Each article is framed by substantive questions to get students thinking critically, such as : will vouchers force public schools to improve? Has welfare reform helped reduce child poverty? Should the federal government spend more money to conserve open space? Also included is a yes/no feature that showcases an insider's view from two sides of the debate - an effective starting point for classroom discussion or further research. The selections address every level of government - federal, state, and local - and every branch of government, giving students a sense of how the policy process is affected by community, regional, and national concerns.