Public Policy Midterm Exam Review

Effectivness

Evaluation criteria - did the policy meet its intended goal? is it working?

Acceptability

Evaluation criteria - the extent to which a policy is deemed to be satisfactory or adequate by those who use it. Opinion polls provide evidence.

Cost

Evaluation criteria - is the cost of the policy reasonable and affordable? Is the cost worth it?

Equity

Evaluation criteria - Does the policy create inequities based on race, sex, ethnicity or other characteristics?

Sustainability

Evaluation criteria - can the policy work over time? Are their resources to carry this out in the long-term?

Feasibility

Evaluation criteria - is it possible to carry out the policy given the resources available?

Great depression

Economic crisis in 1929 that set the agenda for social safety net policies including unemployment and Social Security.

New Deal

A series of reforms enacted by the Franklin Roosevelt administration with the goal of ending the Great Depression. Included Social Security and other safety net programs.

TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)

Means-tested program, states determine the eligibility of needy families and the benefits and services those families will receive.

SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)

Means-tested program that provides recipients with a debit card for food at most grocery stores; formerly known as food stamps.

Social Security

Guaranteed retirement payments for enrolled workers beginning at age 65. Entitlement program, paid for by taxes.

WIC (Women, Infants, and Children)

A federal program that provides help for nutrition and health care to low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5

Medicare

A federal program of health insurance for persons 65 years of age and older. An entitlement program.

Medicaid

A federal and state assistance program that pays for health care services for people who cannot afford them. Means-tested, based on income.

CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program)

A medical coverage source for individuals under age 19 whose parents earn too much income to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to pay for private coverage.

ACA (Affordable Care Act)

in 2010, it was designed to provide more access to affordable health insurance. Individual mandate, parents keep kids on insurance until 26, no lifetime caps, no disqualification based on prior health condition.

FHA (Federal Housing Act)

Passed in 1945, Gave loans with less down payment and lower interest rates. Let to increase in home ownership.

Redlining

A process by which banks draw lines on a map and refuse to lend money to purchase homes within a certain area. Let to racial inequities in housing and long-term wealth accumulation.

Adoption

Phase of policy making in which laws or policies are officially passed, usually by a legislative body.

Implementation

Phase of policy making in which the policy is enacted, usually by an executive body.

Agenda Setting

The circumstances or problem that result in ideas for a policy to fix the problem; getting an agenda in the public eye to get attention.

Fomulaton

Phase of policy making that involve actually creating the policy.

Evaluation

Phase of policy that involves collecting data to assess the policy.

Mandatory spending

Required govt spending by permanent laws; most expensive item is health care (medicare and medicaid)

Housing Choice Vouchers

Government subsidies to pay rent to a private landlord. Also known as "section 8" housing.

Public Housing

Housing owned by the government; in the United States, it is rented to low-income residents, and the rents are set at 30 percent of the families' incomes.

Unemployment Insurance

A government program that partially protects workers' incomes when they become unemployed. Must have lost job due to no fault of your own.

Means-tested program

A program in which, to be eligible, an individual's income and assets must not exceed specified levels. Must qualify to receive services based on income.

Entitlement program

a program that provides benefits for those who qualify under the law, regardless of income. Medicare and Social Secruity.

Dodd-Frank Act (2010)

Massive U.S. financial reform law enacted after the 2008 crisis to increasing oversight, protecting consumers, and reducing systemic risk. Created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Fair Housing Act of 1968

Federal law that prohibits discrimination in housing-related activities based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin, ensuring equal housing opportunities for everyone. Banned redlining.

Public Policy

A system of laws and regulations made by the government in response to specific societal issues or problems on behalf of the public.

Laws/statutes

Most public policies are in the form of these, which are official codes created by a legislative body.

Federalism

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments. Public policy is made at all three levels.

No Child Left Behind

Federal law that holds states, schools, and school districts more accountable for their standardized tests scores. Was replaced by Race to the Top, then ESSA.

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

Federal Law that replaced the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) to provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps. Ranks schools by stars.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

A federal law that governs student confidentiality in schools Rrequires that schools not share any personally identifiable information about a student or his/her family, and gives families access to student records.

Title IX of Education Act of 1972

Prohibited gender discrimination in federally subsidized education programs.

Blueprint for Maryland's Future

A Maryland law passed in 2019 with the goal of improving educaiton in MD. Pilars include early childhood edcuation, high quality workforce, college and career readiness, and resources for students with disabilities and English Language Learners.

Kerwin Commission

Studied the problems with education in Maryland and wrote a 150 page report that was used to create the Blueprint for Maryland's Future.

Stakeholders

All the people who stand to gain or lose by the policies adopted by the government.

Institutions

The legislative body or government agency that adopts amd implements public policy.

Interests

Groups that play a role to get a policy on the agenda and adopted. Often these are "interest groups" or "advocacy groups." Sometimes they are stakeholders in the policy, but not always.

Clery Act

Law passed that requires college to report safety issues at their school. Agenda set by the murder of Jean Clery in her dorm room. Parents were interests and stakeholders. Adopted by US Congress.

McKenny-Vento Act of 1987

Addresses the problems homeless children and youth face in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school.

Perkins Act (1984)

Provides funding for career and technical education programs that prepare students for jobs and careers.

Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965

Provided federal funding for primary and secondary education and was meant to improve the education and elminate poverty. This was the first federal program to fund education.