides?” contain background information on the topic and present three different approaches to the issue for people to deliberate.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/frontdoor.cfm?issue_type=childcare

Choice Work Dialogues: Fostering Public Engagement on Growth in Orange County

Viewpoint Learning, Inc., 2002.

Public learning is traditionally perceived as a one-way distribution of knowledge. In this 22-page presentation, the authors challenge that notion as incomplete, citing a wealth of flawed assumptions in the traditional model. When citizens engage in collaborative or deliberative discussions, they often learn from each other in ways differing from the traditional. The experience in Orange County, California shows the worth of the new model and provides lessons for future efforts for public engagement.

Resource Link: http://www.regionalstewardship.org/Documents/ChoiceWorkDialogues.pdf

Citizen Choicework

Citizen Choicework offers a powerful, proven approach to civic dialogue and action. Too often, "community forums" are merely panels of experts telling people what's good for them. Or they are public free-for-alls, where only the loudest voices prevail. In contrast, Citizen Choicework is based on a deep respect for the public's capacity to address issues when circumstances support, rather than thwart, dialogue and deliberation. Given the right conditions, the public's ability to learn, to get involved and to make decisions is far greater than most realize.

Creating a Formula for Success in Low-Performing Schools

Public Agenda.

This Citizen ChoiceWork guide (and video) from Public Agenda was developed for community conversations, classrooms, study groups, and individuals. Too many schools have students who are just getting by, or failing to learn much at all. We look at four hypothetical school communities and their different approaches to boosting student achievement: set high expectations and hold schools accountable; increase resources for classroom essentials; increase parent and community involvement; and ensure effective leadership. Spanish language version available.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/pubengage/pe_toolkit.cfm

Crime Issue Guide

Public Agenda.

America has long had the dubious distinction of being the world's most violent industrial nation. Violent crime skyrocketed in the U.S. starting in the late 1960s, a trend that continued into the early 1990s. It's no wonder that crime has consistently been one of the public's major concerns over the past three decades. Public Agenda Issue Guides or ?“Citizen Choicework Guides?” contain background information on the topic and present three different approaches to the issue for people to deliberate.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/frontdoor.cfm?issue_type=crime

Education Issue Guide

Public Agenda.

It's hard to find any American who isn't touched in some way by the public schools as a student, parent, taxpayer, employer, or any combination of the above. And by almost any measure, the schools are one of the public's top concerns. Test scores indicate the problems are not as bad as two decades ago, but even so public confidence in public schools has declined dramatically over the past 25 years. Public Agenda Issue Guides or ?“Citizen Choicework Guides?” contain background information on the topic and present three different approaches to the issue for people to deliberate.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/frontdoor.cfm?issue_type=education

Ensuring School Safety Guide

Public Agenda.

Everyone wants schools that are safe, where students, teachers and support staff can concentrate on learning and not have to worry about crime and violence. In this community dialogue, you'll be asked to discuss your ideas on the best way to ensure that schools are safe places for children to learn and grow. Different approaches to school safety will have different benefits and different costs and challenges. To help you and your neighbors decide what is most important to you, Public Agenda presents in this Citizens ChoiceWork Guide three hypothetical school communities, each of which has approached the issue of school safety in a different way.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/pubengage/pe_toolkit.cfm

Everybody Ready for School: How Can we Ensure High Quality Early Childhood Programs?

Public Agenda.

Many educators, parents and researchers agree that high quality "school readiness" programs can help youngsters be more successful later on in school and in life. But preschool programs vary widely in quality. How can we make sure that all preschool programs provide safe and enriching environments that do a good job preparing children for school? In other words, how can we make sure all preschool programs are of the highest possible quality? This Citizen ChoiceWork Guide (and video) from Public Agenda presents three approaches: fund programs more adequately and equitably; create standards and accountability; and give parents more choice. Available in video and print format.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/pubengage/pe_toolkit.cfm

Gay Rights Issue Guide

Public Agenda.

For much of American history, indeed, for much of world history, homosexuality has been a taboo subject. Often, it has been considered a crime in itself. Yet today, millions of gay and lesbian Americans are not only open about their sexuality, they are campaigning for new laws which they say would grant them the same rights accorded to heterosexuals, including the right to marry and protection against discrimination. What's more, there's been a notable shift in the public's attitudes toward homosexuality over the last two decades. Public Agenda Issue Guides or ?“Citizen Choicework Guides?” contain background information on the topic and present three different approaches to the issue for people to deliberate.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/frontdoor.cfm?issue_type=gay_rights

Gay Rights: All the Way to the Altar?

Public Agenda.

In the next few years, politicians will have to decide whether gays and lesbians should have the right to marry, adopt children, or serve in the military, and whether they should be protected from hate crimes or workplace discrimination. Your vote can decide how far the country will go ?— or where it will refuse to go. Consider the alternatives. Decide what you think is best. And let your vote influence what they decide. This choicework guide about same-sex marriage presents three approaches: (1) Extend equal rights to all our citizens, including gay people; (2) Let states and communities choose their own solutions; (3) Protect traditional institutions and values. Each approach is accompanied by arguments for and against the approach.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/firstchoice2004/gayrights.cfm

Health Care Issue Guide

Public Agenda.

Once again, the nation's health care system is under the microscope. The system is undergoing a level of scrutiny not seen since the early 1990s, when Congress scrapped the Clinton administration's complex plan to overhaul health care. Since then, employers have acted on their own to control health costs, largely by requiring employees to join managed-care programs, such as health maintenance organizations (HMOs). Public Agenda Issue Guides or ?“Citizen Choicework Guides?” contain background information on the topic and present three different approaches to the issue for people to deliberate.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/frontdoor.cfm?issue_type=healthcare

Helping All Students Succeed in a Diverse Society

Public Agenda.

Sometimes particular groups of students across a district are achieving at lower levels than others. In a society as diverse as ours, how can we best help all children succeed in school? This Citizen ChoiceWork Guide (and video) from Public Agenda examines three approaches: raise expectations, demand excellence of all students, and have higher standards for student achievement; increase parental and community involvement and help students with social problems that distract them from learning; and ensure a safe and respectful learning environment.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/pubengage/pe_toolkit.cfm

Higher Education Issue Guide

Public Agenda.

Attending college has become part of the American dream, as much as owning a home or feeling secure in retirement. Getting a college degree, or at least some form of education after high school, is the surest way of entering (and remaining in) the middle class. But while the traditional picture of higher education is of the ivy-covered campus, the reality is much more diverse. Public Agenda Issue Guides or ?“Citizen Choicework Guides?” contain background information on the topic and present three different approaches to the issue for people to deliberate.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/frontdoor.cfm?issue_type=higher_education

Illegal Drugs Issue Guide

Public Agenda.

Compared with the peak years of the late 1970s, government statistics show that drug use is down in the United States. Teen drug use has held steady for the past four years after rising sharply in the early 1990s. Teen use of some drugs, such as LSD, methamphetamine and cocaine is down somewhat, but use of other drugs like ecstasy has increased, according to the University of Michigan's annual "Monitoring the Future" survey. Public Agenda Issue Guides or ?“Citizen Choicework Guides?” contain background information on the topic and present three different approaches to the issue for people to deliberate.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/frontdoor.cfm?issue_type=illegal_drugs

Immigration Issue Guide

Public Agenda.

Americans have always been ambivalent about immigration, with realistic concerns bumping into altruistic, even romantic notions. In 1890, when Congress enacted the first immigration restrictions, specifically excluding "paupers, ex-convicts, mental defectives and Chinese?” was the beginning of the greatest wave of immigration in American history, which brought in 18 million new citizens, diversified U.S. society and gave us the enduring analogy of the "melting pot." Today, immigration concerns an extremely controversial issue occupying a prominent place in hotly debated current issues. Public Agenda Issue Guides or ?“Citizen Choicework Guides?” contain background information on the topic and present three different approaches to the issue for people to deliberate.

Resource Link: http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/frontdoor.cfm?issue_type=immigration