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What You Need to Know About Starting a Student Drug-Testing Program

NCJ Number
206126
Date Published
October 2004
Length
39 pages
Annotation
This booklet reviews the steps necessary for implementing a school-based drug-testing program.
Abstract
The introduction explains that a 2002 United States Supreme Court decision, Board of Education of Independent School District No. 92 of Pottawatomie County vs. Earls, cleared public middle and high schools to administer random drug tests to students. Student drug testing can be one element of an effective and comprehensive intervention, prevention, and treatment program. Early identification and intervention has been shown to be one of the most effective ways of reducing drug use among young people; student drug-testing programs help accomplish that goal. The second section considers the type of preparation work necessary before a student drug-testing program is implemented, such as data collection, consultation with legal counsel, enlisting community and parental support, developing a written policy, and providing for student participation. Data collection should focus on discovering the scope and nature of the school’s drug problem, while enlisting community and parental support for the program is necessary given its emotional and controversial nature. Additionally, Institutional Review Board approval is necessary for school districts receiving Federal funds for their student drug-testing program. The third section focuses on the issues involved with conducting the drug testing, such as whom to test and when, the type of procedure to employ, alternative methods of testing to consider, and the consequences of a positive test. While procedures vary widely, most schools test 10 to 25 percent of their eligible students with varying methods, including urine, hair, and oral fluid analysis. The fourth section offers advice for assessing a program’s effectiveness and for securing funds for the drug-testing program, which may be available through Federal, State, local, and private sources. A listing of resources presents Web sites and contact information for agencies and organizations helpful for those developing student drug-testing programs.