Faculty

GOVT-2306 Texas State and Local Government

Shannon Sinegal

Credit Spring 2026

Section(s)

GOVT-2306-051 (16981)
LEC MW 10:30am - 11:50am EGN EGN1 1227

GOVT-2306-089 (28774)
LEC TuTh 10:30am - 11:50am EGN EGN1 1251

GOVT-2306-099 (28776)
LEC MW 1:30pm - 2:50pm EGN EGN1 1227

GOVT-2306-110 (28778)
LEC TuTh 1:30pm - 2:50pm EGN EGN1 1235

Course Requirements

This course is a face-to-face class on the Elgin Campus, and the students' attendance and participation are required. This course meets twice a week for 75 minutes.

Classroom Requirements

1. Students must participate in class discussion.

2. Students must arrive at class on time and start the course for the duration of the class.

3. Keep current with current events.

4. Submit assignments by the due date. Late submission will not be accepted.

5. Respect the views of your colleagues.

6. No cell phones during lectures.

7. All writing assignments must be in MLA formatting, and in-text citations and a Works Cited are required. Students will be graded on their correct usage of this formatting.

8. Laptops can be used in the course, but they must be used only for taking notes, and for any other useages the student will lose the privilege of being able to use their laptop.

9. There are no rewrites in the course.

10. Students must complete their exams in class, and students are not allowed to leave the class until their exam is submitted.

11. Final grades are not rounded up.

12. Students must follow the course's academic intergrity and A.I. policies; any violations will result in the students being reported to the college for the breach.

Technology Requirements / Skills

Access to the Internet,
A reliable computer, iPad, or tablet with a web camera,
Microsoft Office or Google Docs,
Class for Zoom
Panopto.

Minimum Technical Skills

As part of your online experience, you can expect to use a variety of technological mediums as part of your curriculum:

Communicate via email, including sending attachments.
Navigate the World Wide Web using a web browser like Google Chrome.
Use office applications such as Microsoft Office (or similar) to create documents.
Be willing to learn how to communicate using a discussion board and upload assignments to a classroom website.
Be comfortable uploading and downloading saved files.
Have easy access to the Internet.
Navigate Blackboard, including using the communication component.
Students’ computers, laptops, iPads, and tablets must have a built-in or an external webcam.
Students must have access to ACC’s video recording software, Panopto.

Introduction to the Course Assignments

Students will complete a quiz on the course syllabus, which will cover key points and expectations of the course. Additionally, there will be other quizzes on the syllabus twice during the semester, focusing on specific units and topics.
To foster a sense of community in this course, students are required to record a self-introduction video in which they introduce themselves to the class. Next, students must reply to three of their colleagues' videos.
This course is a journey of learning and growth, divided into four units. Each unit is an opportunity to delve deeper into the course material, and four multiple-choice exams will test your understanding of each unit. These exams serve as assessments and opportunities to reinforce your learning and track your progress.

Writing Assignment

Students will examine the legislative process by following the creation of a bill during the 89th Texas Regular Legislative Session. Students must select a bill that became a law.

MLA formatting is required in this course. All writing assignments must include scholarly sources from approve list, which is found in the course syllabus. All written assignments must consist of parenthetical citations and a Works Cited. Students will be graded on their correct usage of MLA formatting.

Late assignments and email submission are not accepted in this course.

Exams

There are four Unit Exams in this course.

Exam #1- Chapters 1-3 of Practicing Texas Politics, 18th edition by Brown et al.

Exam #2- Chapters 8-10 of Practicing Texas Politics, 18th edition by Brown et al.

Exam #3 - Chapters 4-7 of Practicing Texas Politics, 18th edition by Brown et al.

Exam #4 Chapter 11-13 of Practicing Texas Politics, 18th edition by Brown et al.

Each exam will consist of 50 Multiple-Choice, fill-in-the-blank, and short-answer questions. All exams must be completed using Distance Education Proctoring, which is a live proctoring service which mointors students while they are testing.

Extra Credit Assignments

Students have an opportunity to earn up to 40 extra credit points in this course. First, students can participate in a virtual book club, which is hosted and run by Elgin's Librarian, Mary Havens. Students can earn up to 20 extra credit points. For more information, contact Ms. Haven at mary.havens@austincc.edu.

The second extra credit assignment allows the students to pretend that they are running for a political position in Texas. The students must create a campaign strategy to help them. There is a series of questions that will help the students create a winning strategy. Students can earn up to 20 extra credit points.

Readings

Lyle Brown C., Joyce A. Langenegger, Sonica R. Garcia, Ted A. Lewis, and Robert E. Biles. 2021. Practicing Texas Politics, 18th Edition. Boston: Cengage Learning.

Chapter 1. The Environment of Texas Politics

Chapter 2. Federalism and the Texas Constitution

Chapter 3. Local Government

Chapter 4. Political Parties

Chapter 5. Voting and Elections

Chapter 6. The Media and Politics

Chapter 7. The Politics of Interest Groups

Chapter 8. The Legislative Branch

Chapter 9. The Executive Branch

Chapter 10. The Judicial Branch

Chapter 11. Finance and Fiscal Policy

Chapter 12. Public Policy and Administration

Chapter 13. The Criminal Justice System

Course Subjects

This course is an introduction to Texas State and Local Governments. The class includes an introduction to a framework for analyzing Texas government and politics, the constitutional basis for Texas government and politics, the processes of Texas government and politics, the institutions of Texas government and politics, and the policies of Texas government and politic

Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives

Faculty in the Government Department offers coursework that ensures that students learn, in both general and specific ways, the material included in the Department's general learning outcomes for GOVT2306, listed below.

The context of Texas Politics

Analyze the context of Texas Politics

Constitutional Foundations

Analyze the separation of powers in the Texas government
Describe the legacy of the Texas Constitution
Describe the nature and characteristics of the 1876 Constitution.
Discuss the nature of the relationship between national and state governments.

Linkage Institutions

Analyze the political and policymaking impact of the media in Texas
Analyze the political and policymaking effects of interest groups in Texas.
Analyze the political and policymaking impact of political parties in Texas.
Analyze the process and impact of elections and campaigns in the state of Texas.

Political Learning

Evaluate how political values, attitudes, and behaviors are learned.

Campaigns and Elections

Describe elections and voting in the Texas Government.

Institutions of State Government

Analyze the functions and operations of the legislative branch and its role in policymaking today.
Analyze the functions and operations of the executive branch and its role in policymaking today.
Analyze the functions and operations of the judicial branch and its role in policymaking today.

Institutions of Local Government

Analyze the structure, functions, and operations of local government.

Public Policy in Texas

Describe education policy in Texas.
Describe health and human services policy implementation in Texas.
Describe environmental policy implementation in Texas.
Describe criminal justice policy in Texas.
Describe emergency management and border security policy implementation in Texas.

Fiscal Policy in Texas

Describe fiscal policy in the Texas Government
Describe how budgets are developed

Measurable Learning Outcomes (MLO)

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

1. Explain the origin and development of the Texas Constitution.
2. Describe state and local political systems and their relationship with the federal government.
3. Describe the separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice in Texas.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of Texas's legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
5. Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in Texas.
6. Analyze the state and local election process.
7. Identify the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
8. Analyze issues, policies, and political culture of Texas.