SFUSD board extends JROTC independent-study PE option through 2012–13 with new hiring requirements

The San Francisco Board of Education voted June 14 to extend a temporary option allowing Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps students to earn physical-education credit through an independent-study arrangement, but the extension came with new conditions intended to address credentialing and future state rules.

The amendment to Resolution 95-26A2 continues the independent-study option for the 2012 nd'013 school year but adds a requirement approved by the board that any newly hired JROTC instructor must possess the necessary certification to supervise PE independent study. The board also added language directing the district to adopt guidance from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing or other state agencies if those bodies change rules that would allow JROTC instructors to supervise PE credit without a traditional PE credential.

Superintendent Garcia framed the discussion in terms of student outcomes and fiscal constraints. Deputy Superintendent Myung Lee provided a fiscal summary: the district employs 9 full-time-equivalent JROTC instructors, with total salaries of about $796,000; the federal government reimburses roughly half of that cost, leaving the district pproximately $398,000 in salary expense plus roughly $277,000 in benefits, for a net district cost around $675,000.

The hearing drew sizable public turnout. Students and alumni testified that independent study gave them schedule flexibility, enabled them to recover credits and promoted discipline and engagement. "Independent study allowed me to take the classes I wanted and still get my PE credit," said a Lowell High School student who described using independent study to participate in athletics and vocational courses while earning credit.

Credentialed PE teachers, however, urged caution. Multiple PE teachers told the board the independent-study model did not meet California physical-education content standards and said instructors had not taken the required steps to obtain PE credentials during the prior two-year window. "It bothers me that the district gave the JROTC instructors two years to get their teaching credential and not one of them did," a Lincoln High School PE teacher said during public comment.

Board members traded questions about whether instructors had made good-faith efforts to credential, the feasibility of requiring PE credentials for new hires, and the risk of losing programs if no qualified applicants could be recruited. Vice President Yee uthored the amendment that requires certification for new JROTC hires; that amendment passed on roll call during the meeting. Commissioners also voted to add the Norton amendment asking staff to adopt future state guidance should the Commission on Teacher Credentialing change its rules; the board asked staff to return periodic updates on credentialing progress.

Final action: the amended extension passed on a roll-call vote (5 ayes, 2 no). The board directed staff to report back on implementation details and monitor instructor credentialing progress at regular intervals.

What happens next: The district will implement the extension under the new conditions, track whether instructors enroll in credentialing programs, and monitor student outcomes and compliance with PE standards. If the state issues new guidance that changes credentialing requirements, the board directed staff to evaluate whether to align district practice with that guidance and report feasibility to the board.

Votes and formal motions related to this item are recorded in the board ctions log; the board requested periodic updates and additional budget and implementation details from staff.