Deck 10: Public Policy and Administration

Question 1

By 2012, how many employees did the state of Texas have?

A) 85,000
B) 123,000
C) 214,000
D) 311,000

Answer 1

D

Question 2

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.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

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.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Bureaucracies in Texas

A) simply implement the policies determined by the legislature and governor.
B) make almost all public policy decisions.
C) influence policy outcomes by the decisions they make.
D) have little influence over policy because of the power centralized in the governor.

Question 5

The largest single employer in Texas is

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

Question 6

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 7

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

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

Question 8

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

A) elite access, vigor and vision of their leadership, and resources.
B) vigor and vision of their 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.

Question 9

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 10

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.

Question 11

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

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

Question 12

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 13

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

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

Question 14

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

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

Question 15

Which employs the most people in Texas?

A) All local governments taken together
B) The state government
C) The federal government
D) County governments

Question 16

The approximate number of independent school districts in Texas is

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

Question 17

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 18

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 19

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 20

Controversy has surrounded the State Board of Education 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 21

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 22

The Texas Workforce Commission

A) has three popularly elected members.
B) operates all job-training programs in Texas.
C) provides labor for construction projects on state highways.
D) operates the workers compensation program that assists workers injured on the job.

Question 23

Colleges and universities in Texas are most influenced by the

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

Question 24

The current Texas testing program (STAAR) is controversial because

A) it requires end-of-course tests for some subjects.
B) it is used for evaluating teachers and schools.
C) in practice, it encourages teaching to the test.
D) All of these choices are true of the STAAR testing program.

Question 25

Conservative members of the State Board of Education tend to be

A) Anglo Republicans.
B) African American Democrats.
C) Anglo Democrats.
D) Latina Republicans.

Question 26

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 27

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 28

Which of the following is not a responsibility of the Texas Education Agency?

A) It oversees development of statewide curriculum.
B) It approves new charter schools.
C) It monitors compliance with federal guidelines.
D) It creates attendance zones for individual public elementary and secondary schools.

Question 29

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

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

Question 30

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

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

Question 31

How many community college districts are there in Texas?

A) 10
B) 30
C) 50
D) 95

Question 32

The Coordinating Board's plan to increase minority enrollment and success in Texas colleges has

A) never been implemented.
B) been a failure, as minority enrollment has actually declined.
C) has been essentially a failure, a minority participation has held steady but not increased.
D) has been substantially successful.

Question 33

Which of the following is not true of charter schools in Texas?

A) They have a mixed record in terms of student success.
B) They receive total funding from the legislature.
C) They draw students from across school district boundaries.
D) They are promoted as an alternative to public schools that have not performed well.

Question 34

The two widely recognized ''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 and University of Houston.
D) Port Chester University and Hogwarts Academy.

Question 35

In recent years, Texas public school students have been increasingly

A) ethnic or racial minorities and the economically disadvantaged.
B) middle class Anglo Texans.
C) wealthy immigrants from Europe and Asia.
D) Native American and Anglo.

Question 36

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

A) consists of 18 members elected from legislatively drawn districts.
B) may order the closing of state-funded colleges or universities.
C) recently saw its power reduced through the sunset process.
D) appoints, and may remove, regents of the state university boards.

Question 37

Which of the following makes policies that affect independent school districts and approves textbooks for public schools?

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

Question 38

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 39

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 40

Which of the following individuals has the most influence over Texas K-12 education?

A) The commissioner of education
B) The chair of the State Board of Education
C) The most senior member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
D) The governor of Texas

Question 41

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 for Needy Families.

Question 42

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 43

In the case of Fisher v. University of Texas, the Supreme Court held that to use race as a criterion for admission,

A) the university must demonstrate to a court that it is necessary.
B) the university's decision to use race must fact "strict scrutiny."
C) race could not be used in admission decisions.
D) the university must demonstrate to a court that it is necessary andthe university's decision to use race must fact"strict scrutiny."

Question 44

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 Nutrition Assistance Program

Question 45

Under the national Affordable Care Act, Texas

A) has greatly expanded the number of people eligible for Medicaid.
B) developed one of the most successful state health insurance exchanges (also known as marketplaces).
C) refused federal funds for Medicaid expansion and has one of the highest rates of uninsured citizens of all the states.
D) abolished Medicaid altogether.

Question 46

Which of the following is true?

A) HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death among Texans age 25-44.
B) The number of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is declining in Texas.
C) Texans age 15-24 account for the majority of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
D) Fewer Texans with HIV are surviving over time.

Question 47

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 for Needy Families program.
D) as proof of state citizenship to renew a driving license or obtain a marriage license.

Question 48

Imagine you are 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 49

Electric providers in Texas are regulated by the

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

Question 50

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 51

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 52

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 for Needy Families.
C) SNAP (formerly the Food Stamp Program).
D) Medicaid and Tri-Care.

Question 53

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 intrastate trucking commerce.
D) regulating the storage of toxic waste in underground salt domes.

Question 54

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

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

Question 55

The Texas Railroad Commission has responsibility for 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 56

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

A) 20,000
B) 80,000
C) 150,000
D) 1,000,000

Question 57

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 58

Which interests tend to benefit most from Texas business and regulatory policies?

A) Business
B) Environmental
C) Consumer
D) Public interest

Question 59

It appears that the student bodies of UT-Austin and Texas A&M

A) have become more diverse.
B) have not changed in spite of efforts to increase diversity.
C) have become less diverse.
D) have become completely homogeneous.

Question 60

In recent years, Texas's poverty rate has been

A) 1-2 percent of the population.
B) 15-23 percent of the population.
C) 40-56 percent of the population.
D) 65-81 percent of the population.

Question 61

Identify and explain the significance of the Sunset Review process.

Question 62

Explain the roles of the national and Texas governments in providing Health and Human Services to Texans. Analyze how well privatization has worked in the provision of Health and Human Services.

Question 63

Ninety-five percent of public transportation in Texas is by

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

Question 64

How does the way that Texas government is organized affect public policy? What other influences outside of the government itself affect how policy is made in Texas?

Question 65

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

Question 66

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 thought of yourself as a taxpayer?

Question 67

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

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

Question 68

Describe the methods of administrative control of public higher education in Texas. Who are the most influential officials in higher education and what issues facing higher education must they address?

Question 69

In Texas,

A) tourism is a minor industry.
B) financing of the state parks has fluctuated greatly.
C) adequate financing has created one of the best parks systems in the country.
D) the parks system is the responsibility of the Texas Environmental Quality Commission.

Question 70

Race or ethnicity and testing are major issues in Texas education. Discuss the controversies surrounding one of these. Are the actions taken by the Texas government sufficient to address the issue you chose? Why or why not?

Question 71

Identify and explain the significance of the Top Ten Percent Rule. Explain why you think the rule should be discarded, reformed, or maintained as it is.

Question 72

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) regulates air pollution but not water pollution.
D) lost its oversight authority of toxic waste dumping in 1997.

Question 73

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

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

Question 74

What Texas agencies seem to be examples of "agency capture"and why?

Question 75

What is "red tape"and how can it be both a good and bad thing?

Question 76

Identify and explain the significance of TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, and Medicare.

Question 77

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 78

Environmental policies in Texas are coordinated by the

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

Question 79

Imagine 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 80

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