Words Matter
A plain-language glossary for the words that shape public life.
Political Systems & Ideologies
Government structures and political philosophies that shape how power is distributed, who makes decisions, and how authority is justified. These terms are often used loosely. This section pins down their actual meanings and explains how they function in practice.
Shadow Docket
The Supreme Court’s emergency decisions and procedural orders issued without full briefing or explanation. These fast, often unsigned rulings can have significant legal and policy effects.
Voucher System
A voucher system allows families to use public funds to pay for private school tuition. Funding follows the student, and oversight varies by state and program design.
Charter School
A publicly funded school that operates under a performance contract granting it more flexibility in exchange for meeting academic, financial, and governance expectations.
Achievement Gap
Differences in academic outcomes between groups of students, reflecting unequal access to learning opportunities, instruction, and resources.
Special Education
Provides individualized supports and instructional services for students with disabilities under federal law. It uses IEPs, accommodations, and specialized instruction to ensure access to grade-level learning.
Curriculum Standards
State-defined expectations for what students should learn at each grade level. They guide curriculum, instruction, and assessments and ensure consistency across schools while leaving teaching methods to local educators.
Attendance Policy
Define how schools track student attendance, classify absences, notify families, and intervene when students miss school. They operate within state laws and influence funding, instruction, and accountability.
School Board
The local governing body that sets policy, oversees budgets, and supervises the superintendent of a public school district. Boards adopt rules for curriculum, staffing, and operations and serve as the connection between state requirements and local implementation.
Revolution
The rapid replacement of a political or social system, driven by collective mobilization and the collapse of existing authority. It differs from reform because it creates a new governing order rather than adjusting the old one.
Regulation
Rules and standards that governments set to guide behavior, manage risk, and protect public interests. Regulations are created by agencies under legislative authority and enforced through inspections, reporting, and oversight.
Libertarian
A political ideology that emphasizes individual freedom, limited government, and strong protections for personal and economic choice. Libertarianism prioritizes restricting state power, favoring free markets and narrowly defined government functions.
Use of Force
Refers to the actions officers may take to gain control of a situation, ranging from verbal commands to deadly force. Laws and policies require that force be reasonable, necessary, and proportional, and agencies review incidents for compliance with constitutional and departmental standards.
Probable Cause
The legal standard that allows officers to make an arrest, conduct a search, or obtain a warrant when specific facts create a reasonable belief that a crime has occurred or that evidence is present. It is stronger than suspicion and reviewed by courts for constitutional compliance.
Jurisdiction
The legal authority of a government, court, or agency to make decisions or enforce laws. It can be based on geography, subject matter, or institutional role and determines which body has the power to act in a given situation.
Civic Literacy
Civic literacy is the ability to understand how public systems work and how to navigate them. It includes knowledge of governmental structures, rights, responsibilities, and the practical skills needed to engage effectively in public life.
Hot-Spot Policing
Hot-spot policing directs police resources to small areas where crime is most concentrated. The strategy is data-driven and targets specific blocks or locations rather than entire neighborhoods. Tactics vary—from patrols to problem-solving to environmental changes—and outcomes depend heavily on how the approach is implemented.
Fiscal Responsibility
Fiscal responsibility refers to how governments manage public money to meet current obligations while maintaining long-term stability. It involves planning, tradeoffs, and balancing revenues and expenditures—not just spending cuts. The term appears often in debates about budgets, taxes, and public investment, sometimes without clear definition.