PRJUSD explores bringing JROTC program to district

By Camille DeVaul · Wed Sep 09 2026

Proposed program would provide students with leadership, citizenship, STEM, and career opportunities

PASO ROBLES — The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District is exploring the possibility of bringing a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program to local schools, which would make PRJUSD the first school district in San Luis Obispo County to offer the program.

During the Tuesday, Sept. 8, Board of Trustees meeting, Cal Poly Army ROTC representatives Lt. Col. Mark Swiney, who heads the Military Science Department for the Army ROTC Mustang Battalion, and Recruiting Operations Officer Ken Harris provided trustees with an overview of JROTC and the opportunities it could offer local students.

Harris emphasized that the purpose of JROTC extends beyond military service.

“The goal of a JROTC program like the one that might be brought to Paso Robles is not to create Army officers,” Harris said. “It’s not to even necessarily promote military service. It is to promote citizenship, qualitative skills in students that will enter the workforce or seek a career that may include the military.”

According to the presentation, JROTC’s mission is to instill values of citizenship, service, personal responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment in secondary students. The program also introduces students to opportunities in military, national, and public service.

Originally envisioned in 1862 as a way to increase the nation’s pool of military leaders, JROTC was standardized as a youth citizenship program in 1916. Today, it is described as the third-largest youth program in the United States, behind the Boy Scouts and 4-H.

The program’s goals include preparing students for post-secondary education and career pathways, encouraging positive social, emotional, and physical health, developing integrity and personal accountability, and engaging students in civic concerns that affect their communities.

JROTC also has expanded beyond its traditional military-focused curriculum to include STEM opportunities. Modernization policies require the Army to incorporate STEM curriculum into JROTC courses, with opportunities ranging from cybersecurity and digital applications to robotics, rocketry, forensic science, and unmanned aerial vehicle licensing.

Students can also participate in co-curricular activities, including VEX robotics competitions and CyberPatriot teams, as well as leadership camps and summer STEM programs.

The presentation highlighted the program’s potential impact on students and communities, noting that JROTC cadets have demonstrated strong outcomes in areas such as attendance, graduation rates, GPA performance, discipline, and dropout rates. The program’s curriculum is nationally accredited by Cognia, and cadets and instructors contribute millions of hours of community service and service-learning nationwide each year.

Harris also said the program could increase military representation in the local community.

“In my role here, I would just like to see a little bit more military representation in the community,” Harris said.

If approved, the program could potentially be established in June and be ready to begin at the start of the following academic year. Programs with fewer than 151 cadets are authorized to have two instructors, with instructor authorizations increasing as enrollment grows.

Under the proposed funding structure, the school district would provide instructor salaries, with the Army reimbursing the district for one-half of the instructor pay. As of fiscal year 2025, the average gross salary for a JROTC instructor nationwide was approximately $85,991.

Trustees voiced broad support for exploring the program.

“I think this is going to be great,” Trustee Leo Castillo said. “We would be the only school district in the county to have a program like this.”

Castillo, an Army veteran, expressed strong support for bringing JROTC to Paso Robles. Trustee Nathan Williams also voiced support and said he looked forward to helping with the program. All trustees present expressed support for continuing to explore the program. Trustees Jim Cogan and Joel Peterson were absent from the meeting.

No final approval was given Tuesday. District staff and representatives are expected to bring additional information back to the board at a later date before the program can receive official approval.

The next Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 6 p.m.