Discuss the results of a review of GAO¿s diversity programs. Examines diversity at the top levels of 5 legislative branch agencies. Garcia¿s testimony addresses: (1) whether GAO¿s diversity programs and initiatives are achieving better representation of women and minorities in the agency¿s Senior Exec. Service (SES) and managerial ranks (GS-15), and their equivalents; (2) the accuracy and completeness of the FY 2007 complaint and discrimination data reported to Congress; and (3) the independent authority and reporting relationships of the Managing Director of GAO¿s Office of Opportunity and Inclusiveness. Charts and tables.

GAO, like other fed. agencies, faces challenges in increasing diversity in its workforce, including top leadership. Because of congressional interest in the effectiveness of diversity offices and the under-representation of women and minorities in legislative branch agencies, Congress asked the GAO¿s Inspector General to: (1) determine whether GAO¿s diversity efforts are achieving better representation of women and minorities in top leadership; (2) evaluate the accuracy and completeness of GAO¿s FY 2007 complaint and discrimination data; and (3) assess the independence and reporting relationships of the head of GAO¿s Office of Opportunity and Inclusiveness. Includes recommendations. Illustrations.

In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

Abstract: A companion volume to the General Accounting Office's report on the subject of food safety and quality, this book contains a more detailed description of the food safety and quality activities of the twelve federal agencies discussed in the first volume. The book is arranged by agency and deals with food safety activities that assure that food is safe, sanitary, wholesome, and properly labeled and with food quality activities that establish standards of quality and condition, grading of food products according to standards, and inspecting food products for compilance with the standards.

The over 7,000 public servants comprising the career Senior Executive Service (SES) are critical to the functioning of the federal government. Established as a government-wide executive corps by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, the SES is at a critical juncture in its history. They are called on to lead the unbelievably complex organizations and programs that deliver public goods and services. They manage a federal budget that exceeds $3.5 trillion annually, and millions of people in and out of uniform--and in and out of government--depend on them for direction and leadership. This book published by the National Academy of Public Administration, Building a 21st Century SES: Ensuring Leadership Excellence in Our Federal Government, brings together the practical perspectives of leaders with substantial experience with the SES. The commentators address such issues as the proper institutional role of SES, the most critical leadership qualities for the 21st Century, the development of the next generation of career leaders, and opportunities to revitalize the SES for future decades.