ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

HB 2082: junior reserve officer training; CTE

PRIME SPONSOR: Representative Blackman, LD 6

BILL STATUS: Caucus & COW

                                MVA: DP 6-0-0-1

                                ED: DP 13-0-0-0

Overview

Requires Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) programs to be classified as a career technical education (CTE) course or district program. Provides funding for JROTC programs that meet the requirements of a CTE course or district program.

History

The JROTC program was established as part of the National Defense Act of 1916. The purpose of JROTC is to instill in students in U.S. secondary educational institutions the values of citizenship, service to the U.S., and personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment (10 U.S.C. § 2031). Additionally, JROTC provides meaningful leadership instruction of benefit to the student and of value to the Armed Forces. Students will acquire: 1) an understanding of the fundamental concepts of leadership, military art and science; 2) an introduction to related professional knowledge; and 3) an appreciation of requirements of national security (32 CFR § 542.5).

Pursuant to A.R.S. § 15-782, a school may maintain a CTE and vocational education program, if the school has satisfactory facilities and equipment for such a program. For CTE districts, CTE courses and district programs must be approved by the CTE division of the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) and meet certain requirements. The statutory requirements for a CTE course include: 1) not being required under the minimum course of study; and 2) requiring specialized equipment that exceeds the cost of standard education courses. Additionally, the statutory requirements for a CTE district program include: 1) requiring assessments that demonstrate skills, knowledge and competencies necessary for certification or career readiness and entry-level employment; 2) requiring specialized equipment that exceeds the cost of standard education courses; and 3) leading to certification or licensure or if no licensure exists, that qualifies students for employment in the designated vocation or industry for which the student would not otherwise qualify (A.R.S. § 15-391).

Provisions

1. Requires a school district, charter school or CTE district that offers a JROTC program to classify the program as a CTE course or district program. (Sec. 1)

2. Directs the CTE Division of ADE to approve a CTE district's JROTC program that meets the requirements of either a CTE course or district program. (Sec. 1)

3. Appropriates $500,000 from the General Fund in FY 2020 to ADE for distribution on a prorated per pupil basis to:

a. CTE districts that offer a JROTC program that has been approved by the CTE division of ADE as either a CTE course or district program; and

b. School districts that offer a JROTC program that ADE determines would meet the requirements for either a CTE course or district program, if the JROTC program were operated by a CTE district. (Sec. 2)

c.

d.

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f. Fifty-fourth Legislature                               HB 2082

g. First Regular Session                    Version 3: Caucus & COW

h.

i. ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------