Diploma Endorsement Career and Technical JROTC Dennis T. Beaver Captain USNR (Ret) MEd, MS, CSCS Master Training Specialist Navy Representative to State Department of Education for the “No Child Left Behind” Act St Amant High School

Diploma Endorsement  Purpose of this presentation:  Gather support for a Career and Technical, Diploma Endorsement (DE) for Career Cluster/Area of Concentration “Government and Public Administration, JROTC”  Background  Cluster exists, but does not earn a DE  State Brd of Ed. logic (Patricia Merrick, C/T) “No traditional industry certification”  State Brd of Ed. logic - “No accountability for work based learning hours”  Consequentially – JROTC students must earn an academic endorsement or be relegated to a “standard” diploma, without endorsement

 Myth “No traditional industry certification:  JROTC programs do:  Represent an industry certification  JROTC graduates are given advanced pay grades upon graduation and enlistment  JROTC graduates are given technical training upon enlistment, based on ASVAB scores  JROTC graduates have a 95% employment opportunity upon graduation with full medical, dental, housing, subsistence, post secondary education, technical training, and retirement programs  JROTC graduates, as an organization, have a better chance of receiving ROTC scholarships (28%) and nominations to the service academies Diploma Endorsement

 Industry Certifications have certification tests, so does the military:  Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB):  Three hour test  Questions are related to a number of vocational/technical areas  Each vocational area is graded and used to determine potential enlistees best vocational matches  JROTC graduates typically score above the national average

 Myth “No Accountability system for industry work based learning hours”  JROTC programs do:  Have an in-place computer program, Joint Unit Management System (JUMS) that:  Maintains a complete Human Resources file on each cadet  Academic/training records, community service, participation and unit service, job performance, awards, promotions, and physical fitness  Supply records of uniforms and equipment Diploma Endorsement

 Myth “JROTC Instructors are not industry certifying agents”  The Instructors are:  Retired Naval Officers, Senior Naval Science Instructors (SNSI) 98% are college graduates, Degrees vary from Associate of Arts to PHds. Highly Qualified by experience, minimum of 20 years.  Retired senior enlisted (E-6 and above), Naval Science Instructors (NSI). 42% hold Associate of Arts degrees or higher. Highly Qualified by experience, minimum of 20 years.  All instructors are certified by a board of senior Naval Officers and selected based on “excellence” during time of service.  JROTC Instructors are the best INDUSTRY CERTIFYING agents on school campuses

Diploma Endorsement  Institutionally:  What is the purpose or higher order objective of a DE  What should a DE do for:  A state board of education?  A school board?  A school?  A student?  Pragmatically:  What is the purpose or higher order objective of a DE  What should a DE do for:  A student?  A school?  A school board?  A state board of education?

 A Diploma Endorsement process, through a students hard work, in conjunction with the guidance, knowledge, and experience of their teachers, should:  Ensure the graduate a skilled job  Earn the graduate job preference  Guarantee the graduate acceptance to a college or a technical school  Instill self confidence, respect for others, discipline, and the emotional and educational tools to cope with life after high school  Earn a document worth more than the paper it is embossed with Diploma Endorsement

 Advantages to superintendents/schools of a JROTC Career and Technical Diploma Endorsement:  Additional students who will qualify for DE  Increase the number of students taking the ACT  NJROTC is a SACS accredited education program  Reduce high school drop-out rate, 1% lower than average  Improved daily absence rate, 3% higher average attendance  Increased college scholarship opportunities, 13,762 awarded  Lower suspension rate, 8% lower than average  Slightly higher GPA, 2.71 vice 2.69  Slightly improved GEE scores  Increased fitness level of cadets, annual physical readiness test  Reduce obesity rate in cadets  Improve employment opportunity for cadets upon graduation

U.S. Navy technical training opportunities: a – General Seamanship Specialistn – Music Specialist b – Ship Operations Specialisto – Construction Technician c – Marine Engineering Technicianp – Administration Specialist d – Ship Maintenance Technicianq – Logistics Specialist e – Cryptology Specialistr – Media Specialist f – Communications Technicians – Master-at-arms (law enforcement) g – Air Traffic Control Techniciant – Intelligence Specialist h – Weapons Control Technicianu – Meteorology Specialist i – Ordnance Technicianv – Oceanography Specialist j – Sensor Operations Specialistw – Health Care Specialist k – Aviation Maintenance/Weapons Technician l – Aviation Ground Support Technician m – Aviation Sensor Operations Technician Non Military training or education: a - Law enforcementd. Community College b - Corrections Officere. Technical College c - Four year collegef. Anything a student wants to do or be What technical jobs/college opportunities are available for JROTC graduates

 The state of Arkansas:  Has a fully functional DE program for Career Cluster, “Government and Public Administration” Area of Concentration, “JROTC”  Has developed a curriculum framework for each military component of the JROTC program.  Delegates the accountability for documentation of the requirements for the Area of Concentration to the industry experts.  Recognizes JROTC Instructors as industry experts capable of providing the industry certification Diploma Endorsement Precedents

Diploma Endorsement Questions? Anecdotal Testimony JROTC Cadet Organization Men and women in the service STA NJROTC: Attendance rate = 97.9% GPA = 2.4 School: Attendance rate = 93.6%

Diploma Endorsement Back up slides

“…to instill in students in United States secondary education institutions the values of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility, educational achievement, personal improvement, management and organizational skills, and a sense of accomplishment.” NJROTC Mission ….

Cadet Demographics

 Attendance: cadets 3% higher than school attendance average  Suspensions: cadets 8% lower than school suspensions average  Dropouts: cadets 1% fewer than school drop- out average  Grades: cadets slightly higher than general school grade point average; 2.71 versus 2.69 NJROTC Success Cadet high school performance

 52% continue their education  37% join the military  NJROTC cadets receive an advanced pay grade upon enlistment which is a $5,000 advantage in the first year, an advantage that continues through the first four year enlistment  7% go to direct employment  3% undecided  ~1% have other plans NJROTC Success Cadets after graduation

 Community service hours: 926,510 total or 11 hours per cadet  Scholarships awarded: 13,762  Scholarships value: $55,831,355  Number of service academy appointments: 100  28 % of JROTC cadets that applied received an NROTC scholarship NJROTC Success Cadet performance

 Synergy of operation through:  Military web site behind secure fire walls,  NJROTC web portal that always instructors and cadets to manage administrative actions, exchange training and education ideas, and communicate with like minded individuals:  Unit web sites like St Amant NJROTC:  Joint Unit Management System (JUMS)  Logistics  Personnel management  Achievement management NJROTC Communication

 Synergy of Instruction through:  Curriculum Committee; all texts are updated on a four year cycle  Information Technology Committee; computers and IT equipment refreshed every three years. The latest technology added is the Classroom Performance System (CPS)  Ad hoc committees as required NJROTC Communication

The Curriculum…NS 1  Introduction to NJROTC  Basics of Leadership  Citizenship and the role of government  Foundations of government  Basics of Navy ships and aircraft  Cadet Field Manual  NJROTC/Navy rates and ranks  Military customs  Health  Physical Fitness  First Aid  Orienteering and Survival  Military drill Freshmen

The Curriculum…NS 2  Part 1 Maritime History  Sea Power and Early Western Civilization  The American Revolution  Growth of American Sea Power  Rise to World Power status  Sea Power, World War I to present  Part 2 Nautical Science and Leadership  Maritime Geography  Oceanography  Astronomy  First Aid  Physical Sciences as they relate to Naval Operations  Leadership Sophomores

The Curriculum…NS 3  Naval Knowledge  Sea Power and National Security  Naval Operations  Military Justice  International Law of the Sea  Military Drill  Leadership  Naval Skills  Ship construction and damage control  Shipboard organization and watch standing  Seamanship  Navigation  Naval Rules of the Road  Naval Weapons  Naval Aircraft Juniors

The Curriculum…NS 4  Primarily seminars and Leadership Labs  Advanced methods of Leadership  Responsibilities and Qualities of Leadership  Effective Communications  Organizational planning and execution  Institutional accountability Seniors

Co-Curricular Activities …..activities that support the leadership and citizenship development of the cadet.  Marksmanship  Summer Leadership Programs  Drill, Orienteering, Athletic and Drill competitions  Orientation and Educational Field Trips  Community Service  Unit Service  Organization job performance  Military social events

Integration with other services  The services work together to improve JRTOC through:  National Conferences  JROTC Directors Conference  Day to Day communications  Joint Department of Defense committee on “No Child Left Behind”