Deck 9: Public Policy and Administration

Question 1

The mission of the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission is to

A) monitor the appropriated spending of each state agency.
B) recommend the merging, abolition, or continuation of state agencies.
C) enforce the Administrative Procedures and Texas Register Act.
D) enforce the Open Meetings and Records Act.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

How many employees did the state of Texas have, as of 2010?

A) 85,000
B) 125,000
C) 215,000
D) 318,000

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Three factors that are important in determining a state agency's success in achieving its policy goals are

A) elite access, vigor and vision of their leadership, and resources.
B) vigor and vision of the leadership, elite access, and the governor's support.
C) money, political power, and who you know.
D) elitist power, mission of the agency, and the speaker's support.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The ability of business leaders to meet directly with bureaucrats to resolve issues is called

A) nepotism.
B) patronage.
C) cronyism.
D) elite access.

Question 5

Acquiring a government job based on political loyalty, without regard to ability, is called

A) elite access.
B) political patronage.
C) a merit system.
D) affirmative action.

Question 6

The approximate number of independent school districts in Texas is

A) 254.
B) 181.
C) 1,237.
D) 4,600.

Question 7

Fragmentation of the Texas executive branch into independent agencies was done by various legislatures to

A) avoid the issue of power becoming too centralized.
B) help governor E. J. Davis deal with the former slave owners.
C) promote political patronage and kick-backs.
D) aid the power block of the petroleum producers in the legislature.

Question 8

The largest single employer in Texas is

A) the federal government.
B) the state of Texas.
C) Texas Instruments.
D) Dell Computers.

Question 9

State agencies within Texas were created by the

A) Texas Constitution.
B) Texas legislature.
C) Texas Constitution and Texas legislature.
D) authority of the Texas governor.

Question 10

State agencies are occasionally reorganized, merged, or abolished under a process called

A) sunset review.
B) affirmative action.
C) deregulation.
D) performance review.

Question 11

The State Board of Education has caused embarrassment across the state and with the legislature due to its

A) lack of educational expertise.
B) refusal to support teacher unions.
C) lack of courtesy toward fellow members.
D) extremist ideological positions.

Question 12

Texas's commitment to education began with which state constitution?

A) 1861
B) 1845
C) 1877
D) 1836

Question 13

"Red tape" contributes to the image of most bureaucracies as

A) in need of reform.
B) dictatorial.
C) inefficient.
D) out of touch.

Question 14

State agencies are sometimes created as a result of

A) bureaucratic efficiency.
B) citizen complaints and outrage over an issue.
C) a need to keep up with population growth.
D) high state unemployment rates.

Question 15

Which policy regarding state employees is set by the legislature?

A) Salary and compensation
B) Promotion requirements
C) Educational requirements
D) Demographic composition of the state service

Question 16

A system that hires employees based on their expertise and competency is called a

A) merit system.
B) patronage system.
C) free market system.
D) crony system.

Question 17

How many state agencies in Texas are substantially independent from the governor?

A) 50
B) 110
C) Around 200
D) More than 300

Question 18

Over the years criticism has been leveled at the Health and Human Services Commission and the Texas Attorney General for

A) defunding health care for the poor.
B) accepting the Obama health care reforms.
C) a lack of drive in pursuing nursing home violations.
D) cutting back on free child care and food stamp programs.

Question 19

Decisions by local school boards and superintendents are primarily shaped by

A) the federal government.
B) state rules.
C) the Texas Senate.
D) county rules.

Question 20

The system that replaced the merit system in Texas was a

A) centralized testing system.
B) centralized compensation and classification system.
C) decentralized compensation plan.
D) fragmented classification system under a plural executive.

Question 21

The Texas Commissioner of Education gets into office as a result of an appointment by the

A) Texas Education Agency.
B) State Board of Education.
C) Texas governor, with confirmation by the Texas senate.
D) U.S. Department of Education, with governor's approval.

Question 22

The governance of Texas community colleges is performed mainly by

A) local boards of trustees.
B) the Texas Education Agency.
C) county commissioners courts.
D) the State Board of Education.

Question 23

Which statement concerning charter schools is not correct?

A) Limits were placed on their creation in 2001.
B) They receive total funding from the legislature.
C) They draw students from across school district boundaries.
D) They are an alternative where public schools have not performed well.

Question 24

The Supreme Court ruling in the case of Hopwood v. Texas

A) prohibited the use of race in determining admission to a public university or college.
B) upheld affirmative action in university admissions.
C) held that the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) unfairly discriminated.
D) was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2001.

Question 25

Which of the following is not considered a "tier-one" research school in Texas?

A) University of Texas
B) Texas A&M University
C) Baylor University
D) Rice University

Question 26

Which of the following is not true regarding the Texas Education Agency?

A) It administers the Foundation School Program Fund.
B) It temporarily assumes control of school districts that fall below standards.
C) It assumes control of school districts in violation of the Texas Education Code.
D) It creates attendance zones for all public elementary and secondary schools in Texas.

Question 27

Which of the following provides a list of approved textbooks for public schools?

A) Texas Education Agency
B) Commissioner of Education
C) State Board of Education
D) State Board for Educator Certification

Question 28

Texas's 2010 poverty rate was the __________ highest in the nation at 17.9 percent.

A) fourth
B) ninth
C) seventh
D) third

Question 29

Which of the following is true regarding the Texas State Board of Education?

A) It is composed of thirty-one members appointed by the governor.
B) It sets policy for independent school districts under legislative guidelines.
C) It approves the hiring of superintendents of schools in the independent school districts.
D) It consists of one member from each independent school district in Texas.

Question 30

In the case of University of California v. Bakke (1978), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that __________ could be considered as one factor along with other criteria to achieve diversity in higher education.

A) gender
B) race
C) religion
D) class

Question 31

Which of the following is true regarding the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board?

A) It consists of eighteen members elected from legislatively drawn districts.
B) It may order the closing of state-funded colleges or universities.
C) It approves all new degree programs in state colleges and universities.
D) It appoints, and may remove, regents of the state university boards.

Question 32

One of the most contentious issues facing the State Board of Education in recent years has been

A) funding of sports programs.
B) review of textbooks.
C) salaries for teachers.
D) special education curriculum.

Question 33

The Health and Human Services Commission in Texas administers all the following except

A) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
B) Social Security benefits
C) Medicare assistance
D) Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program

Question 34

As a 19-year-old mother of one child, a recipient of public assistance, and a resident of Dallas County, which of the following most threatens you?

A) The use of the Lone Star Card for obtaining subsidized food
B) The possible closing of the only hospital in rural Van Zandt County
C) The cap on consecutive and lifetime receipt of cash public assistance benefits
D) The possibility that eligibility screening for public assistance would be contracted out to a private business

Question 35

On the State Board of Education, conservative members tend to be

A) Anglo Republicans.
B) black Democrats.
C) white Democrats.
D) Hispanic Democrats.

Question 36

The Texas Education Agency is headed by the

A) State Board of Education.
B) superintendent of schools.
C) local school boards.
D) commissioner of education.

Question 37

The two ''flagship'' state universities in Texas are

A) University of Texas San Antonio and UT Arlington.
B) the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University - College Station.
C) Texas State University/St. Mary's University.
D) North Texas State University and Baylor University.

Question 38

Colleges and universities in Texas are regulated by the

A) Texas Education Agency.
B) State Board of Education.
C) Permanent University Fund.
D) Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Question 39

Which of the following sets human service policy in Texas for those agencies that administer such policy?

A) The commissioner of Health and Human Services
B) The Texas Workforce Commission
C) The governor of Texas
D) The U.S. Secretary of Education

Question 40

How many community college districts are there in Texas?

A) 35
B) 60
C) 55
D) 50

Question 41

You are most likely to be infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) through

A) intimate sexual activity.
B) a hypodermic injection given by a physician.
C) sitting on a toilet seat in a public restroom.
D) being in the room with an AIDS sufferer who was sneezing.

Question 42

The Texas Department of Transportation Commission

A) spends the largest single share of the state budget.
B) members are elected from single-member districts.
C) authorizes prison labor in some highway maintenance projects.
D) must have at least one member from a rural area.

Question 43

Elimination of government restrictions and allowing free market forces to prevail is called

A) devolution.
B) co-opting.
C) gerrymandering.
D) deregulation.

Question 44

The ability of the Public Utilities Commission to regulate communication in Texas is somewhat limited by the

A) Texas Constitution.
B) pressures of the market.
C) policies of the national government.
D) office of the Texas governor.

Question 45

The Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) has constructed and maintains more than __________ miles of roads and highways.

A) 200,000
B) 80,000
C) 150,000
D) 1,000,000

Question 46

Which insurance rates are regulated by the Texas commissioner of insurance?

A) Individual life insurance
B) Hospitalization insurance
C) Medicare supplement insurance
D) Homeowners' insurance

Question 47

Probably the most important duty of the Texas Railroad Commission from the standpoint of the rest of the United States is

A) regulating the production of oil and natural gas.
B) setting the price of Texas-produced petroleum sold outside Texas.
C) regulating intra-state trucking commerce.
D) regulating the storage of toxic waste in underground salt domes.

Question 48

Electric providers in Texas are regulated by the

A) Public Utilities Commission.
B) Railroad Commission.
C) Ethics Commission.
D) Commission on Environmental Quality.

Question 49

Assume that you are a newly divorced, 27-year-old mother of two nondisabled children; your former husband has run off and cannot be located to make child support payments; you never graduated from high school; and you own no property. You are definitely ineligible for

A) food stamps.
B) Medicaid.
C) Medicare.
D) Temporary Assistance to Needy Families.

Question 50

The state-federal program that provides direct cash payments to poor children and their families is

A) Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program.
B) Temporary Assistance to Needy Families.
C) SNAP (formerly the food stamp program).
D) Medicaid and Tri-Care.

Question 51

The term deregulation means that

A) business practices are mainly governed by market forces.
B) regulation of business is transferred from state to federal level.
C) regulation of business is transferred from federal to state level.
D) regulation of business is transferred from the state level to the counties.

Question 52

Tourism is the __________ largest industry in the Lone Star State.

A) second
B) fourth
C) third
D) fifth

Question 53

In Texas, education, health, and human services expenditures account for __________ of the state's budget.

A) one-half
B) three-fourths
C) one-third
D) one fourth

Question 54

Functions of the Texas Railroad Commission would include all the following, except

A) ensuring pipeline safety.
B) setting natural gas rates in rural areas.
C) breaking up railroad monopolies.
D) overseeing the capping of abandoned oil wells.

Question 55

If a natural gas supplier disagreed with retail gas rates set by the Houston city council, the dispute would be resolved by the

A) Texas Public Utilities Commission.
B) Texas Railroad Commission.
C) U.S. Department of Energy.
D) Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission.

Question 56

In response to a shortage of highway funding, Texas has attempted to

A) reduce new road construction.
B) focus more on maintaining current roads.
C) have the federal government increase funding.
D) shift to additional privately constructed toll roads.

Question 57

Which is true regarding the Texas Workforce Commission?

A) It has three popularly elected members.
B) It operates all job training programs in Texas.
C) It provides labor for construction projects on state highways.
D) It makes unemployment compensation payments to eligible workers.

Question 58

Ninety-five percent of public transportation in Texas is by

A) light rail.
B) subway.
C) street car.
D) bus.

Question 59

The Lone Star Card is used by a recipient of public assistance

A) to obtain food items in a grocery store.
B) to obtain emergency medical treatment at a hospital.
C) to obtain cash from the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program.
D) as proof of state citizenship to renew a driving license or obtain a marriage license.

Question 60

The purpose of the payroll tax collected by the Texas Workforce Commission is to

A) provide old-age pensions.
B) provide unemployment compensation.
C) operate job-training programs.
D) compensate workers whose employers violated the Texas Payday Law.

Question 61

Describe the principle environmental issues in Texas. Identify the state agency responsible for addressing these issues and explain the reasons for the state's poor environmental "report card."

Question 62

Because of its growing population, industry, and irrigation-based agriculture, Texas faces serious shortages of

A) gas.
B) water.
C) oil.
D) workers.

Question 63

Under the "rule of capture," underground water is controlled by

A) individual landowners.
B) federal government.
C) state government.
D) county government.

Question 64

Describe the terms deregulation, accountability, devolution, and judicial oversight in the context of the state administration of public programs?

Question 65

Explain the services provided by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. Describe the qualifications necessary to qualify for aid under these programs.

Question 66

The state agency charged with insuring a supply of safe drinking water for colonias (predominantly Hispanic settlements along the Rio Grande) is the

A) General Land Office.
B) Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
C) Department of Protective and Regulatory Services.
D) Texas Water Development Board.

Question 67

Assume that you are the 29-year-old parent of two children. You are recently divorced and in good physical condition, but have completed only the tenth grade. To what public assistance are you and your children (ages 8 years and 13 months) now entitled, and from which agencies does this assistance come?

Question 68

Describe the methods of funding and administrative control of public elementary and secondary education in Texas. How would you resolve the issue of equitable funding for all elementary and secondary students?

Question 69

As a citizen, do you think your interests are better protected by rules made by the federal government, the state government, or by local government? Give some examples of programs better suited to each level.

Question 70

Environmental policies in Texas are coordinated by the

A) Environmental Protection Agency.
B) Department of Parks and Wildlife.
C) Department of Homeland Security.
D) Commission on Environmental Quality.

Question 71

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

A) enforces state and some federal air and water quality standards.
B) regulates timber cutting in East Texas forests.
C) imposes automotive emissions limits in urban areas.
D) lost its oversight authority of toxic waste dumping in 1997.

Question 72

Describe the methods of funding and administrative control of public higher education in Texas. What are some of the issues confronting non-flagship institutions? How would you resolve the issue of equitable funding for all higher education institutions?

Question 73

Texas leads the nation in which renewable energy source?

A) Coal
B) Solar
C) Wind
D) Nuclear

Question 74

In your judgment, which is in the best interest of the state: to compel unemployed on state assistance to obtain a public service job and provide child care for their children, or subsidize the care for their children? Would your answer vary depending on whether or not you were a taxpayer?

Question 75

Explain the difference between the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Explain why Texas provides relatively low levels of healthcare for those with lower incomes.

Question 76

Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the federal government established the Department of Homeland Security. What roles does this agency play in Texas? In what ways do Texas agencies interact with the federal agency?

Question 77

Which one of the following state agencies was not involved in Texas's response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks?

A) Department of Health
B) Department of Public Safety
C) Sunset Advisory Commission
D) Department of Emergency Management