MJUSD
DIVISION 6000
INSTRUCTION
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION

REGIONAL OCCUPATIONAL PROGRAM (ROP)

Goals

The goals of the Regional Occupational Program are:

1. to provide job entry skills for all students;
2. to prepare students to enter into apprentice training;
3. to provide opportunities for upgrading or retraining in advanced vocational training;
4. to improve the utilization of school and community vocational education facilities;
5. to provide a quality vocational education program by seeking a broader financial base from local, state and federal agencies;
6. to provide students a wider variety of vocational courses;
7. to provide vocational education program planning and job placement for an expanding job market; and
8. to improve school and community relationships.

Objectives

The objectives of the Regional Occupational Program are:

1. to provide an extensive curriculum that will include skilled training in occupational fields having current or projected needs;
2. to maintain a student-teacher ratio that will enable students to achieve optimum benefits from vocational training courses; and
3. to develop a vocational guidance program that will provide ROP students with career information, career planning and employment placement.

Personnel Responsibilities

The personnel responsibilities of the Regional Occupational Program are as follows:

The contact person appointed by the Superintendent shall:

1. insure that all instructors have a program advisory committee;
2. give direction to the site principal as to the operation of the ROP program;
3. conduct a monthly ROP meeting;
4. maintain all agendas, minutes and action of the monthly ROP meetings and transmit copies of the minutes to the Superintendent, Board and Director of ROP;
5. be responsible for implementation of the ROP plan and coordination of all other MJUSD vocational education activities;
6. inform the Superintendent on a monthly basis of:
   (a) implementation of the program;
   (b) current enrollment on a monthly basis;
   (c) earned ADA;
   (d) student recruitment activities;
7. prepare and present to the Superintendent and Board a year-end report on the enrollment and success of the ROP programs which will include a public hearing to review and assess the participation of students in grades 11 and 12 in ROP programs and to develop a plan to increase the participation of these students.

The principal shall:

1. be responsible for recommendation to the Superintendent to hire ROP personnel;
2. be responsible for evaluation of the teachers and academic advisor for the ROP program;
3. be responsible for monthly ROP meetings;
4. be responsible for reviewing objectives for each of the classes;
5. be responsible for insuring that an up-to-date course outline is available to all students and is especially clear on the evaluation section of the course outline (must indicate the procedures for earning grades A, B, C, D or F);
6. meet monthly with the academic advisor; and
7. be responsible for completing activities directed by the ROP contact person.

The ROP teacher is the expert in the particular field of instruction and will:

1. disseminate attitudes, skills and knowledge to students enrolled in their particular occupation;
2. develop curriculum that includes course outline, objectives and instructional materials for the course;
3. review current course outline and course objectives and make any changes that are necessary for success of the program;
4. insure that the objectives can be completed by the average student within the allotted time for the course;
5. review availability of materials and equipment and submit orders to the principal in a timely manner;
6. prepare weekly lesson plans for the principal;
7. evaluate students on their success and provide additional opportunities for students showing little or no success;
8. locate job opportunities and place students in those jobs;
9. be responsible for recruiting of students;
10. search out community classroom opportunities;
11. implement available community classroom opportunities;
12. establish a program advisory committee, to include:
    (a) two (2) people from the industry of a particular occupation;
    (b) two (2) people from the community;
    (c) one (1) student from the program of a particular occupation;
    (d) one (1)parent of one of the students from the program;
13. conduct two (2) meetings minimum (one per semester) of the program advisory committee;
    (a) act as secretary to record the minutes; and
    (b) transmit copies of the minutes to the academic advisor, principal, contact person and the ROP Director.

The academic advisor shall:

1. help, develop, and work with the teachers in developing an effective recruiting program;
2. work directly with the contact person to design an effective recruiting program;
3. make the community and students aware of ROP offerings;
4. complete the attendance on a monthly basis and mail the information to the ROP Director;
5. help with the vocational counseling of students and document these meetings on a student referral form;
6. share the ROP story with all tenth grade students;
7. conduct careful counseling with all students enrolled in the ROP program;
8. conduct student surveys to determine the changing interests of students at their location;
9. aid the ROP teachers with implementation of the community classroom;
10. be familiar with the objectives of each ROP program; and
11. disseminate the District ROP policy to all staff members at a school staff meeting and encourage teachers to support the program.

Recruiting of Students

The main responsibility lies with the classroom instructor. Activities in recruitment include:

1. visiting and explaining program to all tenth and eleventh grade students;
2. advertising in the school bulletin and locally in places of business;
3. placing information in the school bulletin, District newsletter, etc.;
4. writing articles for local newspapers and inviting the press to visit classrooms;
5. making the success of the class visible to students on campus; and
6. meeting regularly (once per month) with the academic advisor to plan recruitment strategies.

The academic advisor should aid the instructor in all endeavors in recruiting students, including:

1. making special presentations to ROP classes once each semester and to any new students in the classroom;
2. visiting with and explaining the career program and ROP programs to all tenth and eleventh grade students (show "ROP Story" to students); and
3. becoming familiar with all objectives of each ROP class.

The academic advisor is required by Title V to act as a major service in counseling ROP students, and should:

1. share ROP as an alternative to all students;
2. verify all counseling with ROP students in regard to ROP matters, on the referral form furnished by ROP;
3. sign all program applications of students who are enrolled in the ROP program; and
4. make a concerted effort to meet all adult students in program.

The principal is the staff contact to all ROP personnel on that school site and should establish that all recruitment activities are taking place:

1. discuss recruitment activities as a standard item at the monthly ROP staff meeting;
2. encourage students to be a part of the ROP activities; and
3. support the recruitment activities of the staff.

The District contact person is responsible to evaluate the effectiveness of recruitment of students in this program. He/she should:

1. meet with the principal monthly to review recruitment activities; and
2. keep the ROP Director informed on recruitment activities.

Student Eligibility

Priority enrollment in ROP classes will be as follows:

1. first priority - student currently enrolled in the District, age sixteen (16) or older;
2. second priority - adults from the community; and
3. third priority - students under the age of sixteen (16), with permission of the teacher, principal and Superintendent (these students do not generate ADA).

Procedures for Starting a Class

1. Interested persons should contact the academic advisor to do an interest study.
2. If there is sufficient student interest, determine job market openings.
3. If there are job market openings, contact the on-site principal, contact person or the Superintendent.
4. If there is concurrence with the findings, the on-site principal, contact person or the Superintendent contacts the ROP Director.
5. The ROP Director makes recommendation for the class to the Superintendent.
6. The Superintendent determines availability of staffing and makes a proposal to the Board for the starting funding and approval of the program.
7. If there is none, develop an outline for the program.
8. Enroll students:
   (a) There must be a minimum of twelve (12) students enrolled to open a class that has not been available in the past.
   (b) Classes that drop in enrollment to ten (10) students are in danger of being discontinued.

(12/04)

(Former BP 6121-6121.7)