Question 1

One effective way for improving public education in Texas that Democrats, Republicans, and Tea Partyers support is
A) literacy tests for teachers.
B) issuing vouchers.
C) reducing the number of required end-of-course tests from 15 to 5.
D) increasing pay for teachers.
E) allowing school districts to drop the algebra II requirement for graduating high school seniors.

Accepted Answer

Increasing pay for teachers is a solution that has bipartisan support as it addresses one of the key issues in education: teacher retention. Increasing pay can attract and retain talented educators, which can lead to better student performance and an overall improvement in education. Additionally, this solution does not involve controversial issues such as vouchers or dropping academic requirements.

Question 2

The Robin Hood plan was found unconstitutional because it required
A) approval from school superintendents and teachers.
B) approval from the school board and voters.
C) approval from individual cities.
D) local voter approval of property tax levies and it prohibited a state property tax.
E) local voter approval of property tax levies and a state property tax.

Accepted Answer

The Robin Hood plan was found unconstitutional because it required local voter approval of property tax levies and it prohibited a state property tax, which was deemed unconstitutional.

Question 3

In the 1973 San Antonio v. Rodriguez case, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that states such as Texas
A) are required to subsidize poorer school districts under the equal protection clause.
B) are not required to subsidize poorer school districts under the equal protection clause.
C) are required to equalize funding to public and private schools.
D) are not required to subsidize wealthy school districts under the equal protection clause.
E) are required to subsidize wealthy school districts under the equal protection clause.

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court ruled that states are not required to subsidize poorer school districts under the equal protection clause. The case involved a challenge to Texas' school funding system, which relied heavily on local property taxes. The plaintiffs argued that this system resulted in unfair disparities in funding between wealthier and poorer school districts, violating the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. However, the Court found that education was not a fundamental right protected by the Constitution, and thus disparities in funding did not violate the equal protection clause.

Question 4

The district court in San Antonio v. Rodriguez delayed action because the court
A) thought the plaintiffs would change their minds and withdraw the suit.
B) thought the legislature would address the funding issue in the next legislative session.
C) thought the school district would address the funding.
D) thought the federal government would intervene and resolve the issue.
E) did not want to hear the case.

Accepted Answer

The district court in San Antonio v. Rodriguez delayed action because it hoped the legislature would address the funding issue in the next legislative session. This shows that the court believed the issue could be resolved through political means rather than a court ruling.

Question 5

The most persistent social problem facing Texas is
A) severe droughts.
B) poverty.
C) crime.
D) environmental degradation.
E) political corruption.

Accepted Answer

Poverty is a persistent social problem facing Texas, with the state having one of the highest poverty rates in the country. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2019, the poverty rate in Texas was 13.6%, which is higher than the national average of 10.5%. Poverty affects access to education, healthcare, and other basic needs, and can lead to other issues such as crime, homelessness, and poor mental health.

Question 6

Which statement is true regarding poverty in Texas?
A) Texas has a lower rate of poverty than the rest of the United States.
B) In Texas, the poverty rate among children is much lower than in the rest of the United States.
C) In Texas, the rate of poverty is equal among all ethnic groups.
D) In Texas, the poverty rate among children is much higher than in the rest of the United States.
E) Poverty in Texas closely mirrors the rest of the nation.

Accepted Answer

Texas has a higher poverty rate among children than the rest of the United States. According to Census Bureau data from 2019, the poverty rate for children in Texas was 20.3%, compared to the national average of 17.2%.

Question 7

The generally accepted standard by which poverty is measured in the United States is the
A) unemployment index.
B) caloric intake index.
C) index of income inequality.
D) United Nations global poverty index.
E) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty index.

Accepted Answer

The United States uses the poverty index established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which takes into account household income and family size to determine if a family is living in poverty. This index is widely used by government agencies, researchers, and advocacy groups to measure and address poverty in the United States.

Question 8

Ross Perot was appointed by Governor Mark White to chair a committee on education. As committee chair, he was particularly scornful of
A) high teacher salaries.
B) the cost of education per pupil.
C) the high incidence of violence in public school classrooms.
D) athletic programs.
E) low college graduation rates.

Accepted Answer

Ross Perot was particularly critical of athletic programs, believing they detracted from academic priorities in schools.

Question 9

A 1983 report by the National Commission on Excellence in Education was called
A) Waiting for Superman.
B) Only in America.
C) No Child Left Behind.
D) Race to the Top.
E) A Nation at Risk.

Accepted Answer

The 1983 report by the National Commission on Excellence in Education was called "A Nation at Risk."

Question 10

In Edgewood ISD v. Kirby, the key constitutional issue was
A) whether the Brown v. Board of Education decision applied to Texas students.
B) whether the phrase "an efficient system of free public schools" included school financing.
C) de facto segregation.
D) the continuing effects of Roe v. Wade upon public education.
E) whether school prayer should be required in grades K-8.

Accepted Answer

The key issue in Edgewood ISD v. Kirby was whether the phrase "an efficient system of free public schools" in the Texas Constitution included school financing. This case challenged the unequal funding of public schools in Texas, which was found to violate the state constitution. The Texas Supreme Court ruled that the system of funding public schools in Texas was unconstitutional and ordered the state to establish a new system that would provide more equal funding for all students.

Question 11

Among the most important findings of the 1983 report were that
A) graduation rates were improving and dropout rates were increasing.
B) dropout rates were increasing and test scores were improving.
C) test scores were declining and functional illiteracy was increasing.
D) functional illiteracy was decreasing and test scores were improving.
E) graduation rates and functional illiteracy were both increasing.

Accepted Answer

The 1983 report found that test scores were declining and functional illiteracy was increasing, which is reflected in option C. The other options are incorrect in their representation of the report's findings.

Question 12

________ calls for wealthy districts to transfer funds to poorer districts in order to equalize funds available to all public schools across the state.
A) The equalization plan
B) The Edgewood IV plan
C) The Robin Hood plan
D) Senate Bill 7
E) The equal protection clause

Accepted Answer

The Robin Hood plan is a commonly used term to refer to the practice of wealth redistribution from wealthier school districts to poorer ones, in order to achieve greater funding equality across the state. This practice has been used in various states, including Texas, to address disparities in education funding and ensure that all students have access to an adequate education, regardless of their location or family income.

Question 13

The percentage of Texans living in poverty is approximately ________ percent.
A) 5
B) 15
C) 30
D) 50
E) 75

Accepted Answer

According to the US Census Bureau, the poverty rate in Texas in 2019 was 13.7%, which is closest to option B (15%). Options A, C, D, and E are too low or too high.

Question 14

Dropout rates in Texas are
A) about the same for all demographic groups.
B) highest among minorities.
C) highest among the Asian student population.
D) lowest among minorities.
E) highest among white females.

Accepted Answer

According to data from the Texas Education Agency, dropout rates are highest among African American and Hispanic students, which indicates that dropout rates are highest among minorities. Therefore, choice B is the correct answer.

Question 15

In Brown v. Board of Education, segregated school districts were ordered to
A) double the funding for African American integrated schools.
B) desegregate their schools within the next 10 years.
C) desegregate their schools "with all deliberate speed."
D) appoint a commission to study the Texas school system and make recommendations to the governor.
E) redraw school district lines to improve funding for all schools on a more equitable basis.

Accepted Answer

The Brown v. Board of Education ruling ordered segregated school districts to desegregate their schools "with all deliberate speed." This meant that they were required to integrate their schools as quickly as possible, although the specific timeline was not defined.

Question 16

The origins of modern welfare policy lie in
A) the post-Civil War Reconstruction era.
B) President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal.
C) President Truman's post-World War II reforms.
D) President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society programs.
E) President Gerald Ford's War on Poverty.

Accepted Answer

The modern welfare state in the United States is largely attributed to President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal, which was a series of programs and reforms introduced in response to the Great Depression in the 1930s.

Question 17

In the 1960s, welfare policy in Texas reflected
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.

Accepted Answer

During the 1960s, Texas maintained a policy of minimizing the cost to the state while maximizing the use of federal dollars, meaning that they wanted to take advantage of federal funding for welfare programs but didn't want to spend too much of their own money. This is evident in the fact that Texas had relatively low benefit levels compared to other states and focused on programs with a high federal match such as Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC).

Question 18

The ________ transformed the way in which the United States handled poverty and implemented welfare policy.
A) 1865 post-Civil War National Poverty Reconstruction Act
B) 1965 Great Society Reconstruction Act
C) 1935 Social Security Act
D) 1945 National Recovery Program Act
E) 1996 welfare reform

Accepted Answer

The 1935 Social Security Act transformed the way in which the United States handled poverty and implemented welfare policy.

Question 19

What happened during the 2013 legislative session that changed the high-minded expectations about the education reform movement?
A) The idea of testing to promote academic excellence was not being abandoned completely, but it no longer held center stage for reformers.
B) Students, under certain circumstances, were able to transfer from low-performing schools to high-performing schools in their districts.
C) The implementation of the "No pass, No play" rule was relaxed.
D) The implementation of an additional literacy test for teachers failed to pass.
E) School districts were allowed to drop the algebra II requirement for graduation.

Accepted Answer

The article mentions that the idea of testing as the central focus for education reform was no longer holding center stage during the 2013 legislative session. This suggests that high-minded expectations about the education reform movement were not being met as initially expected. Choices B, C, D, and E are not related to this point.

Question 20

By the late 1960s, de facto segregation
A) had been completely eliminated.
B) was still a problem in urban public schools with a large minority population.
C) had been ruled illegal and, therefore, was no longer an issue in public education.
D) had resulted in all federal funds being withheld from the public schools in Texas.
E) was increasing at a rapid rate throughout Texas.

Accepted Answer

By the late 1960s, de facto segregation, which is segregation that occurs due to social and economic factors rather than explicit laws, was still a problem in urban public schools with a large minority population. This was despite legal rulings such as Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 that declared segregation in public schools to be unconstitutional.

Quiz 12: Public Policy in Texas

One effective way for improving public education in Texas that Democrats, Republicans, and Tea Partyers support is

The Robin Hood plan was found unconstitutional because it required

In the 1973 San Antonio v. Rodriguez case, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that states such as Texas

The district court in San Antonio v. Rodriguez delayed action because the court

The most persistent social problem facing Texas is

Which statement is true regarding poverty in Texas?

The generally accepted standard by which poverty is measured in the United States is the

Ross Perot was appointed by Governor Mark White to chair a committee on education. As committee chair, he was particularly scornful of

A 1983 report by the National Commission on Excellence in Education was called

In Edgewood ISD v. Kirby, the key constitutional issue was

Among the most important findings of the 1983 report were that

________ calls for wealthy districts to transfer funds to poorer districts in order to equalize funds available to all public schools across the state.

The percentage of Texans living in poverty is approximately ________ percent.

Dropout rates in Texas are

In Brown v. Board of Education, segregated school districts were ordered to

The origins of modern welfare policy lie in

In the 1960s, welfare policy in Texas reflected

The ________ transformed the way in which the United States handled poverty and implemented welfare policy.

What happened during the 2013 legislative session that changed the high-minded expectations about the education reform movement?

By the late 1960s, de facto segregation