This paper meets the requirements of the Core Objective Assessment (it measures the Student Learning Outcomes outlined
below) AND meets the requirements of the Quality Enhancement Plan (it is lined up with the AACU Critical Thinking Value
Rubric).
The paper must be turned in via BlackBoard (for the Core Objective Assessment and QEP Data Collection – the data will be
pulled randomly from BlackBoard).
2306 – Texas Government
This assignment may address the following SLOs (Student Learning Outcomes) for 2306: Upon Completion of this Course,
students will be able to:
SLO 1 – Explain the origin and development of the Texas Constitution.
SLO 2 – Demonstrate an understanding of state and political systems and their relationship to the federal government.
SLO 3 – Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice in Texas.
SLO 4 – Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the Texas Government.
SLO 5 – Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in Texas.
SLO 6 – Analyze the state and local election process.
SLO 7 – Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
SLO 8 – Analyze issues, policies, and political culture of Texas.
The Assignment:
Pick a position in the Texas Government and write a paper on that position (i.e. Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Texas Land Commissioner, Attorney General, specific judge, or any other position).
In your paper you should:
o Describe the role, explain what does this person does and the sources of this person’s power (i.e. Texas Constitution or another law or bill), who does this person share power with, who does this person report to / who provides a “check and
balance” on this position?
o Explain how the role is filled (i.e. appointed or elected and the process). o Who is the current person in this position and provide background information about this person and major goals /
initiatives this individual has in this position.
o Is this person affiliated with a political party? What role does that play in this position (i.e. with election or appointment, with how this person carries out their duties, with decisions the person makes, with accountability)?
o What are the major issues confronting the person in this position currently? o What is your opinion of this person and why? o Based on your research, what are the major impacts in history of this position and explain.
Length and Style:
Your paper should be in APA format and double spaced.
Your paper should include a cover page, abstract page, three (3) written pages at least (introduction, body, and conclusion), and a works cited page.
Sources:
You must use at least 4 credible sources.
All 4 sources must be either secondary or primary sources and are credible sources from either library books or library databases.
Wikipedia and Google are NOT sources.
You must use at least one (1) chart, graph or other form of visual medium that you interpret / explain / comment on in your paper.
Please use the librarians – they are eager to help you with your research. Include citations for ALL sources you use. A separate works cited page MUST be included, along with short form citations within the paper. As a general rule you should have at
least one citation for every paragraph except the introduction and conclusion.
BlackBoard:
Your paper must be turned in via BlackBoard so it is maintained for college assessment purposes.
Rubric
Your professor will go over the attached Rubric and make sure you understand how you will be graded on this assignment.
Please review the attached Rubric on your own and refer to it when writing your paper to make sure you follow directions and receive the maximum points possible.
Redistricting in Texas has been an issue of significant controversy since 2000 ( and even before but not as dramatic and consequential). First read some of the issues involved in 2000 and then read the issues involved in 2010 redistricting controversies including court cases responding to all questions concerning both separate but in many ways very connected cases, incidents and processes.
Redistricting is a highly partisan activity mandated indirectly by the required reapportionment of the constitution every decade. The House of Representatives state member allocations is dependent on an accurate population count and subsequent redistricting. “The primary reason for taking the census is to comply with the U.S. Constitutional mandate for data needed to reapportion the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. With the census data tapes in hand, states swiftly began to draw a seemingly infinite number of state legislative and congressional district plans to use in the elections.
In 2001-2004 following the 2000 mandated census redistricting in Texas adopted and then re adopted redistricting plans in an unusual manner. Eventually, state legislators adopted plans that were carefully crafted to satisfy a wide range of criteria including compliance with one-person one-vote, the federal Voting Rights Act and traditional redistricting principles such as compact and contiguous districts. In addition, legislators meticulously designed plans to further political goals without violating federal and state statutes. A couple of states, New Jersey and Virginia, had to draw plans for 2001 elections and almost all states had plans in place for the 2002 elections with the exception of Maine and Montana where redistricting is done prior to the 2004 election.” (NCLR) However, Texas re drew its districts at least twice. The first redistricting effort was under the direction of the courts and the other instance and latest with a new republican majority in the legislature.
This action of redistricting has been litigated in the Supreme Court (as often Texas legislation and policies are—with many found unconstitutional). The Supreme Court has ruled that much if not most of what Texas enacted during the 2000 decade was in fact constitutional but with one exception also a violation of minority voting rights.
The process with a little less drama repeated itself in 2010 but with different relevant Supreme Court rulings and a new interpretation of the voting rights act. 2010 again was the beginning of a decade in which Texas attempt to redistrict was again found incongruous with minority voting rights.
Discuss, after conducting your own research on the issues involved, that decision and the process in the U.S. Supreme Court. REMEMBER that the decisions and opinions of the Supreme Court change . Should the last ( following the 2010 census) redistricting of Texas congressional seats by the Texas legislature have been found in violation of the constitution and civil rights laws?
The most recent 2010-2012 process did in fact result in the plan being rejected over and over and over again. Outline the current (2010-2012 rejection of Texas redistricting efforts) and determine the fatal flaws and underlying values which undermine that process. What could be done to prevent this from occurring again?
The process is again heating with disputes still over data and boundaries and maps regarding current congressional ( and state legislative) districts. The basic argument again focuses on denial of minorities ( particularly in these cases Latino) voting rights.
You must show depth in your arguments and demonstrate your research so very long and many paragraphs with numerous academic citations are expected.
You do not have to discuss the concept/practice of redistricting or reapportionment but focus on the Texas process and the aftermaths of recent census on that process both in terms of legislative/political actions and court decisons
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Enjoy Please Note-You have come to the most reliable academic writing site that will sort all assignments that that you could be having. We write essays, research papers, term papers, research proposals Redistricting in Texas has been an issue of significant controversy since 2000 ( and even before but not as dramatic and consequential). First read some of the issues involved in 2000 and then read the issues involved in 2010 redistricting controversies including court cases responding to all questions concerning both separate but in many ways very connected cases, incidents and processes.
Identify one grant opportunity that would be a good fit for you to fund the program. Post the link to your grant, and discuss why it would be appropriate for your specific program.
Program: Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
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Customer satisfaction- Customer satisfaction. We have an outstanding customer care team that is always ready and willing to listen to you, collect your instructions and make sure that your custom writing needs are satisfied
Writing services provided by experts- Looking for expert essay writers, thesis and dissertation writers, personal statement writers, or writers to provide any other kind of custom writing service?
Enjoy Please Note-You have come to the most reliable academic writing site that will sort all assignments that that you could be having. We write essays, research papers, term papers, research proposals. Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
The essay MUST be a minimum of 4 pages, not including the Works Cited page. Please cite a minimum of 4 reputable sources and include in text citations throughout the essay. (with an MLA style Works Cited Page at the end).
1.African Americans in Texas today have full voting rights. Explain the political and legal steps taken by African Americans to achieve this right.
2.Identify the three branches of Texas government and describe their functions. In your essay, please specify the current leaders of each branch of Texas government. Identify ways in which each branch of Texas government can exercise a check on each of the other branches.
3.Identify and describe the importance of the functions of political parties in Texas. Describe the differences between liberals and conservatives. Describe the progression that has led to the dominance of the Republican Party in Texas. In your essay explain the different political philosophies of the different factions within the Republican Party in Texas
There are three different discussions forums in this post. And they are:
1. Read the Texas Bill of Rights from Article I of the Texas Constitution (http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/CN/htm/CN.1.htm). Pick any of the sections from the Texas Bill of Rights What is the right that is mentioned? What does it mean (in your own words)? Find a Supreme Court case (US or Texas) dealing with the issue brought up by the right you are mentioning. What were the facts of the case? What right did the person claim they had? What was the court’s decision? And finally, do you agree with the outcome of the case and why? Be sure to include a link to the case you chose.
Make sure to write a 250-300-word post and to to read what others have written and comment on at least one other student’s response with a 100-word reply.
2. Prompt: Find an Op-Ed that discusses any law enacted by the Texas Legislature in the last legislative session. Find an interesting, controversial law that generated a good deal of discussion. Especially look for law that could affect your life or the lives of those you know. Read the Op-Ed. What does the law call for – what will be its effect? What is the argument made by the author of the Op-Ed – is it for or against the law. What arguments on the other side do you think could be made. What do you think of the law – make sure you make arguments and cite evidence to support your position.
Make sure to write a 250-300-word post and to to read what others have written and comment on at least one other student’s response with a 100-word reply.
3. Prompt: Find an OP-ED by author who argues that Voter ID in Texas is a good idea and summarize his arguments. Be sure to post the link. Then find an OP-ED by a liberal author that argues that Voter ID in Texas is a bad idea. Be sure to post the link. Who has the better arguments and why?
Make sure to write a 250-300-word post and to to read what others have written and comment on at least one other student’s response with a 100-word reply.
Texas has an unusual appeals process for judicial cases. District courts, where trials on matters of fact are held, are separated into different types according to the kind of cases they hear. You may notice when you vote in county elections, there are civil courts, criminal courts, probate courts, family courts, etc.
All these cases are appealed to a court that has jurisdiction in all of those areas. The First and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals, which meet in Houston, hear all kinds of criminal and civil cases.
After that, however, the process splits again. Criminal cases go to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Civil cases go to the Texas Supreme Court.
Use the “case search” feature to find a case called “Mosley v. Texas Health and Human Services Commission and Texas Department of Family and Protective Services(17-0345),” decided on May 3, 2019.
In this case, a state agency investigated a nurse, Patricia Mosley, for allegedly neglecting a disabled patient, and recommended she be added to the department’s “Employee Misconduct Registry,” a blacklist that would have effectively ended her career. She requested an appeal of the department’s decision, following the process the agency told her to follow in a letter it sent her. As it turned out, however, the department’s letter gave her the wrong procedure to follow, and – following the department’s instructions – she didn’t file the required motion for rehearing and her appeal was dismissed. The state’s position was, basically, that she should have known better than to follow the department’s own instructions.
The question before the Texas Supreme Court: Did the government’s actions violate Mosley’s right to “due course of the law of the land” under the Texas Constitution?
Write a 2 – 5 page essay explaining the facts of the case and how the court ruled. What did Justice Brown say about the court’s reasoning in his majority opinion? What is a concurring opinion, and what did Justice Blacklock say in his? [Note: How cool is it that the Supreme Court cited the movie Animal House as a scholarly source of judicial reasoning (“Come on, Flounder. You can’t spend your whole life worrying about your mistakes. You [messed] up. You trusted us.”)?]
The Texas Supreme Court seems to take its website down for maintenance a lot, usually around time time you’re supposed to be working on my Texas courts assignment. If the website is down, there are some alternative ways to get the information you need.
Understanding what resources are available for vulnerable populations is an important aspect of holistic patient care. Many patients lack access to affordable healthcare, have a low income, poor health literacy and experience difficulty navigating the system. As a trusted member of their healthcare team, it often falls to you, the nurse, to make recommendations and referrals to services within the patient’s local area that could improve your patient’s long-term health modifications. What public resources exist within your community that are beneficial for your patient population? Please identify and briefly discuss three (things to include: what type of services does it provide, how is it funded, who is eligible).
For example, in East Texas we have:
The Salvation Army – Homeless shelter, grocery assistance/soup kitchen, rehab programs, after school programs, employment assistance. Government funded.
NET (North East Texas) Public Health Center for Healthy Living – Goal is to prevent illness, promote health, and protect the community. Low cost STD testing, Surveillance of emergency & disaster preparedness, affordable immunizations, monitors vital statistics, provides environmental health services. Sets patrons up with free preventative screens, diabetes education classes, substance abuse assistance, and smoking cessation assistance. Government funded.
P. A.T.H. – People Attempting To Help – not for profit organization that assists individuals with dental, medical, prescription, visual, food, rent, utilities, housing assistance
Overview Human services professionals work in a variety of settings such as hospitals, mental health centers, addiction treatment programs, child welfare, courts, probation, schools, and food banks. This course serves as your introduction to the field. In the final assignment, you will apply what you learned about the history of the human services field and about current trends, theory, ethics, the helping process, roles, and the variety of settings in which human services professionals are employed. The project is supported by four formative milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Two, Four, Five, and Six. The final submission will be due in Module Seven. This assessment addresses the following course outcomes:
Analyze the history of the field of human services for its relationship to current trends in the field
Describe theories, values, and ethics for guiding work as a human services professional
Differentiate between the various roles human services professionals employ facilitating the helping process
Research human services employment opportunities for informing career paths
Prompt For the final assessment, you will select an agency in which you would like to be employed. You will research the types of services this agency offers by looking at its website, visiting the agency (if possible), emailing or interviewing someone who works at the agency. Once you have gathered the information for this project, you will explain why you selected this particular agency instead of others, write about how history and current trends have influenced this agency, what theories, values, and ethical standards you would apply if you worked at the agency, and how your personal values might be challenged, what your role in the helping process might be, and what qualifications you would need to apply for a job at that agency. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Human Services Profession Choose a human services agency in which you would like to be employed.
a) What is the agency you selected, and what was your rationale for choosing this particular agency? What other agencies did you consider, and why did you not select them? Why would you like to be employed at this agency?
II. Agency Description
Research the types of services this agency offers by looking at its website, visiting the agency (if possible), emailing or interviewing someone who works at the agency.
a) What are the main types of services offered? b) Describe what main type of professionals work within this agency, and describe their roles.
III. History and Current Trends
a) Give a brief history of the development of the agency. Consider describing who established it, why it was originally established, and how it has evolved. Include the mission of the agency and any other pertinent information.
b) How is the history of the human services field similar to and different from the history of the agency? c) Describe current trends that impact the work of the agency. How do these trends relate to the history of the human services field?
IV. Theories, Values, and Ethics
Review the code of ethics for human service professionals and theories learned in this class. a) What is the importance of having a code of ethics? How would the code of ethics impact your provision of services in this agency? b) Which standards in the Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals will be more and which will be less challenging to implement, and
why? c) What theory might you apply while working with clients in your selected agency? Describe an example of how you might apply this theory in
your work at this agency.
V. Role in the Helping Process Based on your research, what roles might you utilize at this agency in each stage of the helping process?
VI. Career Opportunities
Research the careers available in the specific agency, and discuss the qualifications. a) Choose an entry-level position you are interested in pursuing, and discuss the qualifications you would need to apply for the position. b) Detail the qualifications you possess and which skills you are lacking to qualify for the position.
VII. Summary of Learning
To conclude this paper, summarize what you have learned in this course that you can apply to your everyday life.
Milestones Milestone One: Human Services Organization Identification In Module Two, you will select one agency in which you would like to be employed and write a one-page overview describing the agency, your interest in it, and the different roles and positions the agency maintains. You will focus on this agency throughout the rest of the agency exploration assignment. This milestone is graded with the Milestone One Rubric. Milestone Two: Human Services Timeline Discussion In Module Four, you will reflect on the history of the human services field and the history of your chosen organization through a discussion. You will make a post that identifies the founding of your selected organization and highlights an important event or news story that has impacted the human services field. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Two Rubric. Milestone Three: Helping Process Discussion In Module Five, you will select one client-facing role that is used by human services professionals within the organization you selected for your final project and create a post that names the role, explains the different responsibilities of the profession, and provides examples of how this role relates to the steps of the larger helping process. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Three Rubric. Milestone Four: Summary of Learning In Module Six, you will describe, in a 1–2-paragraph written response, what you have learned in this course that you can apply to your everyday life. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Four Rubric. Final Submission: Agency Exploration In Module Seven, you will submit your final agency exploration. The final submission is graded with the Final Project Rubric (see following page).
Deliverables
Milestone Deliverables Module Due Grading
1 Human Services Organization Identification Two Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric 2 Human Services Timeline Discussion Four Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric
3 Helping Process Discussion Five Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric 4 Summary of Learning Six Graded separately; Milestone Four Rubric
Final Submission: Agency Exploration Seven Graded separately; Final Project Rubric
Final Project Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Your agency exploration should be between 4 and 6 pages, double-spaced, use 12-point Times New Roman font, and be written in APA style.
Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Human Services Profession: Agency
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and rationale is especially clear and well supported
Selects an agency and gives rationale for choosing that particular profession
Selects an agency, but does not give rationale for choosing that particular profession, or rationale is weak
Does not select an agency 7.6
Agency Description: Services
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and description is especially clear and contextualized
Describes the main types of services offered
Describes the main types of services offered, but description lacks detail or accuracy
Does not describe the types of services offered
7.6
Agency Description: Professionals
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and descriptions are especially clear and contextualized
Describes the main types of professionals within the program or organization and their roles
Describes the main types of practitioners within the program or organization and their roles, but description lacks detail or accuracy
Does not describe the main types of practitioners and their roles
7.6
History and Current Trends: History
Meets “Proficient” criteria and utilizes sources to strengthen description
Comprehensively describes the development of the organization
Describes the development of the organization, but description lacks detail or is inaccurate
Does not describe the development of the organization
7.6
History and Current Trends: Agency
Meets “Proficient” criteria and utilizes sources to strengthen description
Discusses the relationship between the history of human services and the history of the agency
Discusses the relationship between the history of human services and the history of the agency, but information lacks detail or accuracy
Does not discuss the relationship between the history of human services and the history of the agency
7.6
History and Current Trends: Trends
Meets “Proficient” criteria and utilizes sources to strengthen description
Describes current trends that impact work in the agency, relating these to the history of human services
Describes current trends that impact work in the agency, relating these to the history of human services, but lacks detail or accuracy
Does not describe current trends that impact work in the agency, relating these to the history of human services
7.8
Theories, Values, and Ethics: Importance
Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides concrete examples to substantiate claims
Describes the importance of the code of ethics and how it impacts the provision of services in the agency
Describes the importance of the code of ethics and how it impacts the provision of services in the agency, but description is lacking detail or accuracy
Does not describe the importance of the code of ethics and how it impacts the provision of services in the agency
7.6
Theories, Values, and
Ethics: Challenging
Meets “Proficient” criteria and provides concrete examples to substantiate claims
Details which standards will be most and least challenging to implement, providing justification
Details which standards will be most and least challenging to implement, providing justification, but justification lacks detail or accuracy
Does not detail which standards will be most and least challenging to implement, and does not provide justification
7.6
Theories, Values, and Ethics: Apply
Meets “Proficient” criteria and is well qualified with concrete examples
Describes a theory that applies when working in the agency and provides an example
Describes a theory that applies when working in the agency and provides an example, but lacks detail or accuracy
Does not describe a theory that applies when working in the agency and does not provide an example
7.8
Role in the Helping Process
Meets “Proficient” criteria and is well qualified with concrete examples
Identifies roles in the agency for each stage of the helping process, providing justification
Identifies roles in the agency for each stage of the helping process, providing justification, but lacks detail or accuracy
Does not identify roles in the agency for each stage of the helping process, and does not provide justification
7.8
Career Opportunities: Qualifications
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and description is exceptionally clear
Discusses qualifications of an entry-level position and compares to personal experience
Discusses qualifications of an entry-level position and compares to personal experience, but lacks detail and accuracy
Does not discuss qualifications of an entry-level position and does not compare to personal experience
7.6
Career Opportunities: Skills
Meets “Proficient” criteria and justifies assertions
Details the skills and needs to qualify for the entry-level position
Details the skills and needs to qualify for the entry-level position, but lacks detail and accuracy
Does not detail the skills and needs to qualify for the entry- level position
7.8
Summary of Learning Meets “Proficient” criteria and is exceptionally clear
Summarizes how coursework can be applied to real life and how it relates to career goals
Summarizes how coursework can be applied to real life and how it relates to career goals, but lacks detail
Does not summarize how coursework can be applied to real life and how it relates to career goals
4
Articulation of Response
Submission is free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy-to-read format
Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization
Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas
Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas
Do you think that sales taxes are a fair way for the state to generate revenue? Why or why not? As described in The Texas Tribune article “How Texas lawmakers tax swap plan could affect Texans”, there was a proposal in the 2019 legislative session to increase the sales tax to offset a reduction in property taxes. Do you think trading a sales tax increase for a property tax decrease is a fair approach for the majority of Texans? Why or why not? What happened to this proposal during the 2019 legislative session?