Chapter 11: Public Policy in Texas

Question 1

public policy

Answer 1

“Whatever governments choose to do or not to do.”

Question 2

policy liberalism index

Answer 2

a measure of how liberal or conservative a state is on some state policies,

Question 3

Robin Hood Plan

Answer 3

system for funding the state’s primary and secondary public school education whereby rich districts send money to the state, which then distributes those funds to poor school districts.

Question 4

“deregulated” tuition

Answer 4

a decision by the state legislature to allow state colleges and universities to set the rate of tuition charged on students.

Question 5

budget fix

Answer 5

state law and constitutional amendments that set aside money to be spent on specific items: the best example is the state gasoline tax being committed to state highways.

Question 6

Permanent University Fund (PUF)

Answer 6

the PUF is money set aside in the state constitution to benefit the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University.

Question 7

Hopwood Decision

Answer 7

Decision by federal courts to end affirmative action in Texas schools: these programs had provided for special treatment for minority students in being accepted to colleges and professional schools.

Question 8

Higher Education Assistance Fund (HEAF)

Answer 8

The HEAF is money set aside for the use by those Universities not benefiting from the PUF.

Question 9

Roe v. Wade

Answer 9

Texas court case that limits what states can legally do to prevent abortions.