Question 1

The debate over public education in Texas goes back to the

Accepted Answer

A)  Constitution of 1876. 
B)  first decade of the twenty-first century. 
C)  post-World War II era and the returning military service members. 
D)  break with Mexico. 
E)  beginning of the American civil rights movement.

Question 2

Explain some of the legal aspects of water policy in Texas, including the law of capture and important court decisions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain some of the legal aspects of...

Question 3

In the 1960s, welfare policy in Texas reflected

Accepted Answer

A)  a policy of minimizing the cost to Texas while maximizing the use of federal dollars. 
B)  a policy of maximizing welfare benefits paid by the state of Texas. 
C)  very generous state-funded benefits. 
D)  noncompliance with all federal welfare programs. 
E)  virtually unlimited state welfare expenditures.

Question 4

Why does Texas have a relatively underperforming public education sector in comparison to national norms and averages?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why does Texas have a relatively underperforming...

Question 5

The 1983 report by the National Commission on Education had no effect on Texas because of its existing excellent system of public education.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Underlying water policy in Texas is

Accepted Answer

A)  federal law mandating all aspects of water use in Texas. 
B)  a complicated system of private property rights. 
C)  the fact that Texas has no major rivers, lakes, or aquifers. 
D)  fear that Texas is in a permanent state of drought. 
E)  fierce competition with Mexico over water rights.

Question 7

Under the TANF program, states were given more control over welfare policies for their citizens.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Which of the following statements regarding public policy in Texas is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Public policy in Texas is not affected at all by national policy. 
B)  Public policy in Texas is crippled by national policy, giving Texas very little control. 
C)  The policies of the national government influence Texas, but, for the most part, large segments of public policy, such as education, infrastructure, and legal matters, are state and local matters. 
D)  Public policy making is divided equally between the state and the federal government under the concept and theory of federalism. 
E)  Federalism makes the national government virtually irrelevant to states such as Texas.

Question 9

Under the Gilmer-Aikin Laws

Accepted Answer

A)  the State Board of Education was established and became the policy-making body for public education in Texas. 
B)  the State Board of Education was abolished for being redundant and in competition with the federal Department of Education. 
C)  the Religious Antidiscrimination Act was repealed. 
D)  the State Board of Education members were elected statewide on partisan ballots. 
E)  Texas instituted an income tax to fund public education.

Question 10

In legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act, the Supreme Court ruled that

Accepted Answer

A)  it is unconstitutional to force people to buy health insurance. 
B)  the tax penalizing people who failed to purchase medical insurance was unconstitutional. 
C)  the tax penalizing people who failed to purchase medical insurance was constitutional. 
D)  the legislation in its entirety was unconstitutional. 
E)  the commerce clause gives Congress unlimited power to regulate as long as it is for the general welfare.

Question 11

The law of capture works in support of conservation efforts.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Explain some of the potential or current consequences of the Affordable Health Care Act and health care policy in Texas.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain some of the potential or current...

Question 13

The high school graduation rates in Texas are

Accepted Answer

A)  the highest of any state in the nation. 
B)  among the highest in the nation. 
C)  unknown because this data is not collected. 
D)  improving dramatically due to the reforms of the 1980s. 
E)  among the lowest of all fifty states.

Question 14

One of the perverse effects of public welfare is that it encourages fathers to stay connected to their families and help raise their children.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

The poverty index is not adjusted for inflation; therefore, it is impossible to balance the state budget as mandated by the state constitution.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

The "law of capture" as it pertains to water policy in Texas essentially means that

Accepted Answer

A)  the state owns the water rights because it is sovereign over Texas residents. 
B)  the federal government has the right to capture water in Texas because of the supremacy clause in the federal Constitution. 
C)  that the first person to "capture" the water by pumping it out of the ground owns it. 
D)  that the state can capture and tax any business that uses state water without reporting usage statistics to the state water board. 
E)  only water "captured" in surface retaining ponds can be owned.

Question 17

Poverty among children in Texas is about the same as the national average.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

The San Antonio School District became one of the first school districts in Texas to comply with the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

The percentage of Texans living in poverty is approximately

Accepted Answer

A)  5 percent. 
B)  15 percent. 
C)  30 percent. 
D)  50 percent. 
E)  75 percent.

Question 20

The Texas case Edgewood ISD v. Kirby involved funding of the schools using the property tax system.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 12: Public Policy in Texas

The debate over public education in Texas goes back to the

Explain some of the legal aspects of water policy in Texas, including the law of capture and important court decisions.

In the 1960s, welfare policy in Texas reflected

Why does Texas have a relatively underperforming public education sector in comparison to national norms and averages?

The 1983 report by the National Commission on Education had no effect on Texas because of its existing excellent system of public education.

Underlying water policy in Texas is

Under the TANF program, states were given more control over welfare policies for their citizens.

Which of the following statements regarding public policy in Texas is true?

Under the Gilmer-Aikin Laws

In legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act, the Supreme Court ruled that

The law of capture works in support of conservation efforts.

Explain some of the potential or current consequences of the Affordable Health Care Act and health care policy in Texas.

The high school graduation rates in Texas are

One of the perverse effects of public welfare is that it encourages fathers to stay connected to their families and help raise their children.

The poverty index is not adjusted for inflation; therefore, it is impossible to balance the state budget as mandated by the state constitution.

The "law of capture" as it pertains to water policy in Texas essentially means that

Poverty among children in Texas is about the same as the national average.

The San Antonio School District became one of the first school districts in Texas to comply with the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954.

The percentage of Texans living in poverty is approximately

The Texas case Edgewood ISD v. Kirby involved funding of the schools using the property tax system.