U.S. Federal Government
These U.S. Department of Education is the first and best source of U.S. Government information, including laws and guidelines, data and reports, and news about education in the U.S. The U. S. National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) collects, analyzes, and reports on educational data. Direct links to major reports and surveys from the NCES are on the Education Data and Statistics tab of this guide.
U.S. Federal Government watchdog agencies are excellent sources for critiques of education and other public policy issues. The library's guide provides links to agencies such as the Congressional Research Service and the General Accountability Office.
State Government Associations
Most of these sites are advocacy and research organizations serving professionals working in state government and all are excellent sources on state government and issues. A Google-based search engine enables you to search the contents of all these sites.
- American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
- Center for State and Local Government Excellence
- Council of Chief State School Officers
- Council on State Governments
- Education Commission of the States
- Federation of Tax Administrators
- Governors Highway Safety Association
- National Association of Attorneys General
- National Association of Secretaries of State
- National Association of State Budget Officers
- National Association of State Chief Information Officers
- National Association of State Election Directors
- National Center for State Courts
- National Conference of State Legislatures
- National Governors' Association
- National Institute on Money in State Politics
- Stateline.org (Pew Center on the States)
State Government Sites
Reliable sources for getting to authoritative information:
- Book of the States
- State Blue Books and Encyclopedias
- National Survey of State Laws (Law Library subscription via Hein Online)
- State Constitutions, Statutes, and Codes (Cornell University)
- Administrative Rules (Rules made by state agencies.)
- Open States (tools for tracking legislation and legislators)
- State Agency Database (American Library Association project)
- Law by Source: State (Cornell University; see also their Statutes by Topic listing)
- State Legislature Web Sites (Library of Congress)
- State Court Web Sites (National Center for State Courts)
- Open Government Guide ("every state's open records and open meetings laws")
These sites contain links to all state government sites in the U.S.
Local Government Associations
Most of these sites are advocacy and research organizations serving professionals working in local government and all are excellent sources on state government and issues. A Google-based search engine enables you to search the contents of all these sites.
- International City/County Management Association
- National Association of Counties
- National Association of Towns and Townships
- National Civic League
- National League of Cities
- U.S. Conference of Mayors
- National School Boards Association
- National Association of Conservation Districts
- City Mayors (international scope)
Local Government Sites
These comprehensive sites contain links to local government sites in the U.S.
More focused services.
- Municipal Code Library (not all of them, but lots)
- Public Records Online (again, not everything is available free-of-charge)