Public Policy Chapters 9 and 10

terms for exam 2 chap 9-10

culture of poverty

A term used by some to describe how those living in poverty learn to work the welfare system to their benefit and pass this information on to their children, who remain poor.

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

A tax credit for people who work but have low wages; it reduces the amount of taxes they owe or provides a tax refund.

food stamp program

A plan administered by the Department of Agriculture that provides low-income households with coupons that they can use to purchase food. Also called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

Gini coefficient 

A graphical way to demonstrate a nation’s income equality/inequality by charting the percentage of income made by quintiles of families.

means-tested program

Social programs in which recipients must meet an income test in order to qualify for benefits.

minimum wage

The lowest wage, typically by the hour, that employers may legally pay to employees 750 or workers; the states may set a level for this wage that is higher than the federal minimum.

poverty

Defined by the Census Bureau as falling below a specified level of annual income that is adjusted each year to reflect the rising cost of living.

Social Security

A government entitlement program that provides money for retired workers and their beneficiaries and disabled workers.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

A plan administered by the Department of Agriculture that provides low-income households with coupons that they can use to purchase food

charter school

A school reform idea in which a school is government supported but independent. A state board of education gives an independent entity the responsibility for establishing a school and delivering education services with limited control by the school board.

competency test

An exam used to determine teachers’ pedagogical skills or knowledge base.

Establishment Clause

The part of the First Amendment to the Constitution that states that Congress cannot establish a state religion.

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

A new version of the federal education law (ESEA), signed by President Obama in 2015, that reversed much of the federal government’s control of public education and returned control to the states and local districts.

Free Exercise Clause

The part of the First Amendment to the Constitution that states that Congress cannot prevent the exercise or belief of a particular religion.

merit pay

The idea that teacher pay increases should be based on performance in the classroom; this is sometimes linked to how students perform on standardized exams.

National Assessment of Educational Program (NAEP)

The test that is required by the No Child Left Behind Act to determine whether schools are meeting appropriate standards.

school choice

The term used to describe any school reform effort that provides parents with options regarding where to send their children, including charter schools and voucher programs. Sometimes the term is used more specifically to describe programs in which parents can send children to public schools in a particular area.

school vouchers

A school reform idea in which the government provides individuals with a certain amount of money that can be applied to a student’s education; often associated with a way to provide people with a private school option they may not have been able to afford in the past.

teacher quality

An issue in education policy that concerns a teacher’s ability in the classroom.