Leaders of Both Parties Share Stories of Solutions that Work to Improve Lives in Their Communities
**Interviews Available – Authors include Wes Moore, Rahm Emanuel, Gov. Mike DeWine, Gov. Tate Reeves, the Mayors of Denver/San José/Tulsa/Birmingham, and More
Media Contact: Zachary Coile
Email: [email protected]; Phone: (202) 714-1750
WASHINGTON, D.C. — At a time of declining trust in government, more than two dozen governors, mayors, Members of Congress, former White House leaders, state legislators, state school chiefs, rural county leaders and nonprofit leaders are joining to launch a new bipartisan book sharing how they are implementing effective solutions to some of America’s toughest challenges – Do What Works: Smarter Government, Better Results (Disruption Books). The book will be released on September 29.
According to data from Pew Research, trust in government is near the lowest levels in seven decades. A recent survey from the Partnership for Public Service found that only 27% of the public say they trust the federal government, while 75% say that it is “wasteful.”
But what if governments routinely delivered better results? What if government leaders invested in more effective solutions that improved lives and saved taxpayer dollars? Results for America’s new book, Do What Works, shares stories from across the country of where that’s happening right now:
- Mississippi followed proven evidence and saw student test scores rise faster than any other state in the country.
- Denver set an ambitious goal to end unsheltered homelessness, and reduced unsheltered homelessness by 64 percent in three years.
- Birmingham, Alabama invested in an early literacy program that triples the chances that kids are ready for kindergarten.
- Dallas united around shared goals and reduced child poverty faster than any major U.S. city.
- Chicago expanded high-quality youth mentoring to serve thousands more young people.
- Maryland shifted millions of dollars to data-driven, community-led solutions.
- Ohio invested in its workers and became the No. 1 state in the country to do business.
- San José empowered city workers to use AI to improve public services, from faster bus times to swifting housing permitting.
- Audrain County, Missouri kept hundreds of rural workers on the job by supporting their financial and emotional wellness.
- Tennessee increased high-impact tutoring and reduced Covid-related learning loss.
- Tulsa responded to the legacy of the 1921 race massacre by expanding opportunity for residents.
- New York invested in a proven workforce program that raises lifetime earnings by an average $1.8 million per graduate.
From the authors of the national bestseller Moneyball for Government, this inspiring collection of essays offers a blueprint for how governments everywhere can improve results, invest taxpayer dollars more effectively, and rebuild public trust.
“Americans across the political spectrum want a government that works,” said Michele Jolin, CEO and Co-Founder of Results for America, who edited the new book. “This book highlights governors, mayors and other leaders of both parties who are testing bold ideas, making decisions based on hard data, and investing in proven solutions that improve the lives of the American people.”
“At a time when many Americans are losing faith in government, this book offers not only hope, but concrete steps that every government leader can take to deliver better results,” said David Medina, COO and Co-Founder of Results for America and a co-editor of the book.
Chapter Authors
Wes Moore (D-Maryland)
Governor Mike DeWine (R-Ohio)
Governor Tate Reeves (R-Mississippi)
Congressman Greg Landsman (D-Ohio)
Congressman Rudy Yakym (R-Indiana)
Peter Orszag, former Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (Obama)
John Bridgeland, former Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council (G.W. Bush)
Ambassador and former Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D-Chicago)
Mayor Mike Johnston (D-Denver)
Mayor Randall Woodfin (D-Birmingham)
Mayor Monroe Nichols (D-Tulsa)
Former Mayor G.T. Bynum (R-Tulsa)
Mayor Matt Mahan (D-San José)
Carey Wright, former Mississippi Superintendent of Education
Tennessee Commissioner of Education Lizzette Reynolds
Assemblymember Amanda Septimo (D-New York)
Commissioner Leslie Meyer (R-Audrain County, Missouri)
Lisa Morrison Butler, former Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services, and Executive Vice President and Chief Impact Officer at Results for America
Rosanne Haggerty, President and CEO of Community Solutions
Jennifer Blatz, CEO of StriveTogether
Alan Cohen, Founder and CEO of the Child Poverty Action Lab
Todd Williams, Chairman and CEO of the Commit Partnership
Plinio Ayala, CEO of Per Scholas
Praise for Do What Works:
“Over a decade ago, Moneyball for Government identified the need for a data-driven approach to policymaking that could make America work better. Do What Works answers that call, highlighting successful efforts from governors, mayors, nonprofit leaders, and others who have used evidence and data to make life better for the people they serve. The stories in this book should inspire all leaders to follow the data, relentlessly measure results, and take risks on promising new ideas that can expand opportunity for all Americans.” — Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation, and author of Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens
“The real work of governing today is not just imagining better ideas—it is delivering them. Do What Works takes you inside the rooms, statehouses, and city halls, red and blue alike, where leaders demonstrate what that takes and how plans become results communities can see and feel. What emerges is a book of practical examples—lessons any public official can lift—of government that performs and earns trust in the currency this moment demands: with impact.” — James Anderson, Head of Government Innovation, Bloomberg Philanthropies
About the Editors:
Michele Jolin and David Medina are the Co-Founders of Results for America, a national nonprofit that helps governments find, fund and implement solutions that work to accelerate upward economic mobility and improve lives. They previously co-edited the national bestseller Moneyball for Government, which helped inspire hundreds of governments across the country to shift billions of dollars to more effective solutions.
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