SB 1188 (2025) — Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps: establishment and eligibility.

AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 9, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

SENATE BILLNo. 1188

Introduced by Senator Archuleta

February 19, 2026

An act to amend Section 51750 of the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction.

Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal committee: yes Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district maintaining a secondary school to establish in the school courses in military science and tactics that comply with provisions of federal law regarding Reserve Officers Training Corps units in educational institutions.

This bill would revise and recast those provisions by authorizing the governing board or body of a school district, county office of education, or charter school to establish in its schoolsites courses in military science and tactics that comply with provisions of federal law regarding Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) units in educational institutions.

Existing federal law requires a public secondary educational institution that maintains a JROTC unit to permit membership in the unit to homeschooled students residing in the area served by the institution who are qualified for membership in the unit but for lack of enrollment in the institution.

This bill would require a local educational agency offering a JROTC program within any of its schools to permit membership in the JROTC program for homeschooled pupils who reside within the attendance area of the local educational agency, if those pupils meet all applicable eligibility requirements for participation in the JROTC program other than enrollment in the school offering the JROTC program.

The bill would require the State Department of Education to make information about existing JROTC programs available on its internet website and distribute implementation guidance to local educational agencies on an annual basis.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 51750 of the Education Code is amended to read:

51750.

(a) The governing board or body of a local educational agency maintaining a secondary school may establish in its schoolsites courses in military science and tactics complying with the laws of the United States made and provided with reference to Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) units in educational institutions.

(b) A pupil enrolled in a school that establishes courses in military science and tactics pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be required to enroll in any course in military science and tactics.

(c) (1) A local educational agency offering a JROTC program within any of its schools shall, consistent with Section 2031(f)(1) of Title 10 of the United States Code, permit membership in the JROTC program for a homeschooled pupil who resides within the attendance area of the local educational agency and meets all applicable eligibility requirements for participation in the JROTC program other than enrollment in the school offering the JROTC program.

(2) For purposes of this subdivision, “homeschooled pupil” has the same meaning as the term “homeschooled student” used in Section 2031(f)(1) of Title 10 of the United States Code.

(d) The department shall make information about existing JROTC programs, including eligibility and application requirements for pupils described in subdivision (c), available on its internet website and distribute implementation guidance to local educational agencies on an annual basis.

(e) For purposes of this section, “local educational agency” means a school district, charter school, or county office of education.