New initiatives get lots of attention, but after time passes it’s hard to find out how well those programs worked. Tracking down the end of the story is a powerful tool.

Evaluation Competencies in an Age of Collapse American Evaluation Association (Scott Chaplowe) Evaluation was built for stable systems, and we no longer have those. Evaluation cannot afford a doubl…

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.  By Jan Manuel Cubero JiménezSeptember 18, 2026 The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico’s fiscal crisis is often discussed as a debt problem. It is also a public administration problem. Budgets are not only financial documents; they […]

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.  By Andrew R. VazSeptember 18, 2026 Introduction In Miami-Dade County, large-scale transit, social and infrastructure projects are frequently carried out by Public-Private Partnerships (P3s). Under Florida Statute 255.065 and County Ordinance Section 2-8.2.6, Miami-Dade’s P3 […]

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By George S. WelchSeptember 18, 2026 Every election cycle produces a familiar pattern. Candidates make promises. Political leaders exchange criticism. Advocacy groups mobilize supporters. Social media amplifies conflict. News coverage focuses on controversy, competition and […]

Now a Trump administration proposal to pay married stay-at-home parents could make the problem worse.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Anna Marie SchuhSeptember 18, 2026 Most people understand that communication is important in management, particularly public management. However, some do not believe the written word has the same impact as oral communication. I disagree […]

The Interior secretary is quietly meeting with AI hyperscalers while seeking to accommodate them on his department’s land.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Andrew KleineSeptember 18, 2026 This fall, several large cities and counties will hold elections for mayor and executive. They include Los Angeles, the District of Columbia, Oakland, Louisville, Raleigh, Harris County, Texas, and Orange […]

Attorney General Todd Blanche and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy are the latest administration officials to be accused of breaking the ethics law.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Afsana AlamSeptember 11, 2026 In the span of a year, I had the opportunity to experience public service from three very different roles: as a Ph.D. student conducting policy research, as a legislative intern […]

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Albert Nii Noi OkweiSeptember 11, 2026 When the U.S. Department of Education rolled out the redesigned FAFSA for the 2024-25 cycle, the goal was a shorter form and easier access to federal student aid. […]

House and Senate Democrats optimistic about the outcome of year's midterm elections outlined their plans on Tuesday to stop the Education Department from closing down.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Michael R. FordSeptember 11, 2026 In the past few years, there has been much interest in professional management in Wisconsin municipalities. To be clear, the interest is not new. More than half of Wisconsin […]

Massachusetts Judge Dennis Saylor called the government’s justification for the new rule “absurd.”

The Government Accountability Office estimates that roughly 144,000 employees were placed on leave through the Trump administration’s Deferred Resignation Program.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will revoke limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants that run on coal and natural gas, according to regulatory documents Administrator Lee Zeldin signed Monday.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Leonard ChanSeptember 11, 2026 In 2020, the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) published a white paper, “21st Century Fire and Emergency Services.” The opening paragraph asserts that […]

A KPI Needs Four Distinct Owners PuMP Academy Like a puppy or kitten, if no one takes personal ownership of a performance measure, it will die a slow death. Conversely, if the puppy or kitten has t…

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Mark P. Kling September 4, 2026 The Rialto Police Department’s approach to FUSUS demonstrates how local governments can introduce emerging public-safety technology while preserving transparency, business autonomy and community relationships. Rialto requires new business […]

The aging Michigan power plant was set to retire. Then the Trump administration intervened in a way that overstepped its authority, a court ruled.

Even former secretaries now agree the department needs to be refocused or dismantled.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Renée CardarelleSeptember 4, 2026 Have you ever been in a conversation where you feel as though you are missing something? Or walked into an event where everyone seems to be following rules you don’t […]

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Mauricio CovarrubiasSeptember 4, 2026 In Part I, we examined a paradox that is reshaping public administration: as AI tools multiply, the exercise of independent judgment atrophies, not through negligence, but through the rational delegation […]

The leader of the Education Department's special education office told employees she is resigning less than four months in the role and as the agency overall is morphing and shrinking.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Ping XuAugust 28, 2026 In a previous PA Times article, I argued that placing AI at the front end of public systems—screening, classifying or rejecting applications—does not improve decision quality. It amplifies error and […]

From Data to Decisions Substack (Manish Srivastava) An essay on why the next generation of digital government needs an architecture for evidence, reasoning and accountability. The author discusses …

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Bill BrantleyAugust 28, 2026 The federal workforce is smaller and more fragile than it has been in decades. In 2025, roughly 378,000 employees left across the 22 major agencies covered by the Chief Financial […]

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By George S. WelchAugust 28, 2026 Few debates in public administration are framed as rigidly as the one between DEI initiatives and merit. In public discourse, the choice is often presented in stark terms: either […]

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Wonhyuk Cho, Ziteng Fan & Yueping ZhengAugust 28, 2026 Artificial intelligence is no longer at the margins of government. It is already finding its way into the everyday business of public administration, from budget […]