Care that Pays for Itself: Community Initiatives to Reduce the Cost of Uncompensated Health Care
Project Directed by David C. Warner, Genie Nyer, and Lisa Kerber
Policy Research Project Report Series #151
2006
UNCAT GENERAL RESERVE 48 PUBLIC AFFAIRS LIBRARY

Agents of Change: A Study of Nonprofit Advocacy Organizations
Project Directed by Richard L. Schott
Policy Research Project Report Series #149
2005
UNCAT GENERAL RESERVE 47 PUBLIC AFFAIRS LIBRARY

Beyond the Numbers: Improving Postsecondary Success Through a Central Texas High School Data Center
Project Directed by Christopher T. King, Deanna T. Schexnayder, Hannah Gourgey
Policy Research Project Report Series #148
2005
UNCAT GENERAL RESERVE 46 PUBLIC AFFAIRS LIBRARY

Beyond the Bid: An Evaluation of State and Local Government Procurement Practices
Project Directed by Sherri Greenberg
Policy Research Project Report Series #146
2004
JK 1673 B49 2004 Public Affairs Library
Public procurement is a fundamental aspect of government operations, but frequently procurement is poorly understood by many with vested interests in this function. This book provides a better understanding of public purchasing procedures by reviewing standard procurement practices and exploring the differences in these practices as they relate to the procurement of traditional goods and services.
This report, conducted by the LBJ School and sponsored by Accenture, draws information from the literature on public procurement, interviews with experts in the field, and case studies of several jurisdictions in the United States at the state and local level. Best practices are highlighted for the benefit of policymakers and public procurement agencies.

Innovative Initiatives in Growth Management & Open Space Preservation : A National Study
Project Directed by Robert H. Wilson and Robert Paterson
Policy Research Project Report Series #145
2003
HD 205 I56 2003 Public Affairs Library
Abundant open space is a defining characteristic of the United States. It has affected the nation's history and cultural identity, and, during the last decade, managing urban sprawl and protecting open space has become a major public policy challenge. Today, many state and local initiatives are attempting to answer an extraordinarily complex question: How can communities accommodate new residents and businesses without sacrificing the important historic, cultural, ecological, and social values within the built and natural environments that are so essential to quality of life?
In this report, conducted by the LBJ School and the Community and Regional Planning Program of the UT Austin School of Architecture for the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the findings from 32 case studies in 15 states are presented. The initiatives are evaluated in terms of issues addressed, approach adopted, nature of intergovernmental relations and partnerships, scale, and role of the federal government. Characteristics of effective cases are identified as well as future challenges and opportunities.

Privacy Protection in Texas : Public Opinion and State Government
Project Directed by Richard L. Schott
Policy Research Project Report Series #144
2003
JC 596.2 U5 L94 2003 Public Affairs Library
Recent improvements in communications technology have contributed to the erosion of personal privacy and caused substantial public concern. This report examines privacy policy and privacy issues in Texas, and makes recommendations to the Texas Legislature's Privacy Task Force. The study consists of three major parts. The first is a sample of the opinions of Texas citizens regarding threats to their privacy rights and their perspectives on the source of these threats. The second focuses on the implementation of federal and state privacy statutes in three large state agencies-the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Department of Insurance, and the Texas Department of Health. The third part examines the experience of Florida and California, which are among the staes with the strongest privacy protections in the United States.

State Growth Management and Open Space Preservation Policies
Project Directed by Robert H. Wilson and Robert Paterson
Policy Research Project Report Series #143
2002
HD 205 S73 2002 Public Affairs Library
Managing urban sprawl and protecting open space have become public policy issues of increasing concern during the last decade. Even though land use management is principally a responsibility of local governments acting under authority established by state laws and programs, the U.S. Congress is interested in understanding the ways in which federal actions affect these state and local efforts. This report, prepared for the Congressional Research Service, identifies and characterizes state initiatives directly related to growth management and open space preservation that were enacted, adopted, or undertaken in some other way since 1990. These include laws passed by state legislatures (including significant amendments to existing laws), voter initiatives, programs initiated without explicit enabling legislation, and executive orders. Included in this review of state laws is consideration of the many growth management issues, as defined by the research team, and identification of the approaches employed by state governments to address each issue.

Technology-Based Solutions to Workforce Service Delivery
Project Directed by Robert W. Glover, Christopher T. King, Francis Dummer Fisher, and Lodis Rhodes
Policy Research Project Report Series #142
2002
HD 5725 T5 L96 2002 Public Affairs Library
The New Economy, characterized by globalization, technological innovation, and rapid labor market change, has challenged employers and public institutions to educate, train, and place workers more quickly and efficiently. These forces have also led to important changes in training content. If workers are to succeed in today's labor market, they must possess broad-based competencies, including the ability to communicate, learn, and work in teams, as well as technical skills, especially the ability to use computers. This report, prepared for the Texas State Comptroller's e-Texas initiative and the Entertech Project at IC2 Institute, investigates various applications of information technology to improve the delivery of workforce services. The workforce system plays vital roles in assisting employers and job seekers by providing key services, such as job-matching, assessment, career counseling and case management, training and retraining, and placement services. As the report demonstrates, in all of these areas, information technology can be a resource for enhancing equity, effectiveness, and efficiency. From a review of innovations and best practices across Texas, in other states, and in the U.S. military, the report highlights recurrent themes of success, including promoting universal access to the technology, paying careful attention to pedagogy in e-learning, and working through partnerships.

Expanding Health Care Coverage for the Uninsured in Texas
Project directed by David C. Warner and Kenneth S. Apfel
Policy Research Project Report Series #141
2001
RA413.7 U53 E97 2001 Public Affairs Library
This publication includes both the proceedings of a conference that was held in March 2001 at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and background papers on the issues discussed. The conference focused on possible private and public initiatives for reducing the number of uninsured Texans, which currently stands at more than 4 million. Background papers prepared in a year-long policy research project at the LBJ School examined high-risk pool and small group insurance, Medicaid and CHIP expansion, simplification and outreach, and the special problems facing Hispanic Texans.

Ethnic Community Views of the Austin Independent School District
Project directed by Richard L. Schott
Policy Research Project Report Series #140
2001
HD 205 S73 2002 Public Affairs Library
This study reports perceptions of the Austin Independent School District (AISD) held by various ethnic groups in Austin, Texas. It is based on a controlled sample survey of residents and extensive interviews with community leaders in 1999-2000. The report provides, among other information, assessments of the quality of education provided by AISD, racial tension between students and teachers, reported discrimination in the classroom, and equity of funding between majority and minority schools. Significant variations are found among the major groups studied-Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites.

Rice Water Irrigation: Conservation Management at the Lower Colorado River Authority
Project directed by David J. Eaton
Policy Research Project Report Series #139
2001
282 Pages
HD 205 S73 2002 Public Affairs Library
The purpose of this report is to evaluate a multi-year experiment conducted by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) in agricultural water conservation. During the 1980s and 1990s the LCRA implemented a four-component agricultural conservation program to reduce water consumption in the Gulf Coast and Lakeside irrigation districts canal rehabilitation, technology transfer to farmers, on-field water measurement, and volumetric pricing. Beginning in 1982, the LCRA made significant capital investments in canal rehabilitation. Then in 1992 they began to measure water withdrawn for each plot of land farmed for rice in Lakeside and Gulf Coast. In 1993 the LCRA began to bill farmers for water in part on a volumetric basis. The experiment in the Lower Colorado River Basin provides evidence to justify investment in canal rehabilitation, volumetric measurement, and volumetric pricing as a means for reducing water utilization in rice farming. This report provides conclusions on the most significant single source of saved water, as well as the factors affecting consumption.

Maritime Transportation in Latin America and the Caribbean
Project directed by Leigh B. Boske
Policy Research Project Report Series #138
2001
258 pages
HE 770.5 M37 2001 Public Affairs Library
This research report provides a comprehensive examination of the role played by maritime transportation and ports in fostering international trade and economic development in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The report is composed of six chapters, which address various aspects of maritime commerce: trade liberalization and formation of regional trade blocs, linear shippiing services, ports and port reform, existing and emerging transshipment hub ports, the Mercosur Atlantic Corridor Consortium, and cabotage law in the Americas.

Ethnic and Race Relations in Austin, Texas
Project directed by Richard L. Schott
Policy Research Project Report Series #137
2001
78 pages
GB 560 U6 E84 2000 Public Affairs Library
This report presents the findings of a student and faculty research team that studied race and ethnic relations in Austin during the 1999-2000 academic year. The team surveyed a random sample of 631 Austin residents and conducted 60 interviews with community and education leaders in all ethnic communities. Those surveyed were asked to characterize the state of race relations in Austin, as well as to report on perceived tension between ethnic groups and instances of discrimination. Respondents were also asked to describe their level of satisfaction with city services such as parks, utilities, and the Austin Police Department. Complete tables of survey responses are included. The report also includes a brief history of race relations in Austin, concentrating on initial segregation patterns and later desegregation efforts, and describes current reconciliation efforts being undertaken by a variety of civic and community groups. The final chapter makes recommendations to the City of Austin for improving race relations.

Prevention of School Violence through Civic Education Curricula: Year One of a National Demonstration Program
Project directed by Kenneth W. Tolo
Policy Research Project Report Series #136
2000
266 pages
LB 3013.3 P74 2000 Public Affairs Library
Over the last several years, our nation has faced the sobering reality that all too often our school-age children have been victims-and perpetrators-of once-unthinkable acts of violence. In 1999 the Center for Civic Education (CCE) initiated the School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program (SVPDP) as an alternative approach for reducing the level of students' antisocial and violent behavior in schools. This program implements curricular approaches to violence prevention that draw upon effective instructional practices and materials in civic education. The national implementation of SVPDP by the CCE during 1999-2000 on a pilot basis in seven sites is premised on the belief that civic education for democracy can form the foundation for school-based violence prevention.

The purpose of this report is to document and assess the first-year SVPDP implementation process. The first chapter provides a brief look at current violence prevention and civic education efforts in American schools. Chapter 2 outlines the 1999-2000 SVPDP research strategy and design, the program's first-year implementation plan, and the challenges of balancing SVPDP's implementation and research objectives. Chapter 3 provides brief profiles of the seven first-year SVPDP pilot districts, highlighting characteristics shaping the program's implementation in each district. Chapters 4 through 8 assess in detail the seven pilot sites' first-year implementation of the SVPDP, identifying and examining the influence of the following factors: SVPDP site coordinators and evaluators; SVPDP teachers and training workshops; SVPDP curricular materials and culminating activities; the physical, instructional, and policy environments of SVPDP classrooms and schools; and school district, parental, and community involvement. Chapter 9 concludes by affirming the critical importance of curricula-based civic education programs such as SVPDP and recommends key action steps to support the sustainable and long-term use of civic education curricular materials for school violence prevention.

Transportation in the Americas: Its Role in International Trade, Economic Integration, and Sustainable Development
Project directed by Leigh B. Boske
Policy Research Project Report Series #135
2000
326 pages
HE 201 T73 2000 Public Affairs Library
Over the past two decades, the Western Hemisphere has simultaneously experienced trade liberalization, formation of regional trade blocs, government deregulation of key sectors of national economies, and privatization of former government-owned industries. The result of these cumulative actions has been the rapid growth of international trade and regional economies.

This research report provides a comprehensive examination of the role played by transportation in the Americas in fostering international trade, economic integration, and sustainable development. The initial chapter examines trends in global trade liberalization and the formation of regional trade blocs, with special emphasis paid to the Americas. Five regional trade blocs-the Southern Common Market, the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Andean Community, the Caribbean Community Common Market, and the Central American Common Market-are discussed in detail in terms of their histories, institutional structures, key provisions in their trade agreements, and transportation policies. Also discussed are the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas and the roles played by the Organization of American States, Inter-American Development Bank, Latin American Integration Association, and International Maritime Organization.

Chapter 2 presents an overview of global trends in maritime commerce with a special emphasis on Latin America and the Caribbean. Topics covered include port privatization, expansion of containerization, intermodal developments, consolidations and new alliances in liner services, technological developments, and obstacles to the establishment of seamless maritime transport systems. The second part of the chapter provides case studies of seaports in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Panama. Chapters 3 and 4 discuss transportation within the Southern Common Market and NAFTA. Addressed are external and intraregional trade flows, regional development policies, modes of transportation, primary transportation corridors, infrastructure needs, public and private investment, government-led initiatives for privatization and deregulation of the transport sector, integration projects, the role of private-sector logistics, sustainable development initiatives, and environmental policies and problems.
The final chapter presents a framework for examining transportation-related environmental impacts. Each mode of transportation (and its corresponding infrastructure) is identified in terms of its economic characteristics, service characteristics, and sources of residuals. Individual environmental impacts are then associated with these various characteristics to enable analysis. The effects of human error and natural disasters are also considered. The report concludes with a discussion of prevention and mitigation techniques that have applicability in transportation planning.

Reaching across the Border: Intergovernmental Relations between Texas and Mexico
Project directed by Victoria Rodríguez and Peter Ward
Policy Research Project Report Series #134
2000
254 pages
JK 4841 R433 1999 Public Affairs Library
Texas enjoys an especially important strategic relationship with Mexico. This study is the first to systematically analyze this cross-border intergovernmental relationship within four major public policy arenas: Criminal Justice, Trade and Commerce, Transportation, and the Environment. The study evaluates the modes of contact, the level of communication, the extent of cooperation, and the ways in which public policy officials on either side of the border view each other.

The Civic Education of American Youth
Project directed by Kenneth W. Tolo
Policy Research Project Report Series #133
305 pages
LC 1091 C58 1999 Public Affairs Library
Executive Summary
Civic education plays an essential role in strengthening our democratic society, preparing informed citizens, and promoting their participation in the civic life of their communities. Lack of civic engagement and civic literacy among American youth is widespread, however. Although many state policymakers and educators speak to the importance of civic education in the schools, state policies and school practices often fail to provide students with the civic education they need and deserve.
This report, produced by the Center for Civic Education, explores state K-12 civic education policies and related requirements nationwide, as well as factors that shape K-12 civic education policies and practices in school districts and schools. The first two chapters provide the national and state contexts for content standards in core subject areas, including civics; review state constitutional provisions and statutes that promote civic education; and examine how social studies standards, assessment, teacher certification, and other state policies build upon these provisions and statutes. Recognizing the centrality of state standards, chapters 3 through 5 examine the extent to which civics content in state standards promotes civic dispositions, intellectual skills, and knowledge. Chapters 6 through 11 examine several influences on civic education at the district level: standards; instructional materials; assessment; professional development; extracurricular and co-curricular activities; and individuals, organizations, and funding. The final chapter provides some recommendations for developing sound, sustainable state and school district civics commitments that foster attention to civic education in grades K-12.

Case Studies of Multimodal/Intermodal Transportation Planning Methods, Funding Problems, and Projects
Project directed by Leigh B. Boske
Policy Research Project Report Series #132
524 pages
HE 199 U5 C374 1999 Public Affairs Library
This report, the second in a two-year series, provides an in-depth look at selected multimodal/intermodal transportation planning methods, funding programs, and projects. The first report, Multimodal /Intermodal Transportation in the United States, Western Europe, and Latin America, identified a wide range of multimodal/intermodal "best practices" by investigating supranational, national, state, and local government transport activities on three continents. Multimodal practices refer to a process of collectively addressing all modes of transportation, whereas intermodal practices refer to a process of addressing the linkages, interactions, and movements among modes of transportation. The first report, however, did not go into detail on any individual plan, funding program, or project.

This second report is intended to provide a more detailed appraisal of a spectrum " of multimodal/intermodal practices. It contains seven case studies of "Best Practical in Multimodal/Intermodal Planning Methods", six case studies of Selected Multimodal/Intermodal Funding Programs, and five case studies Selected Multimodal/Intermodal funding Programs. Several appendixes at the end of the report contain relevant information on authorizing legislation, program application forms, funding eligibility criteria, cooperative agreements, and the like.

The Fiscal Capacity of Texas Cities
Project directed by Robert Hines Wilson and Richard I. Lavine
Policy Research Project Report Series #131
230 pages
HJ 9320 F573 1999 Public Affairs Library
This book evaluates the ability of 28 cities across the state to raise revenue in order to meet the service needs and demands of their residents. The first chapter looks at urban conditions in Texas and examines funding of local government. The next three chapters focus on the powers and the fiscal performance of city government in Texas and on the sources of revenue and fiscal conditions in Texas cities. In its final section, the book examines relationships and connections found in the previous chapters to draw conclusions about the ability of Texas cities to raise sufficient revenue to meet the needs of their communities. More than 70 tables and figures are used to illustrate such information as the number of children in poverty, flow of state funds to cities, property tax rates, state property categories and values, and methods of financing.

Multimodal/Intermodal Transportation in the United States, Western Europe, and Latin America: Governmental Policies, Plans and Programs
Project directed by Leigh B. Boske
Policy Research Project Report Series #130
592 pages
HE 206.2 M85 1998 Public Affairs Library
There is great diversity in the ways in which various levels of government (and their institutions) in different regions of the world have responded to the dynamics of worldwide trade liberalization and increasingly competitive markets in the provision of transportation infrastructure. And there is much to be learned from understanding what others are doing, and how they are doing it, and why. The purpose of this book is to examine global "best practices" in governmental multimodal/intermodal transport policies, plans, and programs. This task was accomplished by investigating supranational, national, state, and local government activities in North America, Western Europe, and Latin America. The book consists of eighteen chapters. Chapter 1 discusses global trade liberalization, formation of regional trade blocs, governmental deregulation and privatization of transport enterprises, integrated logistics services, and the evolution of intermodal transportation. Chapter 2 describes U.S. public-sector involvement in transportation in terms of the roles played by federal, state and local governments. Chapters 3 through 9 examine state-and local-government involvement in seven U.S. states: Florida, Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington State, and Wisconsin. Three chapters examine transport policies in the European Union, MERCOSUR--the Southern Common Market--and the North American Free Trade Agreement. The final chapters are case studies of federal-, state-, and local-government involvement in six foreign countries: France, Germany, United Kingdom, Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. Governmental efforts to promote and implement multimodal/intermodal transport projects are emphasized.

An Assessment of We the People... Project Citizen: Promoting Citizenship in Classrooms and Communities
Project directed by Kenneth W. Tolo
Policy Research Project Report Series #129
324 pages
LC 1091 T65 1998 Public Affairs Library
Executive Summary
The middle school years are an especially crucial time to the development of civic roles and responsibilities. Civic education seeks to engage students in their communities by teaching them the skills necessary to participate effectively in civil society and bring about positive change within their communities. To promote responsible citizenship through civic education in schools, the Center for Civic Education (CCE) has collaborated with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) to implement We the People... Project Citizen, a national civic education program for middle school students. Since the program began in 1995-96, an estimated 460 teachers in 45 states have used or are using Project Citizen in over 1,000 classes with 28,000 students. This report, commissioned by the CCE in 1997-98, is an assessment of We the People... Project Citizen. The first two chapters of the report provide the background for civic education and Project Citizen and set the national context. Chapters 3 through 9 examine in detail seven key areas of Project Citizen implementation--state administration, the recruitment of and outreach to teachers and school administrators, teacher training, teacher and class use, Project Citizen competitions, benefits to students, and financial and political support--and offer recommendations for maximizing implementation efforts in each of these areas. The final chapter provides some overarching and long-term recommendations for building a strong framework to solidify and expand the use of Project Citizen nationally.

Community Mental Health Centers Under Managed Care: Authority or Provider?
Project directed by Pamela M. Diamond, David C. Warner, Patrick Wong
Policy Research Project Report Series #128
184 pages
RA 790.6 C59 1998 Public Affairs Library
This researchproject examines the implementation of Texas House Bill 2377 ­ the authority/provider bill ­ in the context of Medicaid managed care. The report describes the context in which mental health managed care is carried out in Texas, in particular, Austin, Fort Worth, and Lubbock. It also presents case studies of the implementation process in five other states in which public mental health services and Medicaid managed care have been implemented. Finally the report reviews related state legislation that was passed in 1997 and discusses some alternatives for the future.

Urban Texas: A Profile of Change and Diversity
Project directed by Robert H. Wilson
Policy Research Project Report Series #127
298 pages
HT 384 U52 T4865 1998 Public Affairs Library
In the past two decades, Texas has become one of the most urbanized states in the nation with three of America's largest cities. The dramatic transformation of Texas cities and suburbs is evident in changes in its economy, demography, housing and land use, and political representation. Yet few studies have been done to document these changes. This report fills that need. Documenting the trends occurring in urban Texas should aid state and local officials and others who design and implement public policy to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing the state in the next century.

Building a Workforce Development System for Texas: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Reform
Project directed by Christopher T. King, Robert McPherson
Policy Research Project Report Series #126
1997
193 pages
HD 5725 T5 L96 1997 Public Affairs Library
This research project focuses on the key challenges and issues of building a workforce development system in Texas. The report is divided into three parts. Part I provides background information helpful to understanding the evolution and current status of workforce development reform in Texas and at the national level. Part II examines the key policy and implementation issues surrounding the development of the new workforce system, including the likely effect of decentralizing decision-making to local workforce boards and contracting out for services, the ways in which recent federal welfare reform threatens to overwhelm Texas' workforce system, and the importance of defining school-to-work and integrating it into the system. Part III looks to the future of workforce development in Texas, including new programs and legislative initiatives. The workforce reform efforts of the six other states included in this study are discussed in the appendices at the end of the report. This section begins with a description of the methodology and criteria that were used to select these states from an original pool of 15 states. The findings were used to fashion recommendations that will facilitate further implementation of the system in Texas. Most of these recommendations are directed toward the Texas Council on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness and the Texas Workforce Commission.

An Evaluation of Pollution Prevention at the Lower Colorado River Authority
Project directed by David J. Eaton
Policy Research Project Report Series #125
154 pages
TD 194.66 T42 C65 1999 Public Affairs Library
Pollution prevention (P2) has emerged in the past decade as a central strategy in the U.S. government's efforts to improve environmental quality throughout the country. Based on the assumption that a company may save money and reduce pollution by changing a production process or modifying an input material, the "win-win" concept of pollution prevention has been widely invoked but rarely evaluated. In cooperation with the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), the LBJ School of Public Affairs undertook a independent audit of the P2 program at the LCRA. Conducted in1995 and 1996, the study sought to: 1) identify the level of participation of both managers and employees in P2 programs; and 2) quantify the volume of pollution prevented, based on actual measurements or estimates of facility air, water, and solids residuals. The first part of the book examines the structure of the LCRA, describes the study, and evaluates the success of the LCRA's P2 program. Detailed appendices include the questionnaires used by the LBJ research team as well as tables and figures describing discharge by site, solid waste by site, and air emissions by site.

Colonia Housing and Infrastructure
Project directed by Jorge Chapa, David J Eaton
Policy Research Project Report Series #124 1998
HD 7287.96 U52 T4 1997 Public Affairs Library
3 volumes
This three-volume series provides a comprehensive look at the problems and issues facing colonias along the Texas-Mexico border. The reports address two pressing needs: gaining access to water and wastewater infrastructure programs, and improving the massively substandard housing conditions on the U.S. side of the border. Together, the volumes contain more than 150 tables and figures of original data not available elsewhere.

Current Characteristics, Future Needs (Volume 1)
130 pages
This volume provides background information on the colonias and describes the problems associated with the lack of basic water and wastewater provisions. The study also provides comparative information about border regions without colonias, urban areas, rural areas, and the state as a whole.
The report concludes with an in-depth look at state legislation, with particular emphasis on the 74th Legislature in 1995. It also provides some discussion of the many programs affecting colonias. Counties profiled include Cameron, El Paso, Hidalgo, and Webb.

Water and Wastewater Infrastructure (Volume 2)
214 pages
Volume 2 examines state, federal, and international programs which provide financing for new or improved water distribution and wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure for the colonias in the Texas-Mexico border region. Much of the report focuses on the state programs, especially the Texas Water Development Board's Economically Distressed Areas Program (EDAP) and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs' Colonia Fund. The report identifies colonias which do not or will not have access to potable water and wastewater collection infrastructure even after the completion of the many projects currently underway.

Regulatory Issues and Policy Analysis (Volume 3)
145 pages
Volume 3 contains case studies of the El Cenizo and Sparks colonias. The report examines issues such as the history, environment, employment, income, poverty, work conditions, women in the workforce, and education of schoolchildren in these colonias and explores the applicability of several economic and state housing programs to meet their needs. The study also provides an in-depth analysis of the Economically Distressed Areas Program (EDAP), the types of energy sources available to colonias, and the subdivision and platting laws of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.

State Rail Policies, Plans, and Programs
Project directed by Leigh B. Boske
Policy Research Project Report Series #123
436 pages
HE 2757 S83 1997 Public Affairs Library
Since the passage of the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act in 1991, all states are required to conduct comprehensive multimodal transportation planning. This book looks at the number and diversity of plans that address the rail concerns of various states. Thirty-two state rail profiles and a six-state regional profile of New England provide an up-to-date overview of state involvement in railroad transportation. The profiles include information on staffing levels, agency organizational structures, budgets, freight and passenger assistance programs, relationships with the private sector, and types of planning activities. Two chapters focus on exemplary state passenger rail service and rail freight programs and analyze the reasons for their success. One chapter describes the efforts of three states; Florida, Oregon, and Washington; to integrate rail planning into a larger intermodal/multimodal transportation planning process. By looking at these states' unique but similar approaches in the area of transportation planning, the reader is able to understand how an improved transportation system can be achieved by an integrated approach to information gathering, economic analysis, coordination, and financing.

Managed Community Long-Term Care in Texas: Planning for the 21st Century
Project directed by Jacqueline L. Angel
Policy Research Project Report Series #122
163 pages
RA 997.5 T4 L96 1997 Public Affairs Library
Every year the number of Texans facing long-term care decisions, which include the need for medical, social, and personal care services, is growing significantly. The chief objective of this research project is to develop a consumer awareness interactive tool that enables families to explore ways to make long-term care choices that best fit their needs and desires. This interactive tool consists of four basic elements: a questionnaire for long-term care decision-making that identifies the user's needs and preferences for care services, a scoring algorithm for the questionnaire, a set of profile types that categorize the user's needs and preferences for care services based on their responses to the questionnaire, and a set of scripts that provide pertinent information related to the types of needs and preferences they have indicated.

Removing Barriers to Student Learning
Project directed by Richard L. Schott
Policy Research Project Report Series #121
216 pages
LC 3725 L96 1997 Public Affairs Library
This volume is the product of a two-year intensive study conducted at four Austin Independent School District (AISD) campuses. The report examines various factors affecting student adjustment and achievement in ethnically diverse schools. These factors include the cultural and multicultural climate of school campuses, students' peer and teacher relationships, family influences, and the transition between elementary and middle school.

The Road to Sustainable Development: A Guide for Non-Governmental Organizations
Project directed by Antonio R. Magalhaes, Jurgen Schmandt
Policy Research Project Report Series #120
HC 79 E5 R59 1998 Public Affairs Library

Policymaking in a Redemocratized Brazil
Project directed by Vilmar E. Faria, Lawrence S. Graham, Robert H. Wilson
Policy Research Project Report Series #119
F 2538.3 P65 1997 Public Affairs Library
The reestablishment of a democratic political system in Brazil over the past decade has had a tremendous impact on the wat the nation makes and implements public policies. This two-volume report provides an in-depth examination of Brazil's changing policymaking system and its effects on social and economic policies.

Volume 1.: Decentralization and Social Policy.
This report includes chapters on historical patterns of governance, health care and public education service delivery, fiscal decentralization, relations between nongovernmental organizations and local governments, racial issues and politics, the federal statute on the rights of children and adolescents, the new politics of community in urban Brazil, low-income housing programs, land reform, the effects of urbanization on the Amazon, the social and economic effects of large-scale industrial development projects. The report includes 47 tables and 19 figures.

Volume 2. : Public policy and social exclusion
This volume examines four areas in which decentralization has led to social inequities in Brazil. One chapter examines problems in the way unemployment and underemployment are defined, and how these definitions lead policymakers to ignore large segments of the job creation problem. Another chapter looks at the problems of unequal legal protection and persecution, uncovering the factors that contribute to Brazil's tarnished human rights record. A third chapter discusses the housing deficit and the deficiencies of the housing finance system. The final chapter examines the Brazilian Constitution's aim and shortcomings with regard to citizen's rights and participation. The report includes ten tables and eight figures.

Texas Budget: Facing Changes in State-Federal Relations
Project directed by William P. Hobby, Thomas M. Keel, Michael Wegner
Policy Research Project Report Series #118
136 pages
HJ 2053 T4 T59 1996 Public Affairs Library
Provides the information and tools necessary to understand Texas' budget process from the vantage point of the budget makers themselves. The report offers a detailed analysis of key issues and trends that influence the development of the 1996-97 state budget - specifically in the areas of public education, criminal justice, and health and human services. The analysis is based on budget simulations produced by the Texas Budget Simulator (TBS), an electronic program designed to enable legislators and others involved in the budget process to test alternative budget decisions.

Port-Related State Programs and Federal Legislative Issues
Project directed by Leigh B. Boske
Policy Research Project Report Series #117
285 pages
HE 745 P67 1996 Public Affairs Library
This report, the second in a two-report series, provides an overview of port-related state programs and an assessment of the economic impacts of three legislative bills on waterborne commerce. The overview includes port administration in various states, state agencies involved in port development, educational and funding programs, and trends in state port development and diversification. Also included are the assessment of the economic impacts of the proposed Ocean Shipping Reform Act, efforts to significantly alter the Jones Act, and the implications of the U.S. Court of International Trade ruling which found the Harbor Maintenance Tax to violate the export clause of the U.S. Constitution. Appendixes contain profiles of port activities and state programs in 30 states.

Evolution of Universal Service Policy
Project directed by Lodis Rhodes, Susan G. Hadden
Policy Research Project Report Series #116
90 pages
HE 8840 T48 E85 1995 Public Affairs Library
Based on the premise that telecommunications services should be universally available and affordable, this report seeks to obtain detailed knowledge about why one in twelve Texans do not have telephone service in the home. The research, based on a survey of phoneless people, sought to elicit whether affordability is the primary barrier to having service or whether there are other reasons why a household is phoneless. Results indicate that reaons for not having a phone include the inability to afford installation and the monthly charge for basic service, the inability to control the levels of monthly bills, and the high cost of reinstallation. In its conclusion, the report gives recommendations and provides examples of efforts that are underway around the country to make new communications technologies available to low-income people--the people usually without telephones.

Texas State Debt Management
Project directed by Thomas M. Keel, Beverly S. Bunch
Policy Research Project Report Series #115
150 pages
HJ 8465 P835 1995 Public Affairs Library
This study, commissioned by the Texas Bond Review Board, was undertaken to analyze Texas' policies and procedures for managing state debt. In particular, the report studies recent debt trends, the legislative process for making debt decisions, the debt issuance process, and the state's formal and informal policies related to debt management. Data for this research include interviews with state employees who are involved with the issuance or oversight of state debt, literature review, analyses of other state's practices, and analyses of state reports and data related to debt management. The report offers recommendations on how the state may be able to improve its management of state debt. The recommendations are listed in three major categories--legislative process, debt issuance process, and debt policies.

The Texas Seaport and Inland Waterway System
Project directed by Leigh B. Boske, Robert Harrison
Policy Research Project Report Series #114
309 pages
HE 554 A4 T492 1995 Public Affairs Library
As Texas prepares for greater economic prosperity and integration under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the benefits of anticipated increased trade flows will depend heavily on the ability of the state's intermodal transportation infrastructure to efficiently accommodate additional traffic. One integral part of the infrastructure is the seaport and inland waterway system. This report presents a comprehensive review of the system, the results of which are intended to be integrated into the Texas Transportation Plan. Included in the report are chapters on global, national, and Texas waterborne commerce; the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway; the present state of Mexican seaports; seaport access to the Texas railway and highway systems; legislation affecting Texas seaports; and issues affecting current and future port and waterway performance. The report also contains appendices that give profiles of individual Texas seaports. Included are Houston, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Texas City, Freeport, Bay City, Victoria, Port Lavaca, Brownsville, Port Isabel, Harlingen, Port Mansfield, Sabine Pass, Beaumont, Orange, and Port Arthur. There is also a profile of the Port of New Orleans, the major competitor of large Texas ports on the Gulf of Mexico. The profiles contain information on each port in the following areas: operations and services, top five imports and exports, existing facilities and equipment, modernization and expansion plans, strategic and master plans, revenues and expenditures, intermodal access and land transportation costs, economic impacts, and major issues affecting Texas ports.

U.S. Mexico Trade and Transportation: Corridors, Logistics Practices, and Multimodal Partnership
Project directed by Leigh B. Boske, Robert Harrison
Policy Research Project Report Series #113
1995
195 pages
HE 5415.7 U547 1995 Public Affairs Library
This report provides a detailed investigation into the ways in which U.S. and Mexican firms are attempting to overcome the difficulties of cross-border transportation and distribution via partnerships, strategic alliances, and other kinds of business ventures designed to facilitate cross-border transfers of technology, capital, and expertise. The researchers explored how several firms involved in cross-border transportation and distribution are using these types of cooperative ventures to expand effectively and profitably into the markets opened in Mexico by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Hard Choices: Setting Priorities for the Texas State Budget
Project Directed by William P. Hobby, Thomas M. Keel
Policy Research Project Report Series #112
1994
76 pages
HJ 2053 T4 H37 1994 Public Affairs Library
Aims at increasing understanding of the major elements affecting decisions made in the budgeting process for Texas State government. To this end, the study looks at the major factors likely to influence appropriations for the 1996-97 biennium and how changes in these factors affect the budget. The report comes with a DOS diskette containing the Texas Budget Simulator (TBS), which provides the user a step-by-step exercise in building a state budget electronically.

Squeezing a Dry Sponge: Water Planning in Texas
Project directed by Susan G. Hadden, William P. Hobby
Policy Research Project Report Series #111
1994
180 pages
HD 1694 T4 L96 1994 Public Affairs Library
This report comes about in response to an agreement among the three primary Texas agencies responsible for water resources in Texas--the Texas Water Development Board, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department--to promote coordinated management of the State's water resources and to deal more effectively with conflicts over competing water uses. The report supports the agencies in this process by reviewing innovations in other states across the nation and identifying incentives and barriers to adopting those innovations in Texas.

Workforce Diversity in Texas State Government: Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission
Project directed by Kenneth W. Tolo
Policy Research Project Report Series #110
1994
238 pages
HF 5549.5 M5 W67 1994 Public Affairs Library
Discusses ways to promote workforce diversity to enable the Texas Resource Conservation Commission to carry out its statutory and administrative responsibilities more effectively. Defining a diverse workforce as one that reflects the state's gender and racial/ethnic differences, the study seeks to identify actions and long-term strategies to recruit, nurture, and retain such a workforce.

Logistics Management & U.S.- Mexico Transportation Systems: A Preliminary Investigation
Project directed by Leigh B. Boske, Robert Harrison
Policy Research Project Report Series #109
1994
92 pages
HE 206.2 L63 1994 Public Affairs Library
Explores the demand for transport services generated by recent regulatory changes and NAFTA. It provides a preliminary investigation into the ways in which growing transportation needs between the United States and Mexico are driving changes in infrastructure, modal agreements, and regulatory harmonization.

Managing Environmental Risks in Texas
Project directed by Susan G. Hadden, Jurgen Schmandt
Policy Research Project Report Series #108
1994
88 pages
GE 155 T4 M36 1994 Public Affairs Library

This report, undertaken for the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, assesses the legal, social, political, and economic issues associated with the comparative risk process. This process, a new approach to environmental policymaking, evaluates the relative significance of environmental problems by combining scientific analysis of risks to the environment with the assessment of public values. More detailed descriptions and assessments of particular risks are available in working paper format (Working Papers No. 78 and 79) from the LBJ School of Public Affairs.

Preparing for the 21st Century: Public Education Reform in Texas
Project directed by Catherine Clark, Chrys Dougherty, William P. Hobby, Kenneth W. Tolo
Policy Research Project Report Series #107
1994
107 pages
LA 370 L96 1994 Public Affairs Library
Considers ways to achieve reforms aimed at improving student performance. Recommendations address reform issues as they apply to students, teachers, school management, and state policymakers in the context of reform themes emerging nationally. The most significant education legislation in Texas from 1981 to 1993 is summarized in an appendix

Education and Training in San Antonio: Balancing Economic Change, Labor Force Training, and Public Policy
Project directed by Robert H. Wilson, Christopher T. King, Ernesto Cortes, Jr.
Policy Research Project Report Series #106
1994
205 pages
LC 66.5 T4 E38 1994 Public Affairs Library
A case study on job training programs for the working poor in San Antonio, this study discusses the failure of existing public sector programs such as those linked to the federal Job Training and Partnership Act (JTPA) to break the historical pattern of the city's low-wage economy. It also describes an innovative grassroots program called Quality Employment Through Skills Training (QUEST) that was developed by local community organizations to address some of the shortcomings of public sector programs.

Implementing Watershed Management in Texas
Project directed by Susan G.Hadden, William P. Hobby, Alice Myers, Mark Rose
Policy Research Project Report Series #105
1993
124 pages
TC 424 T4 I46 1993 Public Affairs Library
Discusses a watershed management approach which focuses environmental management resources on entire river basins, rather than on boundaries established by political or economic entities. This study evaluates all aspects of the Texas Clean Rivers Act passed in 1991: the potential efficacy of the law itself, how well it has been implemented so far, and problems and prospects for the future.

Texas-Mexico Multimodal Transportation
Project directed by Leigh B. Boske, Robert Harrison, Chandler Stolp, Sidney Weintraub
Policy Research Project Report Series #104
1993
168 pages
HE 213 T4 T48 1993 Public Affairs Library
Argues that benefits of liberalized trade to Texas under the proposed North American American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will depend heavily upon the infrastructure linking Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The report examines the transportation system already in place, plans for improvements or expansion, and the opportunities and constraints faced by each transportation mode (trucking, rail, maritime, and air). A particular focus of the study is the identification, collection, and categorization of Mexican intermodal data.

Bridging the Gap: Implementing School-to-Work Transition in Austin, Texas
Project directed by Kenneth W. Tolo, Robert W. Glover
Policy Research Project Report Series #103
1993
175 pages
HF 5382.5 U6 T48 1993 Public Affairs Library
Reviews experimental programs designed to improve connections between school and work in Austin, Texas and several localities across the nation. The report makes recommendations to implement a plan that would integrate applied learning with academics throughout the K-12 continuum to improve thinking skills, personal traits, and career awareness and exploration.

A Space Strategy for Texas for the 1990s
Project directed by Kenneth W. Tolo, Dean Kastel
Policy Research Project Report Series #102
1993
122 pages
HD 9711.75 U63 T48 1993 Public Affairs Library
Anticipates that the United States will maintain its leadership position in outer space flight although future growth of the space program at the national level will probably be restrained. As new space-related technologies become available at the state level, states will have a unique opportunity to provide the commercial and industrial framework necessary to foster the development of space-related industries. This report outlines a long-term space strategy for the state of Texas, including recommendations for the establishment of a public-private space authority, the development of a state network of space business incubators, and the creation of a state satellite system.

Water Resources Challenges in the Ganges-Brahmaputra River Basin: Hydropower, Deforestation, Legal Institutions
Project directed by David J. Eaton, Mahesh C. Chaturvedi
Policy Research Project Report Series #101
1993
72 pages
HD 1698 I4 G36 1992 Public Affairs Library
Describes the geography and population of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna river basin to give a picture of the problems--mainly environmental degradation or the use of scarce resources--that face policymakers trying to work out international agreements for water use, flood control, and hydroelectric generation.