Serious Economic Challenges
One of the nation's top demographers told a packed general session that rapid changes in the nation's demographics and fierce global competition pose serious challenges to the U.S. economy. Powerpoint Presentation >>

Models for Change in Juvenile Justice
Research shows that identifying and assisting at-risk children stems crime. Listen to how Louisiana's Models for Change program is reducing delinquency through community-based services and about other juvenile justice and mental health reforms throughout the state and nationally.
Debra DePrato Presentation>>
Angela Kimball Presentation>>

REAL ID: REALly Moving or REALly Stalled?
Is REAL ID really on the move now that there are final rules? Will states comply with these standards for state-issued driver's licenses and ID cards? Review federal action on REAL ID and state reactions to the final rules.

Employment Law 101
State legislatures have been slow to respond to rapidly changing employment law, sometimes to their detriment. Learn how to protect your employees and your legislature by listening to this discussion of trends, warnings, key requirements and awareness training with one of the nation's foremost authorities on employment law.

Lessons from the Trenches: Turning Around Poor Performing Schools
Listen to prominent school leaders who are beating the odds in major urban districts by providing high-quality education. Learn how to reproduce their success.

Protecting Legislative Digital Records
Learn how to ensure that electronic records are accessible for legal discovery, business continuity, and disaster recovery purposes. Learn about a model way to preserve legislative electronic data and digital records.

What's Driving College Costs?
Students, parents and legislators are well aware that the cost of going to college is rapidly increasing. Examine what drives tuition and cost increases and effective state policies that help to contain them.

A New Life for Online Government
Web 2.0--a second generation of the Internet--offers new ways to provide services and collaborate with citizens on health, education, public safety and civic life. Explore Second Life and other social networking tools being used by Congress, NASA, the CDC and others.

State finances are deteriorating, in some cases significantly. Anemic revenue collections have generated growing budget gaps, causing lawmakers to spring into action to close them. Explore recent state strategies to manage budget shortfalls and what's on the horizon if budget problems persist.

Is the Presidential Primary Process Broken?
Critics say the presidential primary process starts too early and takes too long. With states breaking party rules and public confusion about super delegates, the country finds itself asking, again, "Is there a better way?"

Redesigning New Orleans: Lessons on Creating a Thriving Community
Rebuilding New Orleans following the hurricanes offers challenges and opportunities. Learn about land use issues and ideas for creating a thriving and dynamic city. Community design and development policy lessons from New Orleans can help cities across the country.

America's Energy Coast: A New Sustainability Case Study
Home to 17 petroleum refineries and more than 180 petrochemical plants that produce jet fuel, lubricants and more--which are transported through the world's largest system port and 35,000 miles of pipeline--the wetlands along the Gulf Coast are critical to the nation's economic future. Hear state legislators describe the unique accord that will inform the policy process for domestic energy security and habitat restoration and help secure economic and environmental priorities.