# Texas IN Action (TIA) — Complete Assignment Guide ## DRAFT FOR INSTRUCTOR REVIEW **Texas IN Action** is a menu-based assessment system for GOVT 2306 (Texas Government). Instead of high-stakes exams, students earn **100 points** through authentic engagement with Texas state and local government — the commissioners courts, special purpose districts, school boards, appraisal districts, and utility authorities that shape daily life in Texas but that most Texans never see. ### How TIA Works - **100 points required** (40% of course grade) - **39 assignments** across three effort tiers — **555 total points available**, so students have enormous choice - **Category requirement:** Students must complete activities from **at least two different effort tiers** (Higher Effort, Medium Effort, Quick Engagement) - **Complete/Incomplete grading:** Each assignment has a checklist rubric. Meet every criterion → COMPLETE → full points. Miss any criterion → INCOMPLETE → specific feedback and **one resubmission within one week** - Activities submitted after the final deadline (Week 7) cannot be resubmitted ### The Three Tiers | Tier | Point Range | Assignments | Character | |---|---|---|---| | Higher Effort | 20–30 pts | 12 | Field work, investigations, interviews | | Medium Effort | 10–15 pts | 13 | Focused research, observations, journals | | Quick Engagement | 5–8 pts | 14 | Reflections, short videos, rapid lookups | ### A Note for Students Who Have Never "Done" Local Government That's most of you — and that's the point. Every assignment below includes a **"How to Get Started"** section that walks you through exactly where to look, what website to use, and what to expect when you show up. Nobody is born knowing how a commissioners court works. By the end of this project, you'll know more about how Texas actually governs itself than most lifelong residents. ### Academic Integrity & the AI Question Every TIA assignment requires **your** specific details: your address's districts, your county's officials, your photos, your tax bill, your conversations. Generic AI-generated text cannot complete these assignments because the rubrics demand verifiable local specifics and original documentation. Submissions containing fabricated local details, fake officials, or AI-generated content presented as field work receive an INCOMPLETE and a referral under the college's academic integrity policy. --- --- # TIER 1: HIGHER EFFORT ACTIVITIES (20–30 points each) --- ## 1. Hidden Districts Investigation **Points:** 30 **Estimated Time:** 4–5 hours **Best For:** Students curious why their tax bill has so many lines on it ### Assignment Description Texas has more than 3,000 **special purpose districts** — invisible governments that can tax you, charge you fees, take on debt in your name, and hold elections you've probably never voted in. Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs), Emergency Services Districts (ESDs), hospital districts, college districts, water districts, Public Improvement Districts (PIDs) — they layer over your home address like transparent sheets, and most Texans cannot name a single one they live in. Your mission: **map every special purpose district that covers your home address**, find out what each one charges you, who governs it, and whether you've ever had a say. ### How to Get Started 1. **Pull your property tax statement** (or your family's, or your landlord's — for renters, your county appraisal district website lets you look up any address's taxing entities for free). In Tarrant County, go to **TAD.org**, search the address, and look at the "Taxing Entities" or "Jurisdictions" list. 2. **For each entity that isn't the city, county, or ISD**, look it up in the Comptroller's **Special Purpose District Public Information Database** (spdpid.comptroller.texas.gov). It lists board members, contact info, tax rates, and outstanding debt — all self-reported under state law. 3. **Read pages 1–10 of "Invisible Government: Special Purpose Districts in Texas"** (Texas Senate Research Center — free PDF, linked from comptroller.texas.gov/transparency/local/special-purpose.php). 4. If your address has few or no special districts (it happens), expand to your **whole ZIP code** or compare your address with a relative's or friend's address elsewhere in DFW. ### Requirements - Identify **every** taxing/fee-charging district covering your chosen address (minimum 4 entities total, including city/county/ISD if needed to reach 4) - For each special purpose district: its purpose, governing board, current tax rate or fee structure, and outstanding debt (from SPDPID or the district's site) - Calculate the **combined annual cost** of these districts for the property (use the appraisal district's value) - Find out **when the district's board elections are held** and who is eligible to vote in them - Written report (800 words minimum) including a "what surprised me" analysis - Screenshot evidence from the appraisal district lookup and SPDPID ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (30 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### District Mapping ✓ - [ ] A real, specific address is used (street name may be redacted in the report; instructor verification available on request) - [ ] Every taxing entity for that address is identified (minimum 4) - [ ] Each special purpose district's type and legal purpose is correctly described - [ ] Screenshot from county appraisal district jurisdiction lookup included - [ ] Screenshot from SPDPID entry (or district website) for at least one district included #### Financial Analysis ✓ - [ ] Current tax rate or fee structure documented for each district - [ ] Combined annual cost calculated using the property's actual appraised value - [ ] Outstanding debt reported for at least one district (or documented as zero/unreported) - [ ] Math is shown and correct #### Governance Analysis ✓ - [ ] Board members or governing structure identified for at least two districts - [ ] Election timing and voter eligibility researched and reported - [ ] Report addresses whether the student (or property owner) has ever voted in these elections #### Written Report (800 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] "What surprised me" section shows genuine engagement, not generic statements - [ ] Connects findings to course concepts (special districts, local government fragmentation, accountability) - [ ] Specific names, numbers, and rates appear throughout (not vague summaries) **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 2. Commissioners Court Field Study **Points:** 25 **Estimated Time:** 3–4 hours (including meeting time) **Best For:** Students who want to see Texas's most misunderstood government in action ### Assignment Description Despite the name, a **commissioners court is not a court**. It is the governing body of every one of Texas's 254 counties — a county judge plus four commissioners who together control the county budget, set the county tax rate, run the jail and county roads, oversee elections, and manage emergency response. It is arguably the most powerful local government you've never watched. Attend (in person or via official livestream/recording) one full commissioners court meeting and analyze what you saw. ### How to Get Started 1. **Find your county's commissioners court schedule.** Tarrant County Commissioners Court typically meets Tuesday mornings — check tarrantcountytx.gov for the calendar, agendas, and the official video stream/archive. (Dallas, Denton, Johnson, and Parker counties all post theirs too — use your home county.) 2. **Download the agenda before you watch.** Agendas are posted at least 72 hours in advance under the Texas Open Meetings Act. Skim it and pick 2–3 items to track closely. 3. **In person?** Meetings are public — you can walk in. Arrive early, sit anywhere in the gallery, silence your phone. **Streaming?** Live or archived official video both count, but you must watch a complete recent meeting (within the current semester). ### Requirements - Attend or stream one complete commissioners court meeting from the current semester - Proof of engagement: a photo of you at the meeting OR timestamped screenshots from the stream at three different points - The agenda (saved/linked) with your 2–3 tracked items marked - Written analysis (700 words minimum) covering: who the county judge and commissioners are (by name and precinct), what was decided on your tracked items, how the meeting blends legislative and executive functions, and one budget or tax item discussed - Identify which commissioner represents **your** precinct ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (25 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Attendance & Documentation ✓ - [ ] Complete meeting from current semester attended or streamed - [ ] Photo at meeting OR three timestamped screenshots provided - [ ] Agenda included with tracked items clearly marked - [ ] Meeting is a genuine commissioners court (not city council or other body) #### Knowledge of the Court ✓ - [ ] County judge and all four commissioners named correctly - [ ] Student's own precinct and commissioner identified - [ ] The court's hybrid legislative/executive nature explained with a specific example from the meeting #### Analysis (700 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] 2–3 tracked agenda items summarized with outcomes - [ ] At least one budget, contract, or tax-related item analyzed - [ ] Connects to course concepts (county government structure, plural executive at the local level, Open Meetings Act) - [ ] Includes specific quotes, votes, or moments only attainable by actually watching **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 3. The Data Center Reckoning **Points:** 30 **Estimated Time:** 4–5 hours **Best For:** Students interested in technology, energy, water, or where the economy is headed ### Assignment Description Texas is in the middle of a data center boom — and DFW is its epicenter. These facilities consume enormous electricity and water, receive local tax incentives, and are reshaping the grid so fast that the Legislature passed **Senate Bill 6 (2025)** giving ERCOT new powers over "large loads," including a remote-disconnect requirement critics call the "kill switch." Meanwhile, data centers are *excluded* from the state's flagship JETI school-tax incentive — but can still receive local Chapter 312 property tax abatements and a state sales tax exemption. Investigate **one real data center project in Texas** (DFW alone offers dozens) and produce an impact report: who approved it, what incentives it received, what it demands from the grid and water supply, and who bears the costs and benefits. ### How to Get Started 1. **Pick a project.** Search local news (Fort Worth Report, Dallas Morning News, Star-Telegram, Dallas Business Journal) for "data center" plus a city name — Fort Worth, Arlington, Lancaster, Red Oak, Garland, and Abilene have all had major announcements. Pick one with public records. 2. **Find the local government trail.** Search the city council and/or commissioners court agendas/minutes for the project or company name. Look for zoning cases, Chapter 312/380 agreements, water/infrastructure deals. 3. **Check the incentive databases.** The Comptroller's Chapter 312 abatement and Chapter 380/381 agreement databases (comptroller.texas.gov → Transparency → Local) list registered agreements. 4. **Understand SB 6.** Read at least one substantive explainer on SB 6's requirements for 75 MW+ loads (interconnection fees, disclosure, remote disconnect, curtailment). ### Requirements - One specific, named, real Texas data center project documented - The local approval trail: which government bodies voted on what, and when (agendas/minutes cited) - Any incentives identified (Chapter 312/380, sales tax exemption eligibility) — or documented absence of incentives - Estimated power and/or water demand from credible reporting - Explanation of how SB 6 applies (or doesn't) to this facility - Written report (900 words minimum) with a balanced costs/benefits assessment for the host community - Minimum 5 credible sources, cited ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (30 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Project Documentation ✓ - [ ] A real, specific Texas data center project is the subject - [ ] Local government approval trail traced with at least one agenda, minutes document, or official record cited - [ ] Approving bodies correctly identified (city council, commissioners court, school board, etc.) #### Incentives & Law ✓ - [ ] Incentive status researched and accurately reported (Chapter 312/380, sales tax exemption, JETI exclusion noted) - [ ] SB 6's relevance explained correctly (75 MW threshold, disclosure, remote disconnect/curtailment) - [ ] Distinction between state and local incentive authority is clear #### Impact Analysis ✓ - [ ] Power and/or water demand figures included from credible reporting - [ ] Benefits to host community identified (tax base, jobs, infrastructure) - [ ] Costs/risks identified (grid strain, water, noise/land use, abatement revenue foregone) - [ ] Assessment is balanced, not one-sided #### Report Quality (900 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Minimum 5 credible sources cited - [ ] Connects to course concepts (local economic development, special districts/utilities, state regulatory power) - [ ] Specific dollar figures, dates, and names throughout **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 4. Public Comment in Texas **Points:** 25 **Estimated Time:** 3–4 hours (including meeting) **Best For:** Students ready to participate, not just observe ### Assignment Description Texas law guarantees your right to address local governing bodies. Deliver a public comment — on an issue you actually care about — at a **city council, school board, or commissioners court** meeting in Texas. ### How to Get Started 1. **Pick your body and issue.** Fort Worth City Council, your home city's council, your ISD's board, or your county's commissioners court. Pick an issue genuinely connected to your life: streets, housing, school policy, parks, public safety, library hours — anything within that body's actual authority. 2. **Learn the sign-up procedure.** Every body posts its public comment rules: some require online sign-up by a deadline (Fort Worth uses an online speaker card system), some have sign-up sheets at the door. Time limits are typically 2–3 minutes. Call the city secretary's office if the website is unclear — that phone call is itself civic engagement. 3. **Write and rehearse.** 2–3 minutes is roughly 250–350 words. State who you are, what you're asking for, and why — respectfully and specifically. 4. **Anxiety accommodation:** If speaking is a genuine barrier, written comments formally submitted into the record (where the body accepts them) qualify — document the submission. ### Requirements - Research the issue with at least 2 credible sources - Written transcript of your prepared comment (within the body's time limit) - Deliver the comment at a legitimate Texas governing body meeting - Proof: video clip, meeting video timestamp, sign-in confirmation, or official minutes listing you - Reflection (500 words minimum): the procedure you navigated, how officials responded, what you'd do differently ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (25 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Preparation ✓ - [ ] Issue researched with minimum 2 credible sources - [ ] Issue falls within the body's actual jurisdiction - [ ] Comment transcript provided, within time limit, respectful and specific - [ ] Clear position or request stated #### Delivery & Documentation ✓ - [ ] Comment delivered at a legitimate Texas government body meeting (or written comment formally submitted with documentation, if accommodation applies) - [ ] Proof of participation provided - [ ] Sign-up/registration procedure described accurately #### Reflection (500 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Describes officials' response (or lack thereof) - [ ] Evaluates accessibility of the public comment process honestly - [ ] Connects to course concepts (participation, representation, responsiveness) **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 5. School Finance: Follow the Money **Points:** 25 **Estimated Time:** 3–4 hours **Best For:** Students with kids in school, students who went to Texas public schools, future educators ### Assignment Description Texas school finance is famously labyrinthine: a "basic allotment" the Legislature raised by only $55 in 2025 (the first increase since 2019), a "recapture" system (nicknamed Robin Hood) that pulls money from property-wealthy districts, billion-dollar local bond elections, and now school-district tax abatements for industry. Pick **one Texas ISD you have a personal connection to** and follow its money. ### How to Get Started 1. **Pick your ISD** (where you attended, where your kids attend, or where you live — e.g., Fort Worth ISD, Crowley ISD, Arlington ISD, Keller ISD). 2. **Find the budget.** Every ISD posts an adopted budget and tax rate on its website (search "[district name] adopted budget"). TEA's website also publishes district financial data. 3. **Check recapture status.** Search "[district] recapture" or look in the budget documents — does your district pay into recapture or receive state aid? 4. **Find the last bond election.** Search "[district] bond election" — what was proposed, what passed, what's the debt? ### Requirements - One specific ISD with your stated personal connection - The district's current total tax rate, broken into M&O and I&S components, explained in plain English - The district's per-student funding picture, referencing the basic allotment and HB 2 (2025) changes - Recapture status documented (payer, recipient of state aid, or neither — with numbers if available) - The most recent bond election: amount, purpose, result, current outstanding debt - Written report (800 words minimum) answering: "Who really funds my district, and who decides?" ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (25 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### District Facts ✓ - [ ] Specific ISD identified with genuine personal connection stated - [ ] Current tax rate found and correctly split into M&O and I&S - [ ] Budget document or TEA data cited (link or screenshot) #### Finance System Understanding ✓ - [ ] Basic allotment and HB 2 (2025) changes accurately described - [ ] Recapture explained correctly and district's status documented - [ ] State vs. local funding shares addressed #### Bond & Debt ✓ - [ ] Most recent bond election documented (amount, purpose, outcome) - [ ] Outstanding debt reported or documented as unavailable #### Report Quality (800 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Central question answered with evidence - [ ] Connects to course concepts (fiscal federalism within Texas, local control, school governance) - [ ] Real numbers from the actual district throughout **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 6. Local Official Interview Series **Points:** 25 **Estimated Time:** 4–5 hours **Best For:** Students who learn through conversation ### Assignment Description Interview **two different people who work in or for Texas local government** — elected or staff. Justices of the peace, constables, city council members, school trustees, city planners, county clerks, election administrators, firefighters in an ESD, librarians, code compliance officers — the menu is enormous, and most are far more accessible than students expect. ### How to Get Started 1. **Aim local and aim realistic.** A school board trustee or JP is far more reachable than the mayor of Fort Worth. Official emails are public on city/county websites. A polite email mentioning you're a TCC government student requesting 15–20 minutes works remarkably often. 2. **Two different roles** — ideally one elected official and one government employee, or two different levels (city + county). 3. **Prepare 6–8 questions per interview** about their actual work: What does your office really do? What do residents misunderstand? How does state law constrain you? What decision are you proudest of? 4. Phone, video, or in-person all count. **Record only with permission**, or take detailed notes. ### Requirements - Two interviews, different people, different roles, both connected to Texas state or local government - Question lists submitted for both - Documentation: recording (with permission), detailed notes, or confirmation emails plus notes - Comparative analysis (800 words minimum): what each role actually does, how state law shapes their work, what surprised you, how the two roles differ ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (25 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Interview Execution ✓ - [ ] Two real interviews with two different people in different government roles - [ ] Both roles are genuinely Texas state or local government (elected or staff) - [ ] 6–8 prepared questions per interview submitted - [ ] Documentation provided for both (recording, notes, and/or correspondence) #### Substance ✓ - [ ] Each official's actual duties accurately described - [ ] At least one example per interview of how Texas state law shapes or limits their work - [ ] Specific quotes or paraphrased moments from each conversation #### Comparative Analysis (800 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Meaningful comparison between the two roles - [ ] "What surprised me" reflection is specific and genuine - [ ] Connects to course concepts (county vs. municipal structure, elected vs. appointed, decentralization) **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 7. Texas Services Directory **Points:** 30 **Estimated Time:** 5–6 hours **Best For:** Students who want to create something genuinely useful ### Assignment Description Build a **practical guide to government services in your community** — the document you wish someone had handed you (or your family) years ago. Minimum 15 services across city, county, special district, and state levels, each verified and explained for a real person who needs it. ### How to Get Started 1. **Choose your community** (your city or your part of Fort Worth/Arlington/etc.). 2. **Brainstorm from life:** registering a car (county tax assessor-collector), CHIP/Medicaid (state HHSC), a pothole (city), a property tax exemption (appraisal district), voter registration (county elections), small claims (JP court), restaurant complaints (city/county health), unemployment (TWC), mental health crisis (local MHMR authority — MyHealthMyResources in Tarrant County), library cards, animal control, burn bans... 3. **Verify each entry**: correct office, current contact info, what to bring, cost, and the actual web link. Call or check the site — directories die when their info is wrong. ### Requirements - Minimum 15 services spanning at least: 4 city, 4 county, 2 special district, 3 state - Each entry: service name, responsible government + office, contact info, how to access (steps), cost, verified link - Each entry labeled by level of government - Introduction (200 words) explaining how to use the directory and what you learned building it - Format usable by a real person (organized document, table, or webpage) ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (30 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Coverage ✓ - [ ] Minimum 15 services included - [ ] Distribution met: ≥4 city, ≥4 county, ≥2 special district, ≥3 state - [ ] Each entry correctly labeled by level of government #### Accuracy & Usability ✓ - [ ] Responsible office correctly identified for every entry - [ ] Current contact info and working links verified - [ ] Access steps are concrete (what to bring, where to go, what it costs) - [ ] Organized, readable format a neighbor could actually use #### Reflection & Connection ✓ - [ ] 200-word introduction included - [ ] Reflection identifies which level of government surprised the student most - [ ] Demonstrates understanding of which level handles what (and why that's confusing) **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 8. Local Control vs. State Preemption **Points:** 25 **Estimated Time:** 3–4 hours **Best For:** Students drawn to political conflict and constitutional questions ### Assignment Description Texas celebrates local control — except when the Legislature doesn't. In 2023 lawmakers passed **HB 2127**, the "Texas Regulatory Consistency Act" (opponents call it the "Death Star Bill"), sweeping away local ordinances across whole fields of law. Cities sued; a district court declared it unconstitutional; the state's appeal kept the law in effect while courts wrestle with it. And HB 2127 is just the biggest example — Texas has preempted local rules on plastic bags, fracking, short-term rentals, paid sick leave, and more. Pick **one specific state-vs-local conflict** (HB 2127 itself, or a narrower fight) and analyze it from both sides. ### How to Get Started 1. **Pick your conflict.** Options: HB 2127 broadly; Denton's 2014 fracking ban and HB 40; the plastic bag ordinance fight (City of Laredo case); short-term rental battles; a current Fort Worth/Arlington/Dallas example from local news. 2. **Get the basics from quality sources:** Texas Tribune, Texas Municipal League, court filings, the bill text on capitol.texas.gov. 3. **Find the current status** — especially for HB 2127, where litigation is ongoing. Your report must state the legal status *as of your submission date*, with a source. ### Requirements - One specific, named conflict with the relevant bill/ordinance/case identified - Accurate timeline of the conflict - The strongest version of BOTH arguments: state uniformity/business climate vs. home rule/local democracy - Current legal status as of submission, sourced - Connection to the Texas Constitution's home rule provision (Art. XI, Sec. 5) - Written analysis (800 words minimum) ending with your own assessed position ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (25 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Case Facts ✓ - [ ] Specific conflict chosen with bill numbers/ordinances/cases correctly cited - [ ] Timeline accurate - [ ] Current legal status stated as of submission date with source #### Two-Sided Analysis ✓ - [ ] State's strongest arguments presented fairly - [ ] Cities'/local strongest arguments presented fairly - [ ] Home rule (Art. XI, Sec. 5) correctly explained and applied #### Written Analysis (800 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Student's own position stated and defended with evidence - [ ] Connects to course concepts (home rule vs. general law cities, Dillon's Rule tensions, federalism analogies) - [ ] Minimum 4 credible sources cited **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 9. Track a Texas Law **Points:** 25 **Estimated Time:** 3–4 hours **Best For:** Students who want to see how a bill becomes (and becomes felt as) a law ### Assignment Description Pick **one bill from a recent Texas legislative session** that affects local communities, and follow it from filing to real-world implementation. Because the Legislature meets in regular session only in odd-numbered years, this assignment works in any semester: in session years you can track a live bill; in interim years you trace a recently passed law's implementation (often the more interesting story). ### How to Get Started 1. **Choose a bill with local impact.** Strong candidates from the 89th session (2025): SB 6 (data centers/grid), HB 2 (school finance), or any bill covered by local news. Or pick from the 88th (2023): HB 2127 (preemption), HB 3 (school safety/armed officers). 2. **Use Texas Legislature Online** (capitol.texas.gov): search the bill number, read the bill analysis (plain-English summary), check the actions list (committee, votes, signing), and watch at least 15 minutes of archived committee testimony on the bill. 3. **Find the local landing.** How is YOUR city, county, school district, or a local agency implementing or responding to this law? Search local news and local government agendas. ### Requirements - One bill, correctly cited (number, session, author) - Legislative journey documented from TLO: committee(s), key votes, governor's action - At least 15 minutes of archived committee hearing video watched, with notes on 2 specific witnesses/exchanges - Local implementation evidence: how a specific local government or agency near you is affected - Written report (800 words minimum) ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (25 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Legislative Tracking ✓ - [ ] Bill correctly identified (number, session, author) - [ ] Path through committees and floor votes accurately summarized from TLO - [ ] Governor's action (signed/vetoed/no signature) and effective date correct #### Testimony Engagement ✓ - [ ] 15+ minutes of archived committee video watched - [ ] Notes on at least 2 specific witnesses or member exchanges (names/affiliations) - [ ] Testimony's influence (or futility) assessed #### Local Implementation ✓ - [ ] Specific local government/agency identified as affected - [ ] Concrete implementation evidence cited (agenda item, news report, policy change) #### Report Quality (800 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Connects to course concepts (legislative process, biennial sessions, implementation gap) - [ ] Sources cited **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 10. Property Tax Autopsy **Points:** 25 **Estimated Time:** 3–4 hours **Best For:** Students whose families own property — or who want to understand why rent keeps rising ### Assignment Description Texas has no state income tax, which means property taxes do the heavy lifting — and the system (appraisal districts, exemptions, rate-setting, truth-in-taxation hearings) is a complete mystery to most people paying it. Dissect a **real property tax statement** line by line, and observe rate-setting in action. ### How to Get Started 1. **Get a statement.** Yours, family's, or — for renters — look up your apartment complex or any address on your county appraisal district site (TAD.org in Tarrant; all records are public). 2. **Decode every line:** each taxing entity, its rate, the appraised vs. taxable value, and every exemption applied (homestead, over-65, disabled veteran...). The Comptroller's property tax pages explain each exemption. 3. **Truth-in-taxation:** find your county's tax rate notice site (Texas counties must post proposed rates, no-new-revenue rates, and hearing dates — many use a "tax transparency" portal). Watch or attend one tax rate hearing OR read the official notice and minutes for the most recent one. 4. **Bonus understanding:** note the difference between the appraisal district (sets values) and taxing units (set rates) — most Texans conflate them. ### Requirements - A real statement or appraisal-district record analyzed (sensitive details may be redacted) - Every line item explained: entity, rate, what it funds - Appraised vs. taxable value and all exemptions explained; if no exemptions, explain which could apply - Truth-in-taxation component: one taxing unit's most recent rate adoption documented (proposed vs. no-new-revenue rate, hearing date, outcome) - The appraisal district vs. taxing unit distinction explained correctly - Written report (700 words minimum) including: "If I wanted to lower this bill, what are my actual legal options?" (exemptions, protest by May 15 or 30 days after notice, showing up at rate hearings) ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (25 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Statement Dissection ✓ - [ ] Real statement/record used (screenshot or scan, redaction allowed) - [ ] Every taxing entity and rate identified and explained - [ ] Appraised vs. taxable value distinction handled correctly - [ ] Exemptions explained (applied or potentially applicable) #### Rate-Setting & Process ✓ - [ ] One taxing unit's most recent rate adoption documented with proposed vs. no-new-revenue comparison - [ ] Appraisal district vs. taxing units distinction correctly explained - [ ] Protest process accurately described (deadline: May 15 or 30 days after notice; ARB; Form 50-132) #### Report Quality (700 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] "Legal options" section is accurate and specific - [ ] Connects to course concepts (local revenue, truth-in-taxation, no state income tax tradeoff) - [ ] Real numbers from the actual record throughout **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 11. Disaster-Ready Community Audit **Points:** 25 **Estimated Time:** 3–4 hours **Best For:** Students motivated by keeping their family and neighbors safe ### Assignment Description When disaster hits Texas — tornado, flood, ice storm, grid emergency — a specific local machinery activates: the county emergency management office, city emergency plans, Emergency Services Districts, outdoor warning sirens, alert systems, and shelters. Most residents discover this machinery only mid-crisis. Audit **your community's emergency preparedness infrastructure** before you need it. ### How to Get Started 1. **Find your county's office of emergency management** (Tarrant County OEM, or your county's) and your city's emergency management page. 2. **Sign up for your local emergency alert system** and document it (most Tarrant-area jurisdictions use a county/city alert registration; your county OEM page links it). 3. **Map the local hazards:** what does your county's hazard mitigation plan or OEM page identify as top risks? (In North Texas: tornadoes, flash floods, winter storms, extreme heat.) 4. **Identify your nearest resources:** outdoor warning sirens policy (when do they sound?), nearest designated shelter or cooling/warming station, who provides fire/EMS at your address (city department or an ESD — check your tax entities!). 5. **Build your household plan** using the state's ready.texas.gov framework (TDEM). ### Requirements - County and city emergency management offices identified with their actual responsibilities - Proof of alert system registration (screenshot) - Top 3 local hazards identified from official sources - Fire/EMS provider for your address identified (city dept. or named ESD) - Outdoor warning siren policy for your jurisdiction explained - A completed written household emergency plan (TDEM/ready.texas.gov framework) - Reflection (600 words minimum): what existed that you didn't know about, and one gap you identified ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (25 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Government Infrastructure Mapping ✓ - [ ] County OEM and city emergency management correctly identified with roles - [ ] Fire/EMS provider for student's address correctly identified - [ ] Siren policy accurately described for their jurisdiction - [ ] Top 3 hazards drawn from official local sources #### Personal Preparedness Actions ✓ - [ ] Alert registration screenshot provided - [ ] Household emergency plan completed using TDEM framework - [ ] Nearest shelter/cooling/warming resource identified #### Reflection (600 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Identifies a specific genuine gap (personal or governmental) - [ ] Connects to course concepts (intergovernmental coordination, ESDs, state TDEM role) **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 12. Texas Myth Busting Video **Points:** 20 **Estimated Time:** 3–4 hours **Best For:** Students who like creating media and correcting the record ### Assignment Description Texans believe a lot of things about Texas government that aren't true: *"Texas can legally secede." "The governor runs everything." "Texas has no taxes." "The Texas Rangers can overrule local police." "Property taxes go to the state."* Pick **two myths**, research the truth, and produce a 3–5 minute myth-busting video built for your generation. ### How to Get Started 1. **Pick two myths** — from the list above, from your own family group chat, or propose your own (clear it with your instructor if unsure). 2. **Research each:** what people believe, where the myth comes from, and what's actually true — with authoritative sources (Texas Constitution, statutes, Comptroller, court decisions, Texas Tribune explainers). 3. **Script and film.** Phone video is fine. Show your face for at least part of it. Visual aids (screenshots of the Constitution, charts) strengthen it. ### Requirements - 3–5 minute video, two myths busted - Your face/voice present (not pure slideshow with stock narration) - Each myth: statement of belief → origin/why people believe it → documented truth → why it matters - Minimum 4 credible sources, listed on screen or in submission - Written source list with 1–2 sentences on each source's credibility ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (20 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Video Requirements ✓ - [ ] 3–5 minutes, clear audio/video - [ ] Student's own face and voice present - [ ] Two distinct Texas government myths addressed #### Accuracy ✓ - [ ] Each myth's actual truth documented correctly - [ ] Minimum 4 credible sources used and listed - [ ] Origins of each myth addressed - [ ] No new misinformation introduced #### Presentation & Reflection ✓ - [ ] Engaging, organized format with visual support - [ ] "Why it matters" explained for each myth - [ ] Written source credibility notes submitted **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- --- # TIER 2: MEDIUM EFFORT ACTIVITIES (10–15 points each) --- ## 13. Find Your Five Governments **Points:** 15 **Estimated Time:** 2–3 hours **Best For:** Students who like a challenge they can do while living their normal life ### Assignment Description A photo scavenger hunt with a thesis: **at least five distinct governments touch your daily life**, and you're going to prove it. Not five government *things* — five different *governments* (your city, your county, your ISD, a special district, a state agency, a community college district...). ### How to Get Started 1. **Think in jurisdictions, not buildings.** A fire hydrant might be city; the road might be county or TxDOT; the school is an ISD; the hospital district sign, the water tower with a MUD name, the TCC campus (a college district with its own taxing authority!), the TxDOT highway sign, the game warden's truck (TPWD), the state inspection... 2. **Photograph each** over the course of a week or two — original photos, taken by you, with you or a personal landmark in at least two of them. 3. **Verify the jurisdiction.** The whole point is correctly attributing each photo: "this is Tarrant County's, not Fort Worth's, because..." ### Requirements - 5 original photos, each representing a DIFFERENT government entity - At least 2 different *types* (municipal, county, school district, special district, state agency) - Caption per photo: the entity, what the photographed thing is, and how you verified which government owns/runs it - Summary reflection (300 words): what this exercise revealed about overlapping governments ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (15 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Photo Documentation ✓ - [ ] 5 original photos taken by the student - [ ] 5 genuinely different government entities represented - [ ] At least 2 different types of government included - [ ] Photos are local to the student's actual life/area #### Attribution Accuracy ✓ - [ ] Each caption correctly identifies the responsible government - [ ] Verification method stated for each ("I checked the city's street directory," "the sign says ESD No. 1," etc.) - [ ] No misattributed entities #### Reflection (300 words) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Addresses fragmentation/overlap of local government in Texas - [ ] Connects to course concepts **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 14. Fix My Street **Points:** 12 **Estimated Time:** 1.5–2 hours **Best For:** Students who pass the same pothole, dead streetlight, or busted sidewalk every single day ### Assignment Description The pothole on your street, the streetlight that's been out for months, the sidewalk that ends in rubble, the missing stop sign — somebody is responsible for fixing each one, and there is an official channel for making them do it. Most residents never learn which government owns which problem or how to file a request that actually gets tracked. You will. Identify a **real infrastructure problem in your community**, figure out exactly which government is responsible, and report it through the official channel — then document what happens. ### How to Get Started 1. **Find your issue.** You almost certainly already know one: pothole, streetlight, sidewalk, drainage, illegal dumping, faded signage, dangerous intersection. Photograph it. 2. **Figure out whose problem it is — this is the hard, valuable part.** The same street can change owners block to block: city street (city public works/transportation), county road (your commissioners precinct office maintains it), state highway or frontage road (TxDOT), private street (HOA — also a finding!). Streetlights are often the electric utility (Oncor has its own outage-report tool) even when the city requests them. Check your city's street directory, your county's precinct road pages, or call and ask — being redirected twice is data, not failure. 3. **Use the official channel.** Fort Worth uses the MyFW app/311 system; most cities have an online service request portal or 311 line; counties take road issues through the commissioner precinct office; TxDOT and Oncor have report forms. File the request and screenshot your confirmation/tracking number. 4. **Follow up.** Check the request status before submitting this assignment. Fixed, scheduled, acknowledged, or ignored — all are reportable outcomes. ### Requirements - One real, photographed infrastructure issue in the student's own community - Correct responsible government/entity identified, with the verification trail explained (including any redirections) - Official report filed through the proper channel, with confirmation/tracking screenshot - Status check documented before submission (response, timeline, or silence) - Write-up (400 words minimum): the process, how findable the right channel was, and what this reveals about responsiveness and fragmented responsibility ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (12 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Issue & Attribution ✓ - [ ] Real local issue documented with the student's own photo - [ ] Responsible government/entity correctly identified - [ ] Verification trail explained (how the student ruled out the other candidates) #### Official Action ✓ - [ ] Report filed through the correct official channel - [ ] Confirmation/tracking number or submission screenshot provided - [ ] Status checked and outcome documented before submission #### Write-Up (400 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Honest assessment of how accessible the process was - [ ] Connects to course concepts (service delivery, fragmented jurisdiction, government responsiveness) **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 15. Courtroom Texas: JP or Municipal Court Observation **Points:** 15 **Estimated Time:** 2–3 hours **Best For:** Students curious about the justice system most Texans actually encounter ### Assignment Description Forget Law & Order — the courts most Texans experience are **justice of the peace courts** (small claims up to $20,000, evictions, truancy, traffic) and **municipal courts** (city ordinance violations, Class C misdemeanors). Observe a session of one and analyze what justice looks like at this level. ### How to Get Started 1. **Find a court.** Tarrant County has multiple JP precincts (tarrantcountytx.gov lists them with dockets); every incorporated city has a municipal court. Call ahead or check the website for public docket times — eviction and small claims dockets are typically open to the public. 2. **Show up early, dress respectfully, silence your phone.** You may be asked your business at the door; "I'm a TCC government student observing for a class assignment" is a perfectly good answer. 3. **No photos/recording in the courtroom.** Document attendance with a photo outside the courthouse/courtroom and detailed contemporaneous notes. ### Requirements - Attend at least 60 minutes of live proceedings (JP or municipal court) in Texas - Photo outside the building + detailed notes as proof - Identify the judge and the court's jurisdiction (what kinds of cases it CAN hear) - Notes on at least 3 matters heard (anonymize parties) - Reflection (500 words minimum): how this court differs from TV courts, who appeared with/without lawyers, what "access to justice" looked like ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (15 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Observation & Documentation ✓ - [ ] 60+ minutes of live JP or municipal court observed - [ ] Photo and detailed notes provided - [ ] Judge and court correctly identified - [ ] Court's jurisdiction accurately described #### Case Notes ✓ - [ ] At least 3 matters summarized (anonymized) - [ ] Procedure observed accurately (informality, representation, outcomes) #### Reflection (500 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Addresses representation and access-to-justice observations - [ ] Connects to course concepts (Texas court structure, local trial courts) **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 16. Appraisal Protest Exercise **Points:** 12 **Estimated Time:** 2 hours **Best For:** Students whose families own property, or future homeowners ### ⚠️ THIS IS AN EXERCISE — DO NOT FILE ANYTHING You will prepare a complete, hearing-ready protest packet, but you will **NOT submit Form 50-132 to the appraisal district**. Filing a protest is a real legal action that only the property owner (or their authorized agent) may take. Every document you produce for this assignment must be clearly marked **"CLASS EXERCISE — NOT FILED"** across the top. If your family happens to be protesting for real this year, you may document that authentic process instead — but the default for everyone is the exercise. ### Assignment Description Every Texas property owner has the right to **protest their appraised value** — deadline May 15 or 30 days after the appraisal notice, whichever is later — with a hearing before a citizen Appraisal Review Board. Most owners never use this right because they don't know how. Walk through the entire process, start to finish, so that you do. There's also a civics puzzle buried in here, and your write-up must engage it: protesting is a legitimate individual check on government power — but appraised values fund schools, counties, cities, and hospital districts. If every protest succeeds, the tax base shrinks, and governments must either raise rates (triggering truth-in-taxation requirements) or cut services. The individual incentive and the collective consequence pull in opposite directions. That tension IS Texas government. ### How to Get Started 1. **Pick a real property** (family's, or any property — records are public on your county appraisal district site). 2. **Pull the property's appraisal record** and at least 3 comparable properties from the same neighborhood on the appraisal district site. 3. **Get Form 50-132** (Notice of Protest) from the Comptroller's site or your CAD. Fill it out completely — then write **"CLASS EXERCISE — NOT FILED"** across it. Do not mail it, upload it, or submit it through any portal. 4. **Build the evidence packet:** comparables table, photos/condition notes if applicable, and the value you'd argue for. 5. (Only if your family is genuinely protesting this year, with the owner's involvement: you may document the real filing and, if timing allows, the informal review or ARB hearing instead.) ### Requirements - Real property record + 3 comparables documented from the CAD website - Completed Form 50-132 marked **"CLASS EXERCISE — NOT FILED"** (or documentation of a genuine family protest) - Evidence packet with a specific proposed value and reasoning - Correct explanation of the timeline (notice → protest deadline → informal review → ARB hearing → further appeals) - Write-up (500 words minimum) addressing BOTH: (a) how accessible is this process to a working person, and (b) the trade-off — if protests succeed at scale, which local governments and services lose revenue, and what are their options? ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (12 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Records & Evidence ✓ - [ ] Real property record and 3 genuine comparables included (screenshots) - [ ] Comparables are reasonably comparable (same area/type) - [ ] Proposed value stated with reasoning #### Process Mastery & Exercise Discipline ✓ - [ ] Form 50-132 completed correctly AND clearly marked "CLASS EXERCISE — NOT FILED" (or genuine protest documented with owner's involvement) - [ ] Nothing was actually filed in the exercise version - [ ] Timeline and deadline stated accurately (May 15 / 30 days after notice) - [ ] ARB's role correctly described #### Write-Up (500 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Accessibility assessment is thoughtful - [ ] Trade-off analysis included: identifies which taxing entities lose revenue if values fall and what their realistic responses are (rate increases under truth-in-taxation, service cuts) - [ ] Connects to course concepts (appraisal districts, ARBs, taxpayer remedies, local revenue dependence) **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 17. Local Ballot Breakdown **Points:** 12 **Estimated Time:** 1.5–2 hours **Best For:** Students who've stared at a ballot's bottom half in confusion ### Assignment Description Texas ballots are marathons — and the most consequential races are often the ones nobody researches: school board, city council, bond propositions, constitutional amendments. Decode **a real, recent or upcoming ballot for YOUR address** and produce a plain-English voter guide. ### How to Get Started 1. **Get your actual ballot.** Your county elections site posts sample ballots by precinct (Tarrant: tarrantcountytx.gov/elections). Use the most recent election OR an upcoming one. Vote411.org and the League of Women Voters guides help with candidate info. 2. **Pick the local section:** at least 5 local items (races below the statewide level and/or propositions). 3. **For each item:** what the office/proposition actually does, who's running or what a YES/NO means, and where to find more. ### Requirements - Real sample ballot for the student's own precinct (screenshot/link) - Minimum 5 local items decoded - For bond/amendment propositions: plain-English translation of the legalese plus fiscal impact - Honest "what I would need to know to vote well here" note per item - Reflection (300 words): why down-ballot turnout collapses and what that means for who governs locally ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (12 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Ballot Work ✓ - [ ] Student's actual precinct ballot used and documented - [ ] 5+ local items decoded accurately - [ ] Propositions translated into plain English with fiscal impact where applicable #### Quality ✓ - [ ] Offices' actual powers described correctly - [ ] Sources for candidate/proposition info identified - [ ] Guide would genuinely help a confused neighbor #### Reflection (300 words) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Engages with ballot roll-off/turnout and local power - [ ] Connects to course concepts **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 18. County Budget Explorer **Points:** 12 **Estimated Time:** 2 hours **Best For:** Students who want to know where the money actually goes ### Assignment Description Your county's budget is a moral document with line items. Explore **your county's current adopted budget** and report where the money comes from and where it goes — including the items that surprise you (the jail is usually the big one). ### How to Get Started 1. **Find the adopted budget** on your county's website (search "[county] adopted budget" — Tarrant County posts current and past budgets with summaries). 2. **You don't need to read 400 pages.** Use the budget summary / budget-in-brief sections: total size, major revenue sources, largest departments. 3. **Pick 3 line items to investigate** more closely — at least one related to public safety/jail and one you'd never have guessed existed. ### Requirements - Current adopted county budget located (link + screenshot of summary page) - Total budget size, top 3 revenue sources, top 5 spending categories reported - 3 line items investigated with what-it-funds explanations - Comparison: jail/public safety spending vs. one other major category - Write-up (450 words minimum) ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (12 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Budget Facts ✓ - [ ] Current adopted budget for student's county used - [ ] Totals, revenue sources, and spending categories accurately reported - [ ] Screenshots/links provided #### Investigation ✓ - [ ] 3 specific line items explained (incl. one public-safety/jail item) - [ ] Comparison performed with actual figures - [ ] Numbers are correct and sourced #### Write-Up (450 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Surprise findings genuine and specific - [ ] Connects to course concepts (county functions, commissioners court budget power) **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 19. ERCOT & You **Points:** 12 **Estimated Time:** 2 hours **Best For:** Students who want to understand the most Texan thing about Texas: its own power grid ### Assignment Description Texas runs its own electric grid (ERCOT) precisely to avoid federal regulation — a choice with enormous consequences for reliability, prices, and now the data center boom. Map the governance of YOUR electricity: who generates it, who delivers it, who sells it to you, and who regulates each layer. ### How to Get Started 1. **Identify your layers.** In most of DFW: ERCOT operates the grid; Oncor delivers (the wires); a retail electric provider sells to you (you chose it — or your landlord did); the PUC regulates; the Legislature oversees. (Some students will be in a municipally owned utility or co-op — Denton, Garland, Tri-County EC — which is a different and equally interesting answer.) 2. **Pull a real electric bill** and identify the delivery charges vs. energy charges. 3. **Visit ERCOT's real-time dashboard** (ercot.com) and screenshot current grid conditions (demand, capacity). 4. **If you have retail choice:** compare your current plan against 2 alternatives on powertochoose.org. ### Requirements - All governance layers for the student's own electricity correctly mapped - Real bill decoded (delivery vs. energy charges; redact account info) - ERCOT dashboard screenshot with a one-paragraph explanation of what it shows - Retail choice comparison (or explanation of why student doesn't have retail choice — muni/co-op) - Write-up (450 words minimum) including one sentence on how SB 6 (2025) changed large-load rules and why that matters for grid reliability ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (12 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Governance Mapping ✓ - [ ] ERCOT, transmission/delivery utility, retail provider (or muni/co-op), PUC roles all correctly identified for the student's own service - [ ] Why Texas has its own grid explained accurately #### Personal Evidence ✓ - [ ] Real bill decoded with screenshots - [ ] ERCOT dashboard screenshot + accurate explanation - [ ] Retail comparison done (or muni/co-op situation explained) #### Write-Up (450 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] SB 6 large-load point included accurately - [ ] Connects to course concepts (regulation, deregulation, state vs. federal jurisdiction) **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 20. The Week the Heat Went Out: Winter Storm Uri **Points:** 15 **Estimated Time:** 2–3 hours **Best For:** Students who lived through Winter Storm Uri — or know someone who did ### Assignment Description In February 2021, **Winter Storm Uri** — a once-in-a-generation arctic freeze, not a hurricane and not a heat wave — killed hundreds of Texans, knocked out power and heat to millions for days in sub-freezing temperatures, froze pipes across the state, and exposed every seam in Texas's energy and emergency governance. Interview **someone who experienced Uri in Texas** — a family member, neighbor, coworker, classmate — and connect their experience to the governmental failures and reforms that followed. ### How to Get Started 1. **Find your interviewee.** Almost any Texan over ~22 has a Uri story. Ask: Where were you? How long without power/water? What did you do? Who did you blame? What, if anything, changed for you? 2. **Do the background reading:** at least 2 quality retrospectives on Uri's causes (generation failures across sources, gas supply, ERCOT's near-collapse) and the reforms that followed (weatherization mandates, SB 3 of 2021, alert changes). 3. **Conduct a 15–20 minute interview**, recorded with permission or documented in detailed notes. ### Requirements - One interview with someone who experienced Uri in Texas (15–20 min, documented) - 5+ prepared questions submitted - Background research: 2+ credible sources on causes and reforms - Written piece (600 words minimum) weaving the personal story together with the governance analysis: which institutions failed this person, and what has changed since - Safety connection: one concrete preparedness step the student has taken or will take, stated specifically ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (15 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Interview ✓ - [ ] Real interview conducted and documented - [ ] Interviewee experienced Winter Storm Uri (February 2021) in Texas - [ ] Prepared questions submitted - [ ] Specific details from the conversation appear in the write-up #### Governance Analysis ✓ - [ ] Causes of the Uri crisis accurately summarized (no single-villain oversimplification) - [ ] Post-Uri reforms identified (weatherization, SB 3, etc.) - [ ] Personal story connected to specific institutions (ERCOT, PUC, utilities, local government) #### Write-Up (600 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Concrete personal preparedness step stated - [ ] Connects to course concepts (regulatory failure, reform, intergovernmental response) **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 21. Who Owns the Water? **Points:** 12 **Estimated Time:** 2 hours **Best For:** Students interested in growth, drought, and the next big Texas fight ### Assignment Description Texas is growing faster than its water supply, and the governance is bizarre: surface water belongs to the state, but groundwater follows the "rule of capture" — moderated by nearly 100 local **groundwater conservation districts**. Meanwhile, the state water plan projects huge shortfalls, and data centers and new suburbs are all drinking from the same sources. Investigate water governance for YOUR region. ### How to Get Started 1. **Find your region in the State Water Plan.** The Texas Water Development Board's interactive plan (twdb.texas.gov) is organized by regional planning groups — DFW is **Region C**. Find your region's projected demand vs. supply. 2. **Find your groundwater conservation district (if any)** — TWDB and TCEQ both map GCDs. (Much of urban Tarrant County is NOT in a GCD — itself a finding worth explaining.) 3. **Identify one current local water controversy or project** from news: a new reservoir, pipeline, drought restrictions, a subdivision or data center's water demand. ### Requirements - Surface water vs. groundwater legal regimes explained correctly (state ownership vs. rule of capture + GCDs) - Student's regional planning group identified with one demand/supply projection cited - GCD status for student's home area documented (which one, or none — and what that means) - One current local water project/controversy summarized with sources - Write-up (450 words minimum) ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (12 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Legal & Institutional Accuracy ✓ - [ ] Surface vs. groundwater regimes correctly distinguished - [ ] Regional planning group correctly identified with a real projection cited - [ ] Home-area GCD status correctly documented #### Current Events ✓ - [ ] One real, current local water issue summarized with sources - [ ] Issue connected to the governance structures above #### Write-Up (450 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Connects to course concepts (special districts, planning, growth) - [ ] Local specificity throughout **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 22. Texas News Connection Journal #1 **Points:** 10 **Estimated Time:** 1–1.5 hours **Best For:** Students who follow current events ### Assignment Description Connect one **Texas state or local government news story** from the last 30 days to course concepts and your own life. Strong sources: Texas Tribune, Fort Worth Report, Dallas Morning News, Star-Telegram, KERA, your community's paper. ### Requirements - Article from the last 30 days about TEXAS state or local government (not federal) - Link to the original article - Three sections, 150 words each (450 total): summary → course connections → personal/local impact - One original photo or screenshot showing the local angle, with caption ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (10 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Article Requirements ✓ - [ ] Published within last 30 days, credible source, link provided - [ ] Genuinely about Texas state or local government #### Written Components (450 words total) ✓ - [ ] Summary (150 words) demonstrates understanding - [ ] Course connections (150 words) name specific concepts - [ ] Personal impact (150 words) is specific to the student's life/community #### Visual Evidence ✓ - [ ] Relevant photo/screenshot with explanatory caption **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 23. Texas News Connection Journal #2 **Points:** 10 **Estimated Time:** 1–1.5 hours ### Requirements Same as Journal #1, with a different article on a **different topic area** (e.g., if #1 was education, #2 can't be). ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Same as Journal #1, plus:** - [ ] Different article and distinctly different topic from Journal #1 - [ ] Deeper course connection than #1 (new concept applied) --- ## 24. Texan & Their Government Interview Clip #1 **Points:** 10 **Estimated Time:** 1–2 hours **Best For:** Students building toward the full Interview Series, or who want a lighter interview option ### Assignment Description A 2–3 minute recorded conversation with **any Texan** (not a government employee — a regular person) about their actual experiences with Texas state or local government: the DMV—wait, that's not what we call it here (it's the DPS for licenses and the county tax office for registration — and THAT confusion is exactly the kind of thing to talk about), property taxes, schools, courts, city services. ### Requirements - 2–3 minute video or audio clip, recorded with permission - 3 structured questions about their real experiences with Texas/local government - Different person than any other TIA interview assignment - Written analysis (150 words minimum) connecting their experience to a course concept ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (10 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Clip Requirements ✓ - [ ] 2–3 minutes, audible, recorded with stated permission - [ ] Interviewee is a real person sharing real Texas government experiences - [ ] 3 structured questions used #### Analysis ✓ - [ ] 150+ word analysis - [ ] Specific course concept correctly applied to their experience - [ ] Interviewee's actual words/stories referenced **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 25. Texan & Their Government Interview Clip #2 **Points:** 10 **Estimated Time:** 1–2 hours ### Requirements Same as Clip #1: different person, different main topic. ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Same as Clip #1, plus:** - [ ] Different interviewee and main topic than Clip #1 - [ ] Analysis compares or contrasts with Clip #1's findings --- --- # TIER 3: QUICK ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES (5–8 points each) --- ## 26. Texas Impact Reflection #1 **Points:** 5 **Estimated Time:** 30–45 minutes **Best For:** Everyone — this is the gateway assignment ### Assignment Description Spot one way **Texas state or local government** touched your life this week — the road you drove, the inspection sticker, the school zone, the library, the water from the tap, the TABC sign at the restaurant — photograph it, and reflect. ### Requirements - Written reflection (150 words minimum) identifying a specific Texas state/local policy, agency, or service - Explains the concrete impact on YOUR life this week - Evaluates the impact (positive, negative, mixed) with reasoning - One original photo taken by you, clearly connected to the reflection - Names the specific government responsible (not just "the government" — WHICH one) ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (5 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Written Reflection (150 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] Specific Texas state or local government entity correctly named - [ ] Concrete impact on student's actual life explained - [ ] Impact evaluated with reasoning - [ ] Connects to a current course topic #### Visual Evidence ✓ - [ ] Original photo taken by student - [ ] Clear connection between photo and reflection **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 27. Texas Impact Reflection #2 **Points:** 5 | **Estimated Time:** 30–45 minutes ### Requirements Same as Reflection #1; new topic, new photo, and a **different level of government** (if #1 was city, try county, district, or state). ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Same as Reflection #1, plus:** - [ ] Different topic and different level of government than #1 --- ## 28. Texas Impact Reflection #3 **Points:** 5 | **Estimated Time:** 30–45 minutes ### Requirements Same as Reflection #1; new topic. ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Same as Reflection #1, plus:** - [ ] New topic, not previously used - [ ] Sharper analysis than earlier reflections (goes beyond observation to evaluation) --- ## 29. Texas Impact Reflection #4 **Points:** 5 | **Estimated Time:** 30–45 minutes ### Requirements Same as Reflection #1; new topic. ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Same as Reflection #1, plus:** - [ ] New topic - [ ] Nuanced understanding demonstrated (trade-offs acknowledged) --- ## 30. Texas Impact Reflection #5 **Points:** 5 | **Estimated Time:** 30–45 minutes ### Requirements Same as Reflection #1; culminating topic synthesizing your semester. ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Same as Reflection #1, plus:** - [ ] Synthesizes learning across the semester - [ ] References at least one earlier TIA activity's findings --- ## 31. 60-Second Texas Government #1 **Points:** 8 **Estimated Time:** 45–60 minutes **Best For:** Students who'd rather talk than write ### Assignment Description A 60-second video explaining one specific way Texas state or local government affected your week — with you on camera and visual evidence of the thing itself. ### Requirements - ~60-second video (55–65 seconds) - One SPECIFIC Texas state/local government impact, with the responsible entity named - Visual evidence in the video (show the thing!) - Connection to a course concept stated out loud - 2–3 sentence written note identifying the concept used ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (8 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Video Requirements ✓ - [ ] 55–65 seconds, clear audio - [ ] Student on camera explaining - [ ] Visual evidence of the impact included #### Content ✓ - [ ] Specific impact and specific responsible Texas government named - [ ] Course concept stated and correctly applied - [ ] Personal engagement evident #### Documentation ✓ - [ ] Written 2–3 sentence concept note submitted **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 32. 60-Second Texas Government #2 **Points:** 8 | **Estimated Time:** 45–60 minutes ### Requirements Same as #1; different topic, different level of government. ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Same as Video #1, plus:** - [ ] Different topic and government level than Video #1 --- ## 33. 60-Second Texas Government #3 **Points:** 8 | **Estimated Time:** 45–60 minutes ### Requirements Same as #1; new topic. ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Same as Video #1, plus:** - [ ] Unique content from previous videos - [ ] Multiple course connections made --- ## 34. 60-Second Texas Government #4 **Points:** 8 | **Estimated Time:** 45–60 minutes ### Requirements Same as #1; new topic, demonstrating your strongest work. ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Same as Video #1, plus:** - [ ] New topic - [ ] Most polished delivery of the series; clear growth from Video #1 --- ## 35. Meet Your Officials **Points:** 6 **Estimated Time:** 45–60 minutes **Best For:** Everyone — most students cannot currently name their commissioner or state rep ### Assignment Description Build your complete personal representation roster, from constable to governor, using your actual address. ### How to Get Started 1. **Who Represents Me** (wrm.capitol.texas.gov) gives your state rep, state senator, SBOE member, and congressional delegation from your address. 2. **Your county website** for: county judge, your precinct's commissioner, constable, and justice of the peace. 3. **Your city website** for: mayor and your council district's member (find your district on the city's district map). 4. **Your ISD** for your school board (trustees may be at-large or single-member — note which). ### Requirements - Complete roster for YOUR address: city council member + mayor; county judge + your commissioner + your JP + your constable; school board; state rep + state senator; governor + lt. governor (and note SBOE member) - Screenshot of your Who Represents Me results - For any 3 officials: next election year for that seat - 150-word reflection: which of these did you not know, and which one's job most directly affects you? ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (6 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Roster Accuracy ✓ - [ ] All listed offices included and correct for the student's actual address - [ ] District/precinct numbers included where applicable - [ ] Who Represents Me screenshot provided #### Engagement ✓ - [ ] Next election years found for 3 officials - [ ] 150-word reflection completed with genuine specifics **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 36. Texas Constitution Oddity Spotlight **Points:** 6 **Estimated Time:** 45–60 minutes **Best For:** Students who appreciate the weird ### Assignment Description The Texas Constitution of 1876 has been amended over 500 times and contains genuine oddities. Find one specific provision or amendment that strikes you as strange, hyper-specific, or surprising, and explain it. ### How to Get Started 1. Browse the Texas Constitution on the Legislature's statutes site (statutes.capitol.texas.gov) or the Legislative Reference Library's amendment history. 2. Good hunting grounds: Article III's pages of specific exceptions; Article XVI's miscellany; recent amendment elections (each November of odd years brings a fresh crop of hyper-specific propositions). 3. Pick ONE provision; quote or accurately paraphrase it; find out WHY it's in there (amendment history, news coverage of the election that passed it). ### Requirements - One specific constitutional provision quoted/cited accurately (article, section, or amendment year) - The backstory: why it exists, when adopted, what problem it solved (or created) - Explanation of why such detail lands in the CONSTITUTION rather than statute (the statute-like constitution problem) - 300 words minimum ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (6 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Accuracy ✓ - [ ] Real provision correctly cited - [ ] Backstory researched with at least 1 credible source - [ ] No misstatements of what the provision does #### Analysis (300 words minimum) ✓ - [ ] Meets word count - [ ] "Why is this in a constitution?" question engaged seriously - [ ] Connects to course concepts (constitutional design, amendment process, 1876 framers' distrust of government) **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 37. Sign of Government **Points:** 5 **Estimated Time:** 30 minutes **Best For:** A first toe in the water ### Assignment Description One photo. One piece of visible public infrastructure or signage — water tower, road sign, fire station, historical marker, ESD sign, library, drainage project sign — traced to the specific government that owns or operates it. ### Requirements - One original photo taken by you in your community - Caption (100 words minimum): what it is, WHICH government runs it, how you verified that, and what that government's broader job is - Must not duplicate a photo used in any other TIA assignment ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (5 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** - [ ] Original, local photo by the student - [ ] Correct specific government identified (not generic) - [ ] Verification method stated - [ ] 100+ word caption connecting to that government's role - [ ] Photo not reused from another assignment **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 38. Emergency Ready in 60 **Points:** 8 **Estimated Time:** 45–60 minutes **Best For:** Students who want a fast, genuinely useful safety win ### Assignment Description Three rapid actions that make you measurably more disaster-ready, documented: (1) register for your county/city emergency alerts, (2) identify your area's top hazard from official sources, (3) record a 60-second video telling a friend or family member how to do the same. ### How to Get Started 1. Your county Office of Emergency Management page links the official alert registration (and explains the outdoor siren policy). 2. ready.texas.gov (TDEM) and your county OEM list regional hazards. 3. Film the 60-second "do this now" explainer — point your viewer to the actual sign-up. ### Requirements - Screenshot proof of alert registration (yours, this semester) - Top local hazard identified from an official source (cited) - 60-second video (55–65 sec) teaching someone to register, naming the actual local system - 2–3 sentence note connecting emergency alerts to which governments run them ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (8 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Actions Taken ✓ - [ ] Alert registration completed and documented this semester - [ ] Top hazard identified from an official local/state source #### Video ✓ - [ ] 55–65 seconds, clear audio, student on camera - [ ] Names the actual local alert system and shows/states where to sign up - [ ] Accurate information throughout #### Connection ✓ - [ ] Written note correctly identifies the responsible government(s) **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- ## 39. Agenda Decoder **Points:** 6 **Estimated Time:** 45 minutes **Best For:** Students preparing for a Higher Effort meeting assignment — or anyone curious ### Assignment Description Local government agendas are public, posted 72 hours ahead under the Texas Open Meetings Act — and written in a dialect of bureaucratese. Find one **upcoming** agenda (city council, school board, or commissioners court near you) and translate three items into plain English. ### How to Get Started 1. Find the "Agendas & Minutes" page for any local body near you (cities and counties almost all use portals like Legistar, CivicClerk, or PDF postings). 2. Pick an agenda for a meeting that hasn't happened yet. 3. Choose 3 items — at least one involving money — and decode them: what is actually being decided, who's affected, what would a YES do? ### Requirements - Screenshot/link of an upcoming (not past) agenda from a body near you - 3 items translated to plain English (one involving money/contracts) - For each: what's being decided, who's affected, and one question a resident should ask - Note the Open Meetings Act posting requirement and where you found the posting ### Complete/Incomplete Rubric **Students earn COMPLETE (6 points) when ALL criteria below are met:** #### Agenda Work ✓ - [ ] Genuine upcoming agenda from a real nearby body, documented - [ ] 3 items decoded accurately, including one financial item - [ ] Translations are plain-English and correct #### Civic Literacy ✓ - [ ] A resident-question posed for each item - [ ] Open Meetings Act posting requirement correctly noted **INCOMPLETE Status:** If any criteria are not met, student receives specific feedback and may revise within one week. --- --- # APPENDIX A: Point Summary | # | Assignment | Tier | Points | |---|---|---|---| | 1 | Hidden Districts Investigation | Higher | 30 | | 2 | Commissioners Court Field Study | Higher | 25 | | 3 | The Data Center Reckoning | Higher | 30 | | 4 | Public Comment in Texas | Higher | 25 | | 5 | School Finance: Follow the Money | Higher | 25 | | 6 | Local Official Interview Series | Higher | 25 | | 7 | Texas Services Directory | Higher | 30 | | 8 | Local Control vs. State Preemption | Higher | 25 | | 9 | Track a Texas Law | Higher | 25 | | 10 | Property Tax Autopsy | Higher | 25 | | 11 | Disaster-Ready Community Audit | Higher | 25 | | 12 | Texas Myth Busting Video | Higher | 20 | | 13 | Find Your Five Governments | Medium | 15 | | 14 | Fix My Street | Medium | 12 | | 15 | Courtroom Texas: JP/Municipal Court | Medium | 15 | | 16 | Appraisal Protest Exercise | Medium | 12 | | 17 | Local Ballot Breakdown | Medium | 12 | | 18 | County Budget Explorer | Medium | 12 | | 19 | ERCOT & You | Medium | 12 | | 20 | The Week the Heat Went Out (Uri) | Medium | 15 | | 21 | Who Owns the Water? | Medium | 12 | | 22 | Texas News Connection Journal #1 | Medium | 10 | | 23 | Texas News Connection Journal #2 | Medium | 10 | | 24 | Texan & Their Government Clip #1 | Medium | 10 | | 25 | Texan & Their Government Clip #2 | Medium | 10 | | 26–30 | Texas Impact Reflection #1–#5 | Quick | 5 each (25) | | 31–34 | 60-Second Texas Government #1–#4 | Quick | 8 each (32) | | 35 | Meet Your Officials | Quick | 6 | | 36 | Texas Constitution Oddity Spotlight | Quick | 6 | | 37 | Sign of Government | Quick | 5 | | 38 | Emergency Ready in 60 | Quick | 8 | | 39 | Agenda Decoder | Quick | 6 | **Totals:** Higher Effort 310 pts (12 assignments) · Medium Effort 157 pts (13) · Quick Engagement 88 pts (14) · **555 points available, 100 required, minimum two tiers.** # APPENDIX B: Safety-Themed Thread (Ballard et al. alignment) Integrated, not segregated: **#11 Disaster-Ready Community Audit** (Higher), **#20 The Week the Heat Went Out: Winter Storm Uri** (Medium), **#38 Emergency Ready in 60** (Quick) — one safety-focused option in every tier, plus safety-adjacent content in #19 (ERCOT) and #21 (water). Students motivated by family and community safety can build a substantial share of their 100 points through this thread while still meeting the two-tier requirement. # APPENDIX C: Pedagogical Notes (for the dissertation) TIA inherits CAP's framework intact: Self-Determination Theory (autonomy via menu choice; competence via scaffolded "How to Get Started" sections; relatedness via interviews and community work), Kolb's experiential cycle (concrete experience → reflection in every rubric), and Ballard et al.'s safety-focused engagement findings (Appendix B). The differentiation from CAP supports the Rogers diffusion argument: distinct, course-aligned products (CAP=2305/federal, TIA=2306/Texas) lower adoption friction for colleagues by eliminating cross-course content recycling and giving each course an identity-bearing artifact.