Chapter 12 Texas Government 2306

Public Policy

outputs of government institutions;the expressed goals of a government body backed by incentives or sanctions

What are the different stages of the policy-making process?

problem identification, policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation

Problem Identification

The first stage to policy making, society and political actors develop an understanding of how we must think about and address a particular problem

Policy Formulation

The second stage of the policy making process, here problems become clarified and strategies for dealing with these specifically defined problems are developed. Includes the detailed procedures in passing legislation as well as in making administrative rules and regulations

Implementation

The third stage in the policy-making process where goals of the public policy along with the incentives or sanctions to support them are put into effect by a particular government agency

Identifying the appropriate agency is crucial at what stage in the policy-making process?

Implementation

Evaluation

The fourth stage in the policy-making process where the policy is evaluated for its effectiveness, asses the stated goals of a particular policy

Policy Legitimation

seen through the policy-making process, the establishment and recognition in the policitical community of the legality and constitutionality of a particular policy initiative

rationality

the idea n public-policy making that we have clearly identified goals and that we seek to achieve these goals in an optimal or efficient manner

What are some things that work against the rationality of policy-making?

vagueness in policy-identification along with compromise and the fact that governments work incrementally

Bounded Reality

the idea in policy making that decision makers may seek satisfactory solutions to problems that are not necessarily optimal or efficient

4 policy areas for shaping political life

education, welfare, healthcare, and water

Challenges facing educational policy in Texas

low expenditures per student, demographics are majority disadvantaged and minority, high dropout rates

Gilmer-Aikin Laws

education reform legislation passed in 1949 the supplemented local funding of education with public monies, raised teachers salaried, mandated a minimum length for the school year and provided for more state supervision of public education

Agency formed due to Gilmer-Aiking laws - was originally known as?

Texas Education Agency (TEA) originally known as State Department of Education

What are some of the functions of the TEA

responsible for setting standards in public schools, supervising public schools of the state, and for handling federal funds related to public education

3 issues that have played a major role in shaping educational policy:

desegregation, equity in funding, and the search for educational excellence

Desegregation

Due to Brown vs. Board of Education, ruled segregation was not supported by the 14th amendment and integrated schools

Equal Protection Claus

provision in the 14th amendment of the US constitution guaranteeing citizens the "equal protection of the law"; this clause has been the basis for the civil rights of African Americans, women, and other groups

San Antonio vs. Rodriquez

argued the current system of financing in public schools was unfair and demanded schooling be subsidized, overturned and deemed states such as Texas were not required to subsidize poorer school districts

Edgewood vs Kirby

considered whether the system of funding public schools through through local property taxes fulfilled the Texas State constitutions provisions on education

What compromises were made in lieu of the Robin Hood plan for school funding?

Property taxes cut by 1/3, expanded business tax, and $1 per pack tax on on cigarettes

Vouchers

Tea Party idea that allows students leave a school if it is underperforming and take their money with them

Charter Schools

make more options available to people who are in poor performing districts, increased flexibility to deliver education to student populations with special needs

New Deal

President Roosevelts program in 1930 to stimulate the national economy and provide relief to victims of the great depression

Aid to Families with Dependent Children

a federally and state-financed program for children living with parents or relatives who fell below state stands in need

Medicaid

a federal and state program financing medical aid to low income people

Supplementary Security Income

a national welfare program passed in 1972 that provides assistance to low-income elderly or disabled individuals; replaced the federal state programs that had offered assistance to the blind, permanently and totally disabled and the aged

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

a welfare program passed in 1996 to provide temporary assistance to families with needy children; replacing the AFDC and TANF sought to make poor families self sufficient and to give states greater flexibility setting benefit levels, eligibility requirements and other program details

How are welfare reforms evaluated?

number of people receiving welfare assistance decrease, and a degree to which the reforms take people off welfare and move them into jobs

Who has the highest rate of people without health insurance?

Texas

Medicaid

Health Care for Poor

Medicare

Health Care of Old

Who administers Medicaid?

Health and Human Services

Law of Capture

the idea that the first person to capture water or oil by pumping it out of the ground and using it owns that water or oil

Social Security Act of 1935

During Roosevelt's president, after the depression, created to prevent poor people from not being taken care of

Supplemental Security Income

a national welfare program passed in 1972 that provides assistance to low-income elderly or disabled individuals; replaced the federal state programs that had offered assistance to the blind, the permanently and totally disabled and the aged

What was the key problem with AFDC and Family Support Act?

More people were getting on welfare or receiving food stamps, it was almost encouraged to have single parent families and more children

Some changes George W. Bush favored to reduce families receiving AFDC/wefare:

strengthening child support procedures and policies, 2 year limits, requiring state sponsored jobs, creating child care and job training programs, requiring unwed mother to live with their parents or grandparents, moving family support systems from state to local governments

Temporary Aid For Needy Families

A welfare program passed in 1996 to provide temporary assistance to families with needy children; replaced AFDC program, TANF sought to to make poor families self sufficient and to give states greater flexibility in setting benefit levels

Form of health care established under social security

Medicaid

How is the federal portion of Medicare determined

comparing the average state per capita income to the

Where does a majority of our water come from?

59% come from aquifers

What is a majority of water used for?

60% is used for irrigation

Water Rights Adjudication Act

merged the various water rights doctrines dating back to the nineteenth century into a unified water permit system - required individuals seeking water rights to file a claim with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality before using the water

Law regarding water flowing or percolating under ground

Ground water law

Texas Department of Water Resources

develop Texas water resources, maintain the quality of water, and assure an equitable distribution of water rights

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

enforces the Texas Water Department Board regulations

Texas Water Department Board

composed of 6 members that have the following responsibiliets - support regional water plans, develop state water plan every 5 years, provide financial assistance to local governments for water supply, flood protection, agricultural water conservation projects, creation of groundwater districts, administering the water district, administering the water trust, data collection of freshwater needs

Satisficing

satisfactory ways of solving a problem

A factor that works against rationality and efficiency in the making of public policy

governments work incrementally

An example of policy legitimation is

the Supreme Court upholds the constitutionality of a law

Which case addresses equity in the funding of public schools

Edgewood V. Kirby

Poverty among those over 65 and under 18 is

above the national average

The welfare reforms in the 1990s

resulted from a popular belief that welfare had failed, led to 36 month limitation on welfare benefits, led to 5 year ban on reapplying for benefits once benefits ran out, expanded education and job training

2 presidents who had a major role in welfare policy are

roosevelt and johnson

TRUE or FALSE: Texas can apply for a waiver with the federal government, enabling it to create programs directed toward particular clients

TRUE

TRUE or FALSE: attempts to regulate ground water frequently come into conflict with property rights

TRUE