PPA 220B – APPLIED ECONOMIC ANALYSIS II
GRADUATE PROGRAM IN PUBLIC POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO
SPRING 2013
Professor: Rob Wassmer, Ph.D.
E-Mail: rwassme@csus.edu
Home-Page: http://www.csus.edu/indiv/w/wassmerr/
Class Location: Thursday, 6:00 p.m. - 8:50 p.m., 1051 Folsom Hall
Office: Room 1051, Folsom Hall (on Folsom Blvd near Home Depot)
Office Phone: (916) 278-6304
Office Hours: Monday and Thursday, 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.; and by appointment if necessary
Prerequisite: Grade of B- or higher in PPA 220A.
Required Texts:
(1) “Cost-Benefit Analysis for Public Sector Decision Makers,” 1999, Diana Fuguitt and
Shanton J. Wilcox, Quorum Books; purchase at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/1567202225/robwassmershomep
(2) “Tools for Decision Making,” First Edition 2002, David Ammons, CQ Press;
purchase at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/1568026412/robwassmershomep
There will also be supplemental readings that groups will chose for their own topics from
the Web after consulting with me early in the semester.
WebCT:
This course requires that you have access to the World Wide Web and SacCT. If you do
not have an account at home or work that allows this, you can get one through
Sacramento State. On SacCT I will post an outline of material covered in each meeting.
These will be available by the Tuesday afternoon before the class meets. Your grades
will also be accessible through SacCT.
Course Objectives:
At the end of PPA 220B, a student that attends all meetings will:
1
(1) Understand the basic process of how to conduct a benefit/cost assessment and
have a working knowledge of some of the specific techniques necessary to do it.
(2) Learn to apply the concepts of benefit/cost assessment to a particular
California public policy (for example Climate Change) and to appreciate this
policy tool’s relevance to gaining a better understanding of how to structure a
policy intervention.
(3) Be able to apply a specific public policy “tool” (Munger’s Triangle,
Government Failure, Comparative Institutional Analysis, Microeconomic Based
Market Analysis, Market Failure Approach, etc.) to a California relevant public
policy concern in order to gain a better understanding of how “best” to deal with
it.
(4) Gain a greater comfort in your ability to make a public presentation and
engage in a public discussion on a public policy topic.
(5) Further explore how the framing of a policy problem in terms of “what is fair”
or “what is efficient” results in different “best” solutions.
(6) Compose a white paper on a policy problem that lays out its background, a
formal analytic way of thinking about solutions to it, and evaluates the solutions
put forward to deal with it.
This course exposes you to the basic study and application of public economics and
benefit/cost analysis to public policy applications specific to California. You will learn
and apply theoretical concepts; however, keep in mind that the goal in doing so is in your
ability to better understand, analyze, and critique existing and proposed public policies.
Method:
This class will have two distinct halves. The first half will be coverage of benefit/cost
analysis and other tools for decision making for public policy formulation and evaluation.
I will be responsible for this in the form of lectures, classroom discussions, and
homework assignments. The details on this are in meetings one (Jan. 31) through six
(March 7) below. For each of these classes you will need to bring your own laptop
with Excel installed (this includes our first meeting). If you do not have this, please
make an arrangement to share with another student.
For the second half of the course, I am turning it over to you to practice what Mintrom
described in his book’s Chapter 6 as “Presenting Policy Advice.” Each group of six
students will be responsible for 1.5 class meetings of coverage on one of six policy topics
that the class and I selected: (1) Climate Change, (2) CA Taxes, (3) CA Realignment, (4)
Public Transit, (5) Marijuana Legalization, and (5) K-12 Education Policy.
The students assigned each topic are:
2
Climate Change (Mack, Philips, and Maurer) – February 14
CA Taxes (Sanders, Palmer, Calbonero) – February 21
CA Realignment (Lynch, Yan, and Townsend) – February 28
Public Transit (White Preciado, and Garvin) – March 7
Marijuana Legalization (Dominguez, Blattel, and West) – March 14
K-12 Education Policy (Johnson, Gojnic, and Carhart) – March 21;
The dates after each topic is when your entire group needs to plan to be at class
meeting an hour early so we can decide upon the approach and readings that will be
assigned to the class. If we cannot finish this discussion in an hour, we will continue
it at the end of class.
In the 1.5 student-led class meetings for each topic, the three students covering each
topic, each has the choice of picking one of these ways of discussing it in a classroom
PowerPoint presentation and whitepaper write up (but no duplications): (A) a historical
look at the institutions, politics, demographics, etc. that led to this overall policy concern
in California, (B) the Munger Triangle approach on how to think about the reasons for
and type of government intervention on your topic, (C) the Mintrom approach to thinking
about potential governmental failure when intervention in your policy topic occurs, (D)
the Mintrom approach of comparative institutional analysis on how to intervene in your
policy area, or (E) a cost-benefit approach to thinking about government intervention in
this policy area.
These 1.5 unit class meetings are equivalent to 240 minutes of class time divided between
160 minutes on the first night and 80 minutes on the second. The first meeting will
consist of three, 40 minute PowerPoint based presentations (no more than 15 slides per
presentation) that involve 30 minutes of presentation and 10 minutes of discussion that
each student in a policy area group will lead. Prior to these presentations, the group as a
whole will have assigned three homework question for members of the class not involved
with the topic. After presentations, we will break up into groups to discuss the assigned
hw questions for 40 minutes. Members of the group will lead these discussions. On the
second half meeting of a topic, the group will be responsible for inviting in two to four
outside speakers that can talk on the topic for 80 minutes in a manner that they decide.
By necessity, this often rolls over to the next meeting (see schedule).
If there are concepts or ideas covered in a Thursday night session that you did not
understand, it is important to your overall success that you get these misunderstandings
resolved before the next time we meet. You can do this by talking to your fellow
classmates (I encourage you to form study groups or electronic study networks), visiting
me in my Monday or Thursday office hours, sending an e-mail question to me at
rwassme@csus.edu (please do not send by SacCT because I check less often), or phoning
me at 278-6304. My promise to you is that if I am not in my office, I will respond to
your Monday through Friday e-mail or phone call within 24 hours (but most likely within
2 hours).
3
Questions, comments, and discussion about material assigned for a Thursday night class
are always encouraged during that class. In office hours I am pleased to discuss a
suggestion on pedagogy, economics, and public policy in general, the MPPA Program,
and/or your career plans. To insure an adequate participation grade, please plan on
stopping by to visit me at least once during my office hours. This is especially essential
this semester so I can offer personal advice on your PowerPoint presentation.
Students will need to come well prepared to class in the form of completing all reading
assignments, looking over my notes and posted student PowerPoint slides, and being
prepared to participate in the class discussion. I will not hesitate to call on students who
do not voluntarily participate.
Twitter:
We will again use Twitter to stimulate discussion on the topics covered in class and to
relate to contemporary events that arise throughout the semester. I evaluate your
participation as part of the overall participation grade I assign you. Some guidelines to
follow: (1) Post at least three tweets (but no more than 10) on the specific policy area you
are covering, (2) respond to other’s Tweets as you see fit, but remember in doing so I
evaluate these in terms of quality and quantity (not too little high quality responses, and
not too many low quality responses).
Grading:
The grade you receive in this course comes from five different components. The first
component counts 40 percent and is the average of grades assigned in 13 weekly
homework assignments. The first homework assignment is not due until our second
meeting. All hw assignments will be posted on SacCT by the Friday evening before they
are due. The second component counts 15 percent and is my evaluation of your
PowerPoint presentation. The third component of your grade counts 15 percent and is the
students’ evaluation of your PowerPoint presentation. The fourth counts 20 percent and
is my evaluation of your policy white paper. The fifth component of your overall grade
counts 10 percent and is based upon the grade I assign for your class participation. You
must complete all of the first four components of grading in order to receive a passing
grade in this class. Thus:
Course Grade = 0.40(average of 13 hw assignments) + 0.15(my evaluation of
your PowerPoint Presentation) + 0.15(students’ average evaluation of your
PowerPoint Presentation) + 0.20(my evaluation of your white paper) +
.10(my evaluation of your classroom and Twitter participation)
See the appendix to this syllabus for the rubrics I and students will use for grading your
homework, your presentations, and your white paper.
Where relevant, grades based on the following table:
4
Percent Correct
Letter Grade
Number Grade
100-97
A+
4.3
96-93
A
4.0
92-89
A-
3.7
88-85
B+
3.3
84-81
B
3.0
80-77
B-
2.7
76-73
C+
2.3
72-69
C
2.0
68-65
C-
1.7
64-60
D
1.0
<60
F
0.0
Academic Honesty
When you do any writing for this class, or any class at Sacramento State, it is important
that you are aware of what plagiarism is, and how its practice can become grounds for
dismissal from the university. Details are available at the University Policy Manual
found at http://www.csus.edu/facs/about%20us/plagiarism.html . The following is also
helpful:
Plagiarism is a form of cheating. At Sacramento State plagiarism is the use of
distinctive ideas or works belonging to another person without providing
adequate acknowledgement of that person's contribution. Regardless of the means
of appropriation, incorporation of another's work into one's own requires
adequate identification and acknowledgement. Plagiarism is doubly unethical
because it deprives the author of rightful credit and gives credit to someone who
has not earned it. Acknowledgement is not necessary when the material used is
common knowledge. Plagiarism at CSUS includes but is not limited to:
1. The act of incorporating into one's own work the ideas, words, sentences,
paragraphs, or parts thereof, or the specific substance of another's work without
giving appropriate credit thereby representing the product as entirely one's own.
Examples include not only word-for-word copying, but also the "mosaic" (i.e.,
interspersing a few of one's own words while, in essence, copying another's
work), the paraphrase (i.e., rewriting another's work while still using the other's
fundamental idea or theory); fabrication (i.e., inventing or counterfeiting
sources), ghost-writing (i.e., submitting another's work as one's own) and failure
to include quotation marks on material that is otherwise acknowledged; and
5
2. Representing as one's own another's artistic or scholarly works such as
musical compositions, computer programs, photographs, paintings, drawing,
sculptures, or similar works.
Schedule:
This class will meet a total of 15 times throughout the semester. The readings for each
meeting are below. Note that readings for the student led portion of the course are
not yet included and will be posted at SacCT well in advance of when needed.
Meeting 1 (Jan 31)
YouTube: How to Do a Cost-Benefit Analysis
Is There a Role for Benefit-Cost Analysis?
Stunning Triumph of Benefit-Cost Analysis
FugWil (Chapter 1) - A History of Application
FugWil (Chapter 2) - The Decision Maker, the Analyst, and Cost-Benefit Analysis
FugWil (Chapter 3) - Policy Advocates and Adversaries
FugWil (Chapter 4) - Economics and Cost-Benefit Analysis
Ammons (Chapter 26) - Role of Analysis in a Political Environment
Ammons (Chapter 3) - Demand Analysis
Meeting 2 (Feb. 7)
YouTube: Excel Cost Benefit Example
Strengthening Benefit-Cost for Early Child Intervention
FugWil (Chapter 5) - Economic Valuation of Individual Preferences
FugWil (Chapter 6) - Who is Society?
FugWil (Chapter 7) - With and Without Analysis
FugWil (Chapter 8) - Aggregate Benefits and Costs
Ammons (Chapter 10) – Basic Investment Calculations
Meeting 3 (Feb. 14)
5 pm discussion Climate Change (Mack, Philips, and Maurer)
YouTube: Present and Future Value Calculations
Benefit – Cost Analysis of Delta Water Conveyance Tunnels
FugWil (Chapter 9) - Present Value of Benefits and Costs Over Time
FugWil (Chapter 10) - Decision Criteria
FugWil (Chapter 11) - Discount Rate
FugWil (Chapter 12) - Inflation
Ammons (Chapter 12) - Adjusting for Inflation
Ammons (Chapter 13) - Time Value of Money
6
Meeting 4 (Feb. 21)
5 pm discussion CA Taxes (Sanders, Palmer, Calbonero)
Example of Cost-Benefit Calculation Applied to Bike Use
FugWil (Chapter 13) - Time Horizon
FugWil (Chapter 14) - Uncertainty and Risk
FugWil (Chapter 15) - Principles of Cost-Benefit Analysis
FugWil (Chapter 16) - Identifying Benefits and Costs
Ammons (Chapter 14) - Identifying Full Costs of Program
Meeting 5 (Feb. 28)
5 pm discussion CA Realignment (Lynch, Yan, and Townsend)
Valuing Benefits of Social Programs
Pricing the Priceless
FugWil (Chapter 17) - Market Valuation
FugWil (Chapter 18) - Contingent Valuation
FugWil (Chapter 19) - Travel Cost Method
FugWil (Chapter 20) - Hedonic Pricing Method
Ammons (Chapter 15) - Calculating Go-Away Costs for Privatization
Meeting 6 (March 7)
5 pm discussion Public Transit (White, Preciado, and Garvin)
The New Challenge to Benefit-Cost Analysis
California High-Speed Rail Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA)
FugWil (Chapter 21) -Valuation of Human Life
FugWil (Chapter 22) - Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
FugWil (Chapter 23) - Principles for Identifying and Valuing Benefits and Costs
Ammons (Chapter 16) - Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Ammons (Chapter 17) - Life-Cycle Costing
Ammons (Chapter 18) - Lease or Buy?
Examples of Benefit-Cost Analysis
Examples of Health Cost-Effectiveness Studies
Meeting 7 (March 14)
5 pm discussion Marijuana Legalization (Dominguez, Blattel, and West)
HW Due Tonight: Based on the readings below, write a two-page memo to a new CA
legislator that explains CA's current Climate Change policies and actions, as well as one
7
challenge/barrier the state is facing to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and
adapt to the potential consequences of Climate Change in California. Use at least one
outside resource.
Readings:
Climate Change Scoping Plan
http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/scopingplan/document/adopted_scoping_plan.pdf
(Executive Summary only, however more reading may be required)
2009 CA Climate Change Adoption Strategy
http://resources.ca.gov/climate_adaptation/docs/Statewide_Adaptation_Strategy.pdf
(Executive Summary only, however more reading may be required)
CA’s Bold New Climate Policy
http://www.stanford.edu/~goulder/Ec%20Voice%20Paper%20-%20Sept.%20%2707.pdf
Climate Change Student PowerPoint Presentations
3 @ 40 minutes each = 120 minutes
Climate Change Student HW Discussion
40 minutes
Meeting 8 (March 21)
5 pm discussion K-12 Education Policy (Johnson, Gojnic, and Carhart)
Climate Change Outside Speakers
80 minutes
CA Taxes Student PowerPoint Presentations
2 @ 40 minutes each = 80 minutes
Meeting 9 (April 4)
HW Due Tonight: The Report of the Commission on the 21st Century Economy (pg. 29)
suggests using the following four principles to evaluate the quality of a tax system: (1)
economic efficiency; (2) fairness and equity; (3) administrative ease; and (4) revenue
generation. Using the policy area (e.g, Climate Change, CA Realignment, Public
Transit, Marijuana Legalization or K-12 Education Policy) addressed by your group, think
of two types of taxes (income, property, sales, excise, etc.) that could be used to either
fund an expansion of the government service related to your policy (Realignment,
Transit, K-12 Education) or raise revenue in relation to it (Climate Change or MJ
Legalization). Write a two page memo that briefly describes these two taxes and how
used in relation to your policy and then evaluate the desirability of the two taxes in terms
of the four principles. Remember to include at least one outside source for full credit.
8
Readings:
Report of the Commission on the 21st Century Economy
http://www.cotce.ca.gov/documents/reports/documents/Commission_on_the_21st_Cent
ury_Economy-Final_Report.pdf
Read the overview section (pages 3-9) and sections two through four regarding the
state's existing tax system, potential improvements, and the commission's
recommendations (pages 11-47).
CA Taxes Student PowerPoint Presentation
40 minutes
CA Taxes Student HW Discussion
40 minutes
CA Taxes Outside Speakers
80 minutes
Meeting 10 (April 11)
HW Due Tonight: The supervisor for your county (as assigned below) asks you to read
the ACLU report “California Prison Realignment One-Year Anniversary” at
https://www.aclunc.org/docs/criminal_justice/realignment_packet.pdf
and review the county’s realignment plan. Write a two-page memo outlining your
county’s approach to realignment and what programs it entails. Summarize the ACLU’s
findings, and assess how your county’s approach compares to the findings. Make any
recommendations to the supervisor based on the analysis. The county plans count as
your outside source.
Yolo County - Mack, Sanders, White, Dominguez, Johnson
www.cpoc.org/assets/CountyPlans/yolo.pdf
Placer County – Philips, Palmer, Preciado, Blattel, Gojnic
http://www.placer.ca.gov/Departments/~/media/pro/documents/CCP/01%2010%2012%2
0CCP%20Plan%20FINAL.ashx
Sacramento County – Maurer, Calbonero, Garvin, West, Carhart
http://www.probation.saccounty.net/Home/uploadedFiles/AdminDepartment_Info/Sacramento%20Public%20Safety%20Realignment%20Plan%20Final%
2011-1-11.pdf
Readings:
“A Year after California’s Criminal Justice Realignment”
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/oct/02/news/la-ol-california-criminal-justice-systemrealignment20121002
9
“The Challenges of ‘Realignment’”
http://www.economist.com/node/21555611
“1 Year After California Prison Realignment, ACLU Says More Reform Needed.
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2012/09/28/1-year-after-california-prison-realignmentaclu-says-more-reform-needed
“California Prison Realignment One-Year Anniversary”
https://www.aclunc.org/docs/criminal_justice/realignment_packet.pdf
CA Realignment Student PowerPoint Presentation
3 @ 40 minutes = 120 minutes
CA Realignment Student HW Discussion
40 minutes
Meeting 11 (April 18)
CA Realignment Outside Speakers
80 minutes
Public Transit Student PowerPoint Presentation
2 @ 40 minutes = 80 minutes
Meeting 12 (April 25)
Public Transit Student PowerPoint Presentation
40 minutes
Public Transit Student HW Discussion
40 minutes
HW due tonight: Public transit ridership is up, but as you can see from this week's
reading, there is plenty of skepticism about whether the benefits of public transit justify
the costs. Read the newspaper story and opinion pieces, and review the Sacramento
Regional Transit 10 year plan. Now write a critique of the public transit system where
you live. As Sacramento State students, you have free use of the Sacramento Regional
Transit system. Do you use it? If not, why not and what would it take to get you to ride?
If you use it, what improvements are needed? How would you pay for that? What's your
reaction to Kotkin's argument that rail transit doesn't pencil out, or Walters' argument that
transit will never command much more ridership?
You don't have to answer every one of these questions, and the length of your critique is
not important. The idea is to think about how transit works, or doesn't work, in your
community, and to use microeconomic and cost/benefit tools learned in 220A and 220B
10
to write an essay around the questions asked above in a manner that you could not have
done before taking these classes.
Readings:
Sacramento Regional Transit: Short-range transit plan.
http://www.sacrt.com/shortrangeplan/srtp.stm
Curtis Tate "U.S. ridership rises on mass transit."Sacramento Bee March 12, 2013.
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/03/12/5254592/us-ridership-rises-on-mass-transit.html
Dan Walters "We'll stay dependent on our cars." Fresno Bee, March 17, 2013.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/03/17/3217098/dan-walters-californians-will.html
Joel Kotkin. "Mass transit: The great train robbery." Forbes. August 9, 2010.
http://www.forbes.com/2010/08/09/cities-transportation-class-opinions-columnists-joelkotkin.html
Public Transit Outside Speakers
80 minutes
Meeting 13 (May 2)
Marijuana Legalization Student PowerPoint Presentations
3 @ 40 minutes each = 120 minutes
Marijuana Legalization Student HW Discussion
40 minutes
Homework Due Tonight:
Mack, Sanders, White, Yan, Johnson
Read the Colorado Center on Law and Policy’s cost benefit analysis of Amendment 64,
(http://www.cclponline.org/postfiles/amendment_64_analysis_final.pdf) Colorado’s
proposition to legalize marijuana. Identify two areas of concern or assumptions that the
author made when estimating costs or benefits (current users, consumption, production
costs, price, elasticity, tax revenues…) and explain how these assumptions can affect the
study’s key findings. (Hint: read the footnotes) Make sure to use an outside source.
Philips, Palmer, Preciado, Townsend, Gojnic
Write a memo to your boss briefing them on the latest field poll (link below) on
Marijuana Legalization from the PEW research center and the changing views of
Americans. What does this new field poll mean for politicians and how will this affect the
11
decisions of policy makers who are interested in introducing a new version of Proposition
19 (The Regulate, Control, & Tax Cannabis Act) in 2014? Describe this policy issue
through the lens of Munger’s triangle and what governmental failures this proposition
would try and address. (The PEW research poll does not count as your outside source)
PEW Research Field Poll:
http://www.people-press.org/files/legacy-pdf/4-4-13%20Marijuana%20Release.pdf
Maurer, Calbonero, Garvin, Lynch, Carhart
Drawing from the following article- An Altered State- and at least one outside source,
explain why Proposition 19, to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in California,
did not pass. Then describe whether or not you believe a proposition to legalize
recreational use of marijuana will pass in California in the near future. Why or why not?
What are some of the obstacles to legalization?
http://proxy.lib.csus.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.csus.edu/login.a
spx?direct=true&db=ulh&AN=55745321
Readings:
“Altered State:
http://proxy.lib.csus.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.csus.edu/login.a
spx?direct=true&db=ulh&AN=55745321
LAO Cost Benefit overview:
http://www.lao.ca.gov/handouts/crimjust/2009/Legalizing_Marijuana_10_28_09.pdf
“Legalizing Marijuana Issues to Consider Before Reforming California State Law”
http://www.rand.org/pubs/testimonies/2009/RAND_CT334.pdf
Meeting 14 (May 9)
Marijuana Legalization Outside Speakers
80 minutes
Readings:
Governor Brown’s FY2013-14 Proposed California Budget summary pp. 15-31
http://www.dof.ca.gov/documents/FullBudgetSummary_web2013.pdf
LAO Analysis of the Governor Brown’s K-12 Education Finance Reform Proposal
http://www.lao.ca.gov/analysis/2013/education/restructuring-k12-funding/restructuring-k12funding-022213.pdf
West, Garvin, Calbonero, Phillips, Palmer
L.A. Unified School District is the 2nd largest district in CA, with one of the most
ethnically diverse student populations and the highest number of EL learners in the
12
nation. In order to comply with equity standards to create the same educational
opportunities for each student, the district superintendent is charged with a complicated
task to close the achievement gap.
As an advisor to the superintendent, compose a 2 page memo that addresses the best way
to determine a level of funding sufficient enough to close the achievement gap and
improve the academic proficiency of EL learners and minority students. In particular, use
the following articles to analyze Governor Brown's new Local Control Funding Formula
(LCFF) and its ability to adequately address the equity concerns in LAUSD. Address the
pros and cons of the Governor's formula and make a recommendation to the
superintendent on the most efficient allocation of funds that will also promote the most
equitable distribution. The following articles may be counted toward your outside source.
K-12 Education Policy Student PowerPoint Presentation
2 @ 40 minutes
Meeting 15 (May 16)
HW Due Tonight:
Assignment Readings:
http://www.ppic.org/content/pubs/atissue/AI_1110MWAI.pdf
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/11/los-angeles-unified-schoo_n_1006334.html
White, Mack, Preciado, Lynch, Townsend
As an analyst working for the Berkeley Unified School District, you are tasked with responding
to questions and complaints from local parents. A group of parents representing more than 5
percent of the children enrolled at a local school have contacted you to explain that they are
planning to opt their children out of this year's standardized tests as part of a national movement.
From your past experiences with Berkeley High School
(http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2007-06-15/article/27297?headline=No-API-Scorefor-Berkeley-High-School&status=301), you know that this action will cause the school's scores
to not be reported and may endanger your district's funding.
Your task is to write a two page memo to your school board explaining the situation. In your
memo, you must summarize the parent's complaints, advise the school board of the repercussions
of opting out, and recommend a course of action to either support the parents concerns or
advocate for the standardized testing system.
Assignment Readings:
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Parents-have-questions-of-their-own-about-tests4397390.php
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/bush-obama-focus-on-standardized-testingleads-to-opt-out-parent-movement/2013/04/14/90b15a44-9d5c-11e2-a941a19bce7af755_story.html
13
Blattel, Maurer, Dominguez, Yan, Sanders
Imagine you are a parent with a child attending Union Elementary School in the Marin
County. Union Elementary School is the only school in the Union Joint School District
and your child is one of less than ten students enrolled in the district. Also imagine that
discussion has arisen among other parents that the district should consolidate with the
nearby larger Novato School District to pool resources and thereby provide a more wellrounded education. School administrators in Marin County have considered alternatives
to implementing shared services for the school districts in the county (link below). Many
other California school districts have considered consolidation or unification in light of
declining enrollment. Some counties have even consolidated all of its school districts into
one county school district.
As a concerned parent and a skilled policy analyst, write a two-page memo to a Union
Joint School District board member that explores advantages and disadvantages of
consolidation for the district and provide a recommendation in light of Governor Brown’s
Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). Refer to the LAO report provided (YouTube
Video) and the budget summary but, also include an additional outside source.
Assignment Reading and Viewing:
http://marinschools.org/SiteAssets/Pages/Efficiency-and-Effectiveness/FINALreport.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BqERjPYH4lw#!
K-12 Education Policy Student PowerPoint Presentation
40 minutes
K-12 Education Policy Student HW Discussion
40 minutes
K-12 Education Policy Outside Speakers
80 minutes
Final (May 23)
White Paper Due
14
Name: ________________________________Grade: _________________
Grading Rubric for Weekly Discussion Questions
PPA 220B
Spring 2013
Excellent = 10, Good = 9, Acceptable = 8, Needs Improvement = 7, Poor = 6,
Absent = 0
Required Content
Include your full name and reproduce the complete
discussion question on a separate cover page.
Document is double spaced, no more than two typed
pages long, with one inch margins, and 11 font.
10
9
8
7
6
0
Begins with an appropriate introductory paragraph that
describes topic and layout of write-up.
Finishes with an appropriate concluding paragraph that
summarizes answer to discussion question asked.
Paragraphs and transitions between them flow
smoothly.
Appropriate writing style and language use for a
college educated reader not familiar with the topic.
No grammar or spelling errors.
Answer appropriately draws upon at least one piece of
outside material relevant to the discussion question
and cites this material using APA style (see Hacker
style manual from PPA 200).
Answer appropriately addresses discussion question
by drawing upon assigned reading related to it
(Three times other value)
Total score (100 possible)
15
30 27 24 21 18 0
Presenter Name:______________________________________ Grade: ____________
Grading Rubric for Student PowerPoint Presentations
PPA 220B
Spring 2013
Excellent = 10, Good = 9, Acceptable = 8, Needs Improvement = 7, Poor = 6, Absent = 0
Required Content
Clarity/organization in presenting material through
PowerPoint
10
9
8
7
6
0
Ability to engage the audience in discussion
Handling of questions
Ability to stay within the allotted time frame and cover
material effectively (30 minutes for PowerPoint, 10 minutes
for discussion)
“Comfort” level displayed in public speaking
Command of the material/knowledge of the subject
(Five times other values)
Total score (100 possible)
Comments (Suggest Three Positive and One Area to Work On):
1.
2.
3.
4.
16
50 45 40 35 30 0
White Paper Assignment
PPA 220B – Fall 2013 – Professor Rob Wassmer
Due May 23, 2013 in Class (must attend K-12 Outside Presentations)
One Grade Deduction for Every Day Late
Bring a Paper Copy and Submit an Electronic Copy to rwassme@csus.edu
Overview
You are to write no more than an eight-page, typed, and double-spaced White Paper (11 Times
New Roman Font) on your chosen policy topic in a manner described below.
Within one of these policy topics, you will cover one chosen area that is not be duplicated by
someone else in your group: (A) a historical look at the institutions, politics, demographics, etc.
that led to this overall policy concern in California that is supported with empirical evidence in
the form of data presented in figures that would make Tufte proud, (B) the Munger Triangle
approach on how to think about government intervention on your topic, (C) the Mintrom
approach to thinking about potential governmental failure when intervention in your policy topic
occurs, (D) the Mintrom approach of comparative institutional analysis on how to intervene in
your policy area, (E) a cost-benefit approach to thinking about government intervention in this
policy area.
I will use the rubric contained on the next page to score your assignment and assign it a grade.
Pay careful attention to what this rubric is asking for and the further instructions offered below.
Instructions
You should structure your White Paper as an essay with an appropriate cover page, introductory
section that describes what is in the essay, section headings that cover the requested material, and
a concluding section. You will need a reference list at the end and citations must be in APA
style (http://library.osu.edu/sites/guides/apagd.php ). Tables and figures should be included in an
appendix to the essay and they do not count toward your eight-page limit. I will not read beyond
eight pages. (Your cover page and reference list is not part of this eight-page limit.) Other than
these constraints, including the mandatory components described below, the remaining form of
the write up is up to you.
17
Name: ____________________________________
Grading Rubric for Final Policy White Paper
PPA 220B, Spring 2013
Excellent = 10, Good = 9, Acceptable = 8, Needs Improvement = 7, Poor = 6, Absent = 0
Required Content
10 9 8 7 6 0
Development and organization: appropriate
introduction and conclusion, organization clearly
described in introduction and done as stated,
appropriate headings for sections
Writing mechanics: grammar, spelling, word
choice, and sentence structure
Presentation: appropriate and attractive format
Citations: accurate citations and listing of
references using APA style
Tufte style figures/diagrams/charts: minimum of
three
50 45 40 35 30 0
Command of the material/knowledge of the
subject (Five times other values): how well do you
do at covering the approach assigned to your section
(that is representing what others have written about
it and in reaching your own conclusions)
Your Total Score (100 Possible)
GRADE
18