Think Tanks
Here's a look at documents from think tanks
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Ifo Institute: Social Background a Decisive Factor for Educational Opportunities - Boys Are at a Disadvantage
MUNICH, Germany, April 29 (TNSxrep) -- ifo Institute issued the following news release on April 28, 2026:
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Social Background a Decisive Factor for Educational Opportunities - Boys Are at a Disadvantage
Educational opportunities in Germany crucially depend on social background and gender. This is the finding of the Opportunity Monitor published by the ifo Institute and the BILD hilft e. V. "Ein Herz fur Kinder" (A Heart for Children) charity, which was presented today in Berlin, with Germany's Federal Minister of Education, Karin Prien in attendance. "Our analysis shows how strongly a child's
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MUNICH, Germany, April 29 (TNSxrep) -- ifo Institute issued the following news release on April 28, 2026:
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Social Background a Decisive Factor for Educational Opportunities - Boys Are at a Disadvantage
Educational opportunities in Germany crucially depend on social background and gender. This is the finding of the Opportunity Monitor published by the ifo Institute and the BILD hilft e. V. "Ein Herz fur Kinder" (A Heart for Children) charity, which was presented today in Berlin, with Germany's Federal Minister of Education, Karin Prien in attendance. "Our analysis shows how strongly a child'schances of attending a university-track high school are determined by their parents' education and income," says Ludger WoBmann, Director of the ifo Center for the Economics of Education. According to the analysis, the probability of attending a university-track high school is only 16.9 percent among the most disadvantaged group of origin, compared with 80.3 percent among the most privileged group in terms of family background.
"Another cause for concern is that boys systematically have fewer educational opportunities than girls," says ifo researcher Vera Freundl. "While 43.5 percent of girls attend a university-track high school, only 36.9 percent of boys do - a gap of 6.6 percentage points that runs across all social groups." However, this gender gap is smaller among boys in the highest educational and income groups. It increases over the course of the years at school and reaches as high as 9.6 percentage points from the age of 16 to 18. "The new Opportunity Monitor thus highlights multiple inequalities in educational opportunities," says Sarah Majorczyk, Chair of the Executive Board of BILD hilft e. V. "Ein Herz fur Kinder".
The study draws on data from just under 68,000 children and adolescents aged ten to 18, who were surveyed as part of the Microcensus 2022, the largest representative household survey in Germany. Their family background is represented by the parents' level of education, household income, immigration background, and whether it is a single-parent household.
The ifo researchers also offer recommendations for action: Improving educational opportunities for socially disadvantaged groups requires more early-childhood education, greater support for families, good teachers at schools with disadvantaged students, more free tutoring programs, dividing children into different school types at a later stage, and more mentoring programs. Recommendations for improving opportunities for boys include having more male educators and teachers, paying closer attention to gender stereotypes in teaching and education, providing earlier support for boys' reading skills and self-regulation, more parental involvement, and strengthening educational aspirations of boys outside of school.
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Publication
2026 Article in Journal
Der Chancenmonitor von ifo und "Ein Herz fur Kinder": GroBe Bildungsunterschiede nach sozialer Herkunft - Jungen seltener auf dem Gymnasium
Ludger WoBmann, Vera Freundl, Franziska Pfaehler, Florian Schoner, Olesia Tsaberiaba
ifo Schnelldienst digital, 2026, 7, Nr. 5 01-23
Learn more (https://www.ifo.de/en/publications/2026/article-journal/der-chancenmonitor-von-ifo-und-ein-herz-fuer-kinder)
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Original text here: https://www.ifo.de/en/press-release/2026-04-28/social-background-decisive-factor-educational-opportunities-boys-are
[Category: ThinkTank]
Ifo Institute: Prosperity in Germany Under Pressure Since 2020
MUNICH, Germany, April 29 (TNSxrep) -- ifo Institute issued the following news release on April 28, 2026:
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Prosperity in Germany Under Pressure Since 2020
Germany should devote more attention to developing prosperity, one of the central goals of the social market economy. This is the finding of a study by the ifo Institute on behalf of the Bavarian Industry Association (vbw). "Our analysis shows that several prosperity indicators have been declining or at least stagnating since 2020 at the latest. Without far-reaching reforms, there is a risk that prosperity in Germany will decline or the
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MUNICH, Germany, April 29 (TNSxrep) -- ifo Institute issued the following news release on April 28, 2026:
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Prosperity in Germany Under Pressure Since 2020
Germany should devote more attention to developing prosperity, one of the central goals of the social market economy. This is the finding of a study by the ifo Institute on behalf of the Bavarian Industry Association (vbw). "Our analysis shows that several prosperity indicators have been declining or at least stagnating since 2020 at the latest. Without far-reaching reforms, there is a risk that prosperity in Germany will decline or theGerman population will be left out of global prosperity growth," says ifo President Clemens Fuest. "The social market economy is not obsolete. On the contrary, it is more relevant than ever, especially in times of change. Returning to its basic principles is not looking back, but a decisive step forward," adds vbw President Wolfram Hatz.
Among the G7 countries, Germany has achieved a high level of prosperity. "However, indicators such as GDP per capita, GDP growth, life satisfaction, and life expectancy point to a decline since at least 2020," explains Sarah Necker, Director of the ifo Ludwig Erhard Center for Social Market Economy and Institutional Economics. In addition to prosperity development, the study examined four other dimensions of the social market economy: broad participation through competition and equal opportunity, freedom and personal responsibility, the future viability of the economy, and resilience and robustness. An economic policy agenda is derived from the results.
The authors write that although domestic competition basically works, digitalization is transferring negative effects from global market concentration to Germany. The influence of US companies, in particular, poses challenges for competition policy in Germany. At the same time, the decline in social mobility over several years points to problems in the education system.
The study paints a mixed picture of the state of economic freedom and personal responsibility. Unlike in other G7 countries, government spending and new borrowing have not returned to their pre-crisis levels following the coronavirus crisis. On a positive note, the number of transfer recipients has been declining over the past 20 years.
The future viability of the German economy is being undermined by demographic change and a low level of investment in physical and human capital. On the positive side, Germany spends 3.1 percent of its GDP on research, putting it above the G7 average of 2.5 percent. However, it has some catching up to do when it comes to digital technologies. Germany performs comparatively well in the area of environmental protection.
The resilience and robustness of the social market economy in Germany are currently being put to the test due to geopolitical crises. Germany has the highest level of trade openness among the G7 countries. However, a third of imports are concentrated on just a few supplier countries, which creates dependencies. Greater diversification could enhance economic security in this area, particularly with regard to energy supply. Dependence on imports in the energy sector has increased since the turn of the millennium, which has heightened vulnerability to geopolitical shocks.
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Publication
2026 Monograph (Authorship)
Wohlstand fur alle: Wie Deutschland die Ziele der Sozialen Marktwirtschaft kunftig erreichen kann
Clemens Fuest, Sarah Necker, Florian Neumeier, Andreas Baur
Learn more (https://www.ifo.de/en/publikationen/2026/monographie-autorenschaft/wohlstand-fuer-alle)
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Original text here: https://www.ifo.de/en/press-release/2026-04-28/prosperity-germany-under-pressure-2020
[Category: ThinkTank]
ICTD Convenes Stakeholder Workshop on Informal Taxation in The Gambia
BRIGHTON, England, April 29 -- The International Centre for Tax and Development, an independent research centre that says it focuses on improving tax policy and administration in lower-income countries, issued the following news on April 28, 2026:
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ICTD convenes stakeholder workshop on informal taxation in The Gambia
Across the Gambia, as in many lower-income countries, the informal sector plays a substantial role in livelihoods and economic activity, making up approximately 82 per cent of total employment. How governments engage with this part of the economy raises important questions
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BRIGHTON, England, April 29 -- The International Centre for Tax and Development, an independent research centre that says it focuses on improving tax policy and administration in lower-income countries, issued the following news on April 28, 2026:
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ICTD convenes stakeholder workshop on informal taxation in The Gambia
Across the Gambia, as in many lower-income countries, the informal sector plays a substantial role in livelihoods and economic activity, making up approximately 82 per cent of total employment. How governments engage with this part of the economy raises important questionsaround tax policy, equity, and administration.
Earlier this month, the International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD) convened a stakeholder workshop in collaboration with the Gambia's Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (MOFEA) to discuss evidence-informed options for reforming the country's approach to informal sector taxation.
The workshop brought together around 12-16 from across government and municipal bodies. A key focus of the discussion was the value of bringing actors who do not normally engage with one another into the same room, reflecting a common challenge of limited coordination and dialogue between institutions involved in informal sector governance.
The activity forms part of a new partnership between ICTD and MOFEA, formalised through a recently signed memorandum of understanding, which sets out a shared commitment to using research to inform tax policy decisions.
Dr Max Gallien, ICTD Research Fellow, who led the workshop on behalf of ICTD, said:
"It was a real pleasure to be in The Gambia for this workshop. I spend a lot of my time advocating for the role of evidence in policy, so it was refreshing to walk into a room where that conversation was already well underway. There's a strong team here, and a lot of good ideas, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing where this collaboration goes."
ICTD's research and engagement on informal sector taxation
Informal sector taxation has been a longstanding focus of ICTD's research and policy engagement. Evidence from this work shows that, across many lower-income countries, informal workers and businesses are often subject to a range of formal and informal payments - contrary to common assumptions. This raises important questions about fairness, effectiveness, and how tax systems function in practice.
To support more evidence-based discussion on these issues, ICTD works with policymakers, researchers, and civil society organisations across regions, and in 2025 launched a Community of Practice on Informality and Tax. The initiative provides a forum for shared learning and exchange, drawing on research and country experience to inform ongoing policy debates. The stakeholder workshop in The Gambia contributes to this wider body of work, responding to policy questions identified by national partners.
Visit this webpage to know more about our work on informality and tax.
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Original text here: https://www.ictd.ac/news/ictd-convenes-stakeholder-workshop-on-informal-taxation-in-the-gambia/
[Category: ThinkTank]
Center of the American Experiment Issues Commentary: Why Minnesota's Free School Meals are Getting More Expensive
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, April 29 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on April 28, 2026, by policy fellow Catrin Wigfall:
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Why Minnesota's free school meals are getting more expensive
When Minnesota passed universal school meals in 2023, I warned that the policy's design could create future funding and data problems if not addressed. That is now happening and has prompted a proposed $35 million in additional spending.
Tonight, Gov. Tim Walz will likely tout universal
... Show Full Article
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, April 29 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on April 28, 2026, by policy fellow Catrin Wigfall:
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Why Minnesota's free school meals are getting more expensive
When Minnesota passed universal school meals in 2023, I warned that the policy's design could create future funding and data problems if not addressed. That is now happening and has prompted a proposed $35 million in additional spending.
Tonight, Gov. Tim Walz will likely tout universalschool meals as one of his signature achievements during the State of the State address. But what won't be mentioned are the added ongoing costs to the state budget and the fact that districts must navigate a more complex funding stream.
A big part of this is compensatory aid, which is state funding to schools serving more low-income students. The counts of students determine how much funding is distributed.
Before universal school meals, free and reduced-price lunch (FRPL) applications were the primary way to identify low-income students. While the system was imperfect, it was fairly consistent across districts. The legislature's implementation of universally provided school meals changed that. Once every student gets free breakfast and lunch, fewer families have any reason to fill out those applications.
An uneven replacement
This shifted the state toward "direct certification," which automatically identifies low-income students by pulling participation data from programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP). Families don't need to complete any paperwork, but it doesn't catch every eligible student, especially those from families who qualify but aren't enrolled in these programs.
While districts can try to fill the gaps with other forms, participation is uneven. This leaves a funding formula problem for districts to deal with -- not because demographics differ but because the methods of collecting data do.
Districts with higher rates of students in SNAP or MFIP have, in many cases, benefited under the new system. Districts that previously relied more on FRPL application data, and whose low-income families don't fit direct certification categories, risk undercounting and corresponding funding losses.
Temporary fixes are becoming a habit
The legislature kicked the can down the road with a temporary "hold harmless" provision for FY 2025 and then modified it for FY 2026 to prevent these budget swings. That provision expires in July, and no long-term solution is in place. Instead, another "temporary" solution has been proposed that would extend the hold harmless provision through FY 2027 and add roughly $35 million in new spending to buy back projected funding losses. Lawmakers have essentially handed off the hard part of structural reform to a Compensatory Revenue Task Force created in earlier legislation.
It is likely the universal school meals program is here to stay, but this policy shift created the identification gap in the first place and put school districts, lawmakers, and now a task force in charge of cleaning up the consequences. The task force's job essentially becomes to reconstruct the income-targeting that the program eliminated. But the legislature's deference of this fix to a task force doesn't guarantee policymakers will act on its recommendations -- or that the recommendations will reflect a real solution to begin with.
Without a firm commitment to address these structural problems, or a return to an income-based model, Minnesota risks relying on temporary fixes and continued spending increases. Tonight the governor will call this program a success. The school districts still waiting on a real funding fix might describe it differently.
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Catrin Wigfall is a Policy Fellow at Center of the American Experiment.
catrin.wigfall@americanexperiment.org
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Original text here: https://www.americanexperiment.org/why-minnesotas-free-school-meals-are-getting-more-expensive/
[Category: ThinkTank]
Center of the American Experiment Issues Commentary: Sooner State Joins the Southern Surge
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, April 29 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on April 28, 2026, by policy fellow Josiah Padley:
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The Sooner State joins the Southern Surge
Oklahoma has just passed a comprehensive early literacy reform package that mimics the "best in class" legislation of the Southern Surge.
The term Southern Surge denotes recent significant educational progress, particularly in early literacy, made by Southern states like Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama.
... Show Full Article
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, April 29 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on April 28, 2026, by policy fellow Josiah Padley:
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The Sooner State joins the Southern Surge
Oklahoma has just passed a comprehensive early literacy reform package that mimics the "best in class" legislation of the Southern Surge.
The term Southern Surge denotes recent significant educational progress, particularly in early literacy, made by Southern states like Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama.In particular, Mississippi's early literacy reform package, which includes teacher training, "science of reading" curriculum requirements, increased tutoring and intervention opportunities, and a third grade retention policy, has caught the eye of many policymakers across the nation.
The reforms are past due for the Sooner State, which has performed at the bottom of the rankings nationally for a number of years. Lawmakers cited Mississippi's success as a key inspiration for the reforms.
Oklahoma's new program creates three tiers of reading instruction and support for K-3 students. Students who are reading below grade level automatically qualify for Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports, including small-group lessons, extra tutoring, summer programs and transitional classrooms.
Parents are an important part of the equation. Now, all Oklahoma parents will be notified within thirty days if their child is considered behind grade level in reading, and will receive monthly updates on their child's improvement plan. As parents typically get involved when they know their child is at academic risk, this will hopefully lead to more bedtime stories for academically struggling children.
While the reform package does include a third grade retention policy, it's lenient. Students have multiple opportunities to pass the third grade reading exam, and exceptions to the retention policy are plentiful. State policymakers said that they intended the retention policy to act as an impetus for systems-level change, not as a primary tool for learning.
Additionally, the famously close-pursed Oklahoma lawmakers are putting their money where their mouth is. The state's budget now includes an addition of more than $26 million to a fund that supports literacy instruction in public schools and an extra $100 million to raise all teachers' minimum salaries by $2,000. $5 million was spent to expand a team of literacy coaches at the Oklahoma State Department of Education from five to twenty coaches. These relatively small financial investments prioritize how money is spent over how much money is spent.
The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) President Jonathan Small praised the legislation, saying:
"Too often, people have blamed Oklahoma's poor outcomes on funding or poverty rates, but Mississippi's demographics and spending are similar to Oklahoma's, yet they have far outpaced our state when it comes to literacy. There's no reason to claim Oklahoma children cannot be taught to read."
What's more, Oklahoma's new reform package focuses on the creation of a grassroots network of early literacy experts. Oklahoma's Education Department is creating a new early literacy micro-credential program, called "teacher academies," with Oklahoma colleges and universities. Every school district in Oklahoma is now required to employ at least one reading specialist, reading interventionist or staff member who has completed the micro-credential program. As staff members complete the micro-credential, they will be able to disseminate information about the science of early literacy and best pedagogical practices to their district. The best part of the deal for district staff? Certified school employees who complete the program will receive a $3,000 stipend from the Education Department.
It's encouraging to see Oklahoma get serious about academic achievement and pass smart policies aimed at improving the lives of their students.
While Minnesota overhauled early literacy instruction through the Minnesota Reading to Ensure Academic Development (READ) Act, passed and signed into law in 2023, there's still room to improve on a strong start. Lawmakers should consider passing a variation of a third grade retention policy, investing in more early literacy academic supports like tutoring, and strengthening the current parental notification policy for struggling students by adding monthly progress reports. Transitioning from a potentially-unwieldy requirement for each struggling student to have a "personalized learning plan" to a streamlined intervention tier system might also refine the policy.
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Josiah Padley is a Policy Fellow at Center of the American Experiment.
josiah.padley@americanexperiment.org
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Original text here: https://www.americanexperiment.org/the-sooner-state-joins-the-southern-surge/
[Category: ThinkTank]
Center for American Progress: Policymakers Can Turn Demand for Unions Into Reality
WASHINGTON, April 29 (TNSrep) -- The Center for American Progress issued the following news release on April 28, 2026:
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Policymakers Can Turn Demand for Unions Into Reality
Roughly half of workers say they want to join a union, but only about 6 percent of private sector workers are members. A new Center for American Progress analysis (https://www.americanprogress.org/article/6-policies-proved-to-increase-union-membership/) identifies six proven policies that can close that gap and significantly boost union membership.
Elected leaders can play a decisive role in helping workers organize
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 29 (TNSrep) -- The Center for American Progress issued the following news release on April 28, 2026:
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Policymakers Can Turn Demand for Unions Into Reality
Roughly half of workers say they want to join a union, but only about 6 percent of private sector workers are members. A new Center for American Progress analysis (https://www.americanprogress.org/article/6-policies-proved-to-increase-union-membership/) identifies six proven policies that can close that gap and significantly boost union membership.
Elected leaders can play a decisive role in helping workers organizeand collectively bargain. A combination of policies working together can help overcome existing structural barriers and create a broadly supportive environment for unions to thrive. While federal action is needed to fully implement many of these reforms, states have tools to move forward on a number of key issues.
"Workers want a voice on the job, but the current system makes it far too difficult to organize and bargain collectively," said David Madland, senior fellow to the American Worker Project at CAP and author of the analysis. "If we are serious about building an economy that works for workers, these policies have to be part of the solution."
The analysis identifies six proven policy strategies that increase union membership:
* Strengthen workplace organizing and bargaining. Policies that limit employer interference, support fair union elections, and ensure workers can secure first contracts increase the likelihood that workers successfully form unions and join them.
* Improve union access to workers. Giving unions the ability to communicate with workers, including access to contact information and workplace spaces, significantly boosts recruitment and retention.
* Promote sectoral bargaining. Establishing industrywide standards expands organizing opportunities, reduces employer resistance, and creates a level playing field that supports union growth. Recent CAP modeling finds that sectoral bargaining could help significantly increase membership and coverage.
* Create Ghent-style systems. Allowing unions to help administer public benefits increases worker engagement and can raise union membership rates by large margins. International evidence shows these systems can increase union membership by more than 20 percent.
* Support dues paying. Policies that make it easier for workers to contribute to unions, including repealing right-to-work laws, encourage membership and strengthen unions' ability to operate.
* Provide public funding for union activities. Measures such as tax credits for dues or support for striking workers reduce the cost of participation and increase membership.
Read the analysis: "6 Policies Proved To Increase Union Membership" (https://www.americanprogress.org/article/6-policies-proved-to-increase-union-membership/) by David Madland
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Christian Unkenholz at cunkenholz@americanprogress.org.
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Original text here: https://www.americanprogress.org/press/release-policymakers-can-turn-demand-for-unions-into-reality/
[Category: ThinkTank]
AFPI-MN Responds to Governor Walz's Final State of the State Address as Fraud Toll Reaches $9 Billion
WASHINGTON, April 29 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on April 28, 2026:
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AFPI-MN Responds to Governor Walz's Final State of the State Address as Fraud Toll Reaches $9 Billion
MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- America First Policy Institute (AFPI) Minnesota state chapter Executive Director Zach Freimark issued the following statement ahead of Governor Tim Walz's eighth and final State of the State address. "Fraud is expected to be on the agenda--and it should be. But before he takes that podium, Minnesotans deserve the full accounting of what happened."
The House Oversight
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 29 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on April 28, 2026:
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AFPI-MN Responds to Governor Walz's Final State of the State Address as Fraud Toll Reaches $9 Billion
MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- America First Policy Institute (AFPI) Minnesota state chapter Executive Director Zach Freimark issued the following statement ahead of Governor Tim Walz's eighth and final State of the State address. "Fraud is expected to be on the agenda--and it should be. But before he takes that podium, Minnesotans deserve the full accounting of what happened."
The House OversightCommittee has made clear that criminals in Minnesota stole an estimated $9 billion in taxpayer funds intended to feed children, support autistic children, house low-income and disabled Americans, and provide healthcare to vulnerable Medicaid recipients. Here is a record of where Minnesota taxpayers' money actually went:
* Feeding Our Future grew from $307,000 in 2018 to $199 million in 2021--and federal prosecutors say the vast majority was fraudulent.
* Housing Stabilization Services went from $27 million in 2021 to $105 million in 2024, against an original estimate of $2.6 million per year--shut down in August 2025 after state officials discovered large-scale fraud. Fraud became so rampant, out of state fraudsters came to Minnesota to exploit programs.
* Autism program spending went from $24 million in 2019 to $342 million in 2024.
* Integrated Community Supports exploded from $4.6 million in 2021 to $170 million in 2024.
* Defendants spent stolen taxpayer dollars on cars, property, and luxury travel, and wired millions overseas--including to banks and companies in China.
* Over $1 billion in federal taxpayer dollars was stolen after hundreds of state employees raised fraud warnings that were ignored.
Minnesota has been in a downward spiral over the last 8 years:
* Violent Crime increased 19%
* Reading Proficiency went from 59% to 49%. Math Proficiency went from 55% to 45%
* National Education Ranking went from #6 to #19
* Median Household Income went from $98,000 to $92,000. For the first time ever, the average income for Minnesotans is below the national average.
* Net Migration -48,000
In response to the fraud and abuses uncovered in Minnesota and other states, the America First Policy Institute is fighting back. AFPI has launched a new public toolkit geared toward state legislators to combat waste, fraud, and abuse across public assistance programs, as well as targeted food stamp program reforms. Hannah Anderson, the Director of Healthy America at AFPI, stated, "The Trump administration is holding the line for American taxpayers. VP Vance chaired the first meeting of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, calling for a 'whole-government approach' and stating that fraud is 'not just the theft of the American people's money--it is also the theft of critical services that the American people rely on.' This is why we recently released a toolkit for states on local lawmakers to ensure that every dollar committed to vulnerable Americans is not diverted towards criminal enterprise."
Tonight, as Governor Walz delivers his final address, the America First Policy Institute will continue to focus on policies that ensure Minnesota--and every state--never finds itself here again.
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Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/afpi-mn-responds-to-governor-walzs-final-state-of-the-state-address-as-fraud-toll-reaches-9-billion
[Category: ThinkTank]
