SECTION 127.639. Principles of Government and Public Administration (One Credit), Adopted 2015

(a) General requirements. This course is recommended for students in Grades 9-11. Students shall be awarded one credit for successful completion of this course.

(b) Introduction.

(1) Career and technical education instruction provides content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills for students to further their education and succeed in current or emerging professions.

(2) The Government and Public Administration Career Cluster focuses on planning and performing governmental functions at the local, state, and federal levels, including governance, national security, foreign service, planning, revenue and taxation, and regulations.

(3) Principles of Government and Public Administration introduces students to foundations of governmental functions and career opportunities within the United States and abroad. Students will examine governmental documents such as the U.S. Constitution, current U.S. Supreme Court and federal court decisions, and the Bill of Rights.

(4) Students are encouraged to participate in extended learning experiences such as career and technical student organizations and other leadership or extracurricular organizations.

(5) Statements that contain the word "including" reference content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.

(c) Knowledge and skills.

(1) The student demonstrates professional standards/employability skills as required by business and industry. The student is expected to:

(A) communicate effectively with others using oral and written skills;

(B) demonstrate collaboration skills through teamwork;

(C) demonstrate professionalism by conducting oneself in a manner appropriate for the profession and workplace;

(D) demonstrate a positive, productive work ethic by performing assigned tasks as directed;

(E) show integrity by choosing the ethical course of action and complying with all applicable rules, laws, and regulations; and

(F) demonstrate time-management skills by prioritizing tasks, following schedules, and tending to goal-relevant activities in a way that uses time wisely and optimizes efficiency and results.

(2) The student explores major political ideas and forms of government in history. The student is expected to:

(A) explain major political ideas in history such as natural law, natural rights, divine right of kings, and social contract theory;

(B) identify the characteristics of classic forms of government such as absolute monarchy, authoritarianism, classical republic, despotism, feudalism, liberal democracy, and totalitarianism; and

(C) explore aspects of public service and related careers at international, federal, state, and local levels.

(3) The student understands how constitutional government, as developed in the United States, has been influenced by people, ideas, and historical documents. The student is expected to:

(A) analyze the principles and ideas that underlie the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution;

(B) explain the importance of a written constitution and how the federal government serves the purposes set forth in the U.S. Constitution;

(C) explore how the Federalist Papers explain the principles of the U.S. constitutional system of government;

(D) evaluate constitutional provisions for limiting the role of government such as republicanism, checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, and individual rights;

(E) analyze the contributions of the political philosophies of the founding fathers and explain why they created a distinctly new form of federalism and adopted a federal system of government instead of a unitary system;

(F) evaluate the limits on the national and state governments in the U.S. federal system of government and how the U.S. Constitution can be amended;

(G) categorize, diagram, or create a descriptive representation of the government powers as national, state, or shared government;

(H) analyze historical conflicts over the respective roles of national and state governments in the United States; and

(I) identify significant individuals and their roles in the field of government and politics, including ambassadors, elected officials, and appointed officials.

(4) The student compares the similarities and differences that exist among the U.S. system of government and other political systems. The student is expected to:

(A) compare and contrast the U.S. system of government with other political systems; and

(B) analyze advantages and disadvantages of presidential and parliamentary systems of government.

(5) The student explores rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. The student is expected to:

(A) identify the rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights;

(B) evaluate the role of limited government and the rule of law for the protection of individual rights;

(C) identify and recognize issues addressed in critical cases that involve U.S. Supreme Court interpretations of rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution;

(D) define the roles of each branch of government in protecting the rights of individuals;

(E) explain the importance of due process rights to the protection of individual rights and to the limits on the powers of government; and

(F) recognize the impact of the incorporation doctrine involving due process and the Bill of Rights on individual rights, federalism, and majority rule.

(6) The student recognizes the difference between personal and civic responsibilities. The student is expected to:

(A) explain the difference between personal and civic responsibilities of citizens versus non-citizens;

(B) present how, why, and when the rights of individuals are inviolable even against claims for the public good;

(C) analyze the consequences on society of political decisions and actions; and

(D) investigate the role of municipal management in serving public and personal good.

(7) The student recognizes the importance of voluntary individual participation in the U.S. democratic society. The student is expected to:

(A) present how to measure the effectiveness of participation in the political process at local, state, and national levels;

(B) review, document, and explain how historical and contemporary examples of citizen movements were used to bring about political change or to maintain continuity;

(C) evaluate different leadership styles and their impact on participation;

(D) explain the factors that influence an individual's political attitudes and actions;

(E) compare effectiveness of leadership characteristics of state and national leaders; and

(F) explain the importance of volunteer public service in bringing about political change and maintaining continuity.

(8) The student recognizes the relationship between government policies and the culture of the United States. The student is expected to:

(A) identify a political policy or decision in the United States that was a result of changes in American culture;

(B) discuss changes in American culture brought about by government policies such as voting rights, the GI Bill, and racial integration;

(C) present an example of a government policy that has affected a particular racial, ethnic, or religious group; and

(D) explain the influence of individuals and/or groups that have affected change in society.

(9) The student identifies the influence of geography on governmental and public administrative functions. The student is expected to:

(A) draw conclusions about the political significance to the United States of the location and geographic characteristics of critical regions compared to the economic significance of the geographic characteristics of selected places such as oil fields in the Middle East using maps and Global Positioning System (GPS) locations;

(B) interpret geographical influences on requirements for international, national, state, and local governments;

(C) predict how geographical considerations impact regional change over time;

(D) interpret the importance of cultural symbols in the planning of government activities;

(E) explore how geographic information systems assist in gathering information; and

(F) connect a positive or negative effect of a government policy to the physical and human characteristics of a place or region.

(10) The student interprets and applies concepts of governance to assess functions of government and public administration in society. The student is expected to:

(A) recall historical debates and recognize the compromises necessary to reach landmark political decisions;

(B) give examples of the processes used by individuals, political parties, interest groups, or the media to affect public policy;

(C) explore the impact of political changes brought about by individuals, political parties, interest groups, or the media;

(D) recognize how the American beliefs and principles reflected in the U.S. Constitution contribute to our national identity;

(E) evaluate the alignment of institutions of government and public administration with the principles of U.S. and international law to guide policy development; and

(F) analyze how U.S. foreign policy affects other countries.

(11) The student works with different forms and methods of communication used to manage and facilitate the flow of ideas and information among government, public administration, the business community, and the general public. The student is expected to:

(A) analyze the structure and functions of the legislative branch of government such as the bicameral structure of Congress, the role of committees, and the procedure for enacting laws;

(B) analyze the structure and functions of the executive branch of government such as the constitutional powers of the president, the growth of presidential power, and the role of the cabinet and executive departments;

(C) analyze the structure and functions of the judicial branch of government, including the federal court system and types of jurisdiction;

(D) analyze the functions of selected independent executive and regulatory agencies;

(E) explain how certain provisions of the U.S. Constitution provide for checks and balances among the three branches of government;

(F) analyze selected issues raised by judicial activism and judicial restraint;

(G) compare and contrast the structures and functions of the Texas state government to the federal system;

(H) analyze the structure and functions of local government;

(I) document, report, and record information to conform to legal requirements;

(J) research safety standards and practices ensuring public safety and environmental protection;

(K) investigate how to comply with directives to ensure protection of confidential information while carrying out duties as a government or public administration employee;

(L) compare and contrast the concepts of ethical conduct to comply with all laws and regulations affecting governmental agencies; and

(M) describe the accepted principles of financial management to administer budgets, programs, and human resources.

(12) The student uses technologies to research common objectives of government and public administration. The student is expected to:

(A) access appropriate information technologies to accomplish tasks;

(B) integrate appropriate information technologies to accomplish tasks;

(C) identify examples of government-assisted research that, when shared with the private sector, has resulted in improved consumer products such as computer and communication technologies;

(D) analyze how U.S. government policies fostering competition and entrepreneurship have resulted in scientific discoveries and technological innovations;

(E) analyze the potential impact on society of recent scientific discoveries and technological innovations;

(F) analyze the reaction of government to scientific discoveries and technological innovations; and

(G) explain the concept of intellectual property.

Source Note: The provisions of this §127.639 adopted to be effective April 7, 2022, 47 TexReg 1677