more Texas governors
Have been TraIned In law
management and then in budget planning
THan In anY oTHer occupaTIon.
for the U.S. Air Force.
English courses are also essential because
Government
most careers in the cluster require the ability forces. Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Communication Classes
to communicate in written form, observes Corps (ROTC) can prepare students for Speech and Debate are other electives
Reyes. “At the higher levels, you have to be able service, says Reyes. “It allows students to suggested by most experts in
to explain things in such a way that the public test the waters to see if that type of rigor Government & Public Administration.
will understand, whether it is a budget or a and discipline is something that fits them,” These classes help students develop
public works program.” he says. Junior ROTC is also suggested as strong communication skills and keep
Reyes also recommends history courses an elective for the Governance, Foreign up with current events. Most people in
because they provide a good foundation Service, and Public Management & Government & Public Administration
in how governments were formed. Math Administration programs of study. “It careers have contact with the public.
is important, as well; it gives you the gives students a sense of civic responsibility They have to be able to effectively
background to understand “how government and duty” that should be the foundation of communicate and articulate information
budgets work,” he says. these careers, says Reyes. and ideas.
Program of study Electives
Like Ramirez, students can take elective
courses to prepare for a career in Government
& Public Administration. One elective S P o T L I G H T
recommended for all programs of study in
this cluster (see “Program Profiles” at left)
is Business Law. “No matter what area of
LIvING LABoRAtoRy
government you’re interested in, you’re the Center for Public Service: Government, Law, and Law Enforcement
going to deal with laws,” says Karen French,
guidance counselor at Georgetown High
School in Georgetown.
T
he governments of dallas county and the city legislature. “students write their bills, argue the pros
of dallas are the ‘living laboratories’ where and cons, get them out of committee, and present
Students should choose other electives
students do experiments in governmental process,” them to the ‘legislature,’” says giesler.
based on which of the seven programs of study
says robert l. giesler, principal of the magnet as sophomores, students take a class called
they might like to pursue. For example, if a
center for public service: government, law, and law. They visit many government offices, interview
student is interested in a career in Revenue &
law enforcement in dallas. people working at various levels of government,
Taxation, Regulation, or Public Management
This college-preparatory magnet school is part of and conduct research at the law library of southern
& Administration, business courses
the dallas Independent school district’s Yvonne a. methodist university.
such as Accounting and Banking and
ewell Townview center, a collection of six separate an unpaid internship with a government office,
Financial Systems should be high on
magnet programs under one roof. students from judge, or law firm is the focus of the program’s
the list. Careers in taxation involve
the different programs take their academic courses junior year. “every three weeks the students have
business principles as they apply to
together. elective hours are spent in the various seminars where they present what they have
the government’s assessment and
magnet schools. learned to each other,” says giesler.
collection of taxes, says Janet Bray,
The program for public service, government, and seniors spend their elective hours in paid
human resources manager for the
law focuses on real-life experience, what giesler calls internships. most of the internships are at law firms
Texas Comptroller’s office in Austin.
“exposure and practice.” In addition to the city and “because they’re the ones who can most afford to
In the Regulation program of study,
county governments, its laboratories include courts, pay interns,” says giesler, although he notes there
many careers involve the investigation of
law firms, and state and federal government offices. are some positions in government offices.
business and financial records to ensure that
as freshmen, students spend their elective hours
government rules are being followed. Careers
in Introduction to public service. one day a week,
in Public Management & Administration,
they visit federal, district, county, and city courts.
focus on running the business of government.
afterward, giesler says, “students write legal briefs
Employees in these careers use management
on the court cases they’ve observed” using the
practices similar to those employed by for-
Texas penal code and research they conduct with
profit businesses.
lexis/nexis, the database used by real law firms.
during the other four days, students explore
securing the homeland
topics including international studies and legislative
The National Security program of study often
processes. five weeks is spent conducting a mock
leads to military service in a branch of the armed
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