block grant
categorical grant
Civil Rights Act of 1964
commerce clause
cooperative federalism
federal grants
Incorporation Doctrine
mandate
matching funds
No Child Left Behind
revenue sharing
Sovereignty
States’ Rights
Block grant: A type of grant from the federal government to state or local governments, which gives them flexibility in how they use the funds to address specific needs, usually within a broad policy area.
Categorical grant: A type of grant from the federal government to state or local governments, which provides funds for specific programs or projects, usually with strict guidelines for how the funds can be used.
Civil Rights Act of 1964: A landmark federal legislation that prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It also ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination.
Commerce clause: A clause in the United States Constitution (Article I, Section 8) that grants Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce. This clause has been interpreted broadly, allowing the federal government to regulate a wide range of economic activities.
Cooperative federalism: A system of federalism in which the federal, state, and local governments work together to jointly develop and implement policies, often with overlapping responsibilities and shared funding.
Federal grants: Financial assistance provided by the federal government to state or local governments, nonprofit organizations, or individuals for a specific purpose or project.
Incorporation Doctrine: The legal principle that certain provisions of the United States Constitution, specifically those protecting individual rights, apply to state governments through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This doctrine has led to the selective incorporation of constitutional rights into state law.
Mandate: A directive or requirement imposed by the federal government on state or local governments, often with little or no accompanying funding. Mandates can include regulations, policies, or program requirements.
Matching funds: Funds provided by one level of government on the condition that another level of government or a non-governmental entity provides an equal or matching amount of funds. This is often used to encourage cooperation or leverage additional resources.
No Child Left Behind: A federal education law enacted in 2001, which aimed to improve the quality of education by setting standards for student achievement and holding schools accountable for their performance. It has since been replaced by the Every Student Succeeds Act in 2015.
Revenue sharing: A policy in which the federal government allocates a portion of tax revenues to state or local governments, usually with few restrictions on how the funds can be used. It is a form of fiscal federalism.
Sovereignty: The authority or power of a government to govern itself and make decisions without interference from external sources. In the context of federalism, sovereignty refers to the division of powers between the federal government and the states.
States’ Rights: The political principle that emphasizes the rights and powers of individual states within a federal system of government. It is often associated with a decentralized government structure and a limited role for the federal government in state affairs.