Cincinnati would have the only public military high school in the state if Cincinnati Public Schools' board of education approves a proposal in May.

        Students at the school would wear uniforms, and learn military science and leadership skills, as well as take traditional courses.

        The 350-student school was proposed by the school district's administration as part of Cincinnati Public's decade-long $1 billion school facilities plan. The school would open in a newly constructed building after 2008, according to the plan.

        Discipline, honor and integrity would be emphasized in this program, said John Rothwell, the district's charter school manager.

        If the school board decides the program should open earlier, it would have to be housed in an existing building, Mr. Rothwell said.

        Board members, who are expected to approve the construction plan next month, are examining the merits of a military school.

        It's not the first time. A military school has been proposed here several times since the 1970s.

        The military academy would be another piece of the district's efforts to improve high school options.

        Five of the district's lowest-performing neighborhood high schools are being overhauled over the next three years. Taft High School in the West End was one of the first. It opened in August as an information technology institute. A new virtual high school also opened in August.

        Other planned programs include an international school at Withrow High School, construction trades and health professions programs at Woodward and a university program at Aiken.

        Cincinnati's public military school wouldn't be the first public military school in Ohio.

        The first was a charter school, Riser Military Academy in Columbus, which closed in 2000 after about six months of operation for facilities and financial reasons, according to the Ohio Department of Education.

        Elsewhere, they are thriving:

        • Franklin Military School, which opened in 1980 in Virginia's Richmond Public Schools, is believed to be the first public military school in the U.S.

        • Cleveland Junior Naval Academy in the St. Louis Public School district, opened in 1981.

        • Chicago Public Schools opened Chicago Military Academy-Bronzeville in August 1999 and Carver Military Academy in August 2000. The district recently opened eight small military academies within other schools, each enrolling 150-350 students.

        Some Cincinnati educators and politicos question whether a military school is right for Cincinnati.

        Sue Taylor, president of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, said the concept of having a military school has been controversial in previous years. She said some people have questioned whether high school youths should be trained for the military.

        Jackie Jackson, a 17-year-old junior at Taft's new information technology school, said he would have loved the option to attend a military school.

        “I think the military puts a lot of discipline in people,” he said. “I'm sure there's some people willing to take that challenge.”

        Mr. Rothwell said the school would not be about power and authority but rather “service for the country and self-sacrifice for the common good.”

        District officials say there would be enough interest to launch the school despite lagging participation in ROTC programs.

        The number of students participating in junior ROTC classes at Western Hills High School has declined from 263 students in the 1999-2000 school year to 134 students this year, said Capt. David C. Pollauf, an instructor there.

        Western Hills is the only remaining Cincinnati public high school with an ROTC program.

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