Faculty

GOVT-2306 Texas State and Local Government

Rachel Jones

Credit Spring 2026

Section(s)

GOVT-2306-023 (34134)
LEC MW 1:30pm - 2:50pm SGC SGC1 1315

GOVT-2306-029 (34135)
LEC MW 3:00pm - 4:20pm SGC SGC1 1228

GOVT-2306-038 (34136)
LEC TuTh 9:00am - 10:20am SGC SGC1 1228

GOVT-2306-039 (34137)
LEC TuTh 10:30am - 11:50am SGC SGC1 1228

Course Requirements

Attendance: This is a lecture course, and as such, is based on lecture, discussion boards, assigned readings, quizzes and exams.

Students may be dropped from class by the instructor if they do not attend class without a prior excused notice. Attendance WILL BE TAKEN. It is the student’s responsibility to gauge their progress and withdraw from class if it is warranted otherwise.

Online Quizzes: The quizzes are in a multiple-choice format, and you will have two attempts. There will be 13 Chapter quizzes worth 30 points each, with a total of 390 points for the semester. These serve as studying tools for the exam. Quizzes = successful exams.

Examinations: There will be 4 exams given within the semester worth 100 points each. EXAM MATERIAL COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE TEXTBOOK. IF YOU DO NOT READ THE CHAPTERS YOU WILL NOT PASS THE EXAMS. Make-up exams will be discussed on a case-by-case basis. No make-up exams will be entertained for anything other than a documented emergency.

Research Paper: The paper will be worth 150 points. A specific Blackboard section will cover the assignment directions.

Discussion Board: There will be 4 Discussion Board exercises on Blackboard worth 15 points each. Total points are available for an initial response to the discussion board prompt with a minimum of 200 words (10 points) and a second entry as a response to another student with a minimum of 100 words. (5 points). Each discussion will be organized around the corresponding Unit.

Grading Scale: There are a total of 1000 points available for the class. (There are 400 total exam points available, 390 points for quizzes, 150 points for the paper, and 60 points for the Discussion Boards.)

Readings

The textbook for this course is entitled "The Texas Experiment" https://austin.bncollege.com/c/The-Texas-Experiment/p/MBS_11308161_dg?currentCampus=130¤tTerm=130_130_26_W¤tCourse=2306

Course Subjects

This course is an introduction to Texas State and Local Government. The course 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 politics.

Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives

Faculty in the Government Department offer course work 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.

Context of Texas Politics

Analyze the context of Texas Politics

Constitutional Foundations

Analyze separation of powers in 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 government.

Linkage Institutions

Analyze the political and policymaking impact of the media in Texas
Analyze the political and policymaking impact 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 Texas.

Political Learning

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

Campaigns and Elections

Describe elections and voting in Texas Government.

Institutions of State Government

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