I

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 4161

To provide for a role models academy demonstration program.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SEPTEMBER 24, 1996

Mr. STEARNS (for himself and Mr. MONTGOMERY) introduced the following

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Economic and Educational

Opportunities

A BILL

To provide for a role models academy demonstration

program.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; PURPOSE; DEFINITIONS.

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the

5 ‘‘Role Models Academy Demonstration Act’’.

6 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to estab7 lish a Role Models Academy that—

8 (1) serves as a model, residential, military style

9 magnet school for at-risk youth from around the Na-
2

•HR 4161 IH

1 tion who cease to attend secondary school before

2 graduation from secondary school; and

3 (2) will foster a student’s growth and develop4 ment by providing a residential, controlled environ5 ment conducive for developing leadership skills, self6 discipline, citizenship, and academic and vocational

7 excellence in a structured living and learning envi8 ronment.

9 (c) DEFINITIONS.—For the purpose of this Act—

10 (1) the term ‘‘Academy’’ means the academy

11 established under section 3;

12 (2) the term ‘‘former member of the Armed

13 Forces’’ means any individual who was discharged or

14 released from service in the Armed Forces under

15 honorable conditions;

16 (3) the term ‘‘local educational agency’’ has the

17 meaning given that term in section 14101 of the El18 ementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20

19 U.S.C. 8801);

20 (4) the term ‘‘secondary school’’ has the mean21 ing given that term in section 14101 of the Elemen22 tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20

23 U.S.C. 8801); and

24 (5) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary

25 of Education.
3

•HR 4161 IH

1 SEC. 2. OBJECTIVES.

2 The objectives of this Act are as follows:

3 (1) To provide a comprehensive, coherent, inte4 grated, high quality, cost-effective, residential, edu5 cation and vocational training academy for the Na6 tion’s at-risk youth, designed to meet the entrance

7 demands of colleges and universities and the needs

8 of employers.

9 (2) To establish a comprehensive, national part10 nership investment model among the Federal Gov11 ernment, States, corporate America, and colleges

12 and universities.

13 (3) To provide for community partnerships

14 among local community leaders, businesses, and

15 churches to provide mentoring to Academy students.

16 (4) To provide for a community partnership be17 tween the Academy and the local school system

18 under which model Academy students will serve as

19 mentors to at-risk youth who are attending school to

20 provide such in-school at-risk youth with valuable in21 struction and insights regarding—

22 (A) the prevention of drug use and crime;

23 (B) self-restraint; and

24 (C) conflict resolution skills.

25 (5) To provide Academy students with—

26 (A) the tools to become productive citizens;
4

•HR 4161 IH

1 (B) learning skills;

2 (C) traditional, moral, ethical, and family

3 values;

4 (D) work ethics;

5 (E) motivation;

6 (F) self-confidence; and

7 (G) pride.

8 (6) To provide employment opportunities at the

9 Academy for former members of the Armed Forces

10 and participants in the program assisted under sec11 tion 1151 of title 10, United States Code (Troops to

12 Teachers Program).

13 (7) To make the Academy available, upon dem14 onstration of success, for expansion or duplication

15 throughout every State, through block grant funding

16 or other means.

17 SEC. 3. ACADEMY ESTABLISHED.

18 The Secretary shall carry out a demonstration pro19 gram under which the Secretary establishes a four-year,

20 residential, military style academy—

21 (1) that shall offer at-risk youth secondary

22 school coursework and vocational training, and that

23 may offer precollegiate coursework;
5

•HR 4161 IH

1 (2) that focuses on the education and vocational

2 training of youth at risk of delinquency or dropping

3 out of secondary school;

4 (3) whose teachers are primarily composed of

5 former members of the Armed Forces or partici6 pants in the program assisted under section 1151 of

7 title 10, United States Code (Troops to Teachers

8 Program), if such former members or participants

9 are qualified and trained to teach at the Academy;

10 (4) that operates a mentoring program that—

11 (A) utilizes mentors from all sectors of so12 ciety to serve as role models for Academy stu13 dents;

14 (B) provides, to the greatest extent pos15 sible, one-to-one mentoring relationships be16 tween mentors and Academy students; and

17 (C) involves mentors providing academic

18 tutoring, advice, career counseling, and role

19 models;

20 (5) that may contain a Junior Reserve Officers’

21 Training Corps unit established in accordance with

22 section 2031 of title 10, United States Code;

23 (6) that is housed on the site of any military in24 stallation closed pursuant to a base closure law; and
6

•HR 4161 IH

1 (7) if the Secretary determines that the Acad2 emy is effective, that serves as a model for similar

3 military style academies throughout the United

4 States.

Æ