Student Random Drug Testing Survey
Frequency Responses
In February 2004, researchers at Western Illinois University mailed a Drug Testing questionnaire to 41 school districts that had reported an interest in Student Drug Testing in a survey in 2000. Questionnaires were returned from 31 of those 41 districts.
In the following frequency response tables, percentages may add to more or less than 100 due to rounding or to allowance for multiple responses.
- Has your district ever conducted random drug
testing of students?NumberPercent
Yes, we now randomly test students for
illegal drugs2271%
Yes, we conducted drug testing in the past but
we have abandoned the practice26%
No, we have never conducted student drug testing723%
31100%
- If your district has discontinued random student
drug testing, please indicate the reason(s).
Please check all that apply.NumberPercent
Lost through budget cuts1 50 %
Cost outweighed the benefits
Objections raised by parents/students
Objections raised by community
Legal problems/ litigation concerns
Ineffectiveness in identifying drug problem
Absence of a student drug abuse problem
Other. Please describe
No response 1 50 %
2100 %
- How long has the district’s drug testing program
been in place?NumberPercent
Less than 1 year00%
1-3 years29%
3-5 years1150%
More than 5 years941%
Unknown00%
22100%
- Which students are subject to drug testing?
(Please check all that apply.)NumberPercent
All students00%
Participants in some – but not all – extra-
curricular activites627%
Participants in all extracurricular activities 1045%
Athletes1045%
Marching band members00%
Students driving to school313%
Other – courses using power equipment15%
- Is your district’s drug testing program voluntary
or required?NumberPercent
Required for all students15%
Voluntary for all students00%
Required for participation in all or some
extracurricular programs2091%
Voluntary for participation in all or some
extracurricular programs15%
22100%
- Which grade levels are covered by your district’s
student drug testing policy?NumberPercent
Grades K-1200%
Grades 6-12418%
Grades 7-1229%
Grades 9-121673%
22100%
- What is the total student enrollment of the school
or schools involved in your district’s
drug testing?NumberPercent
Less than 300314%
300 to 4991150%
500 to 7995523%
800 to 99914%
1,000 or more29%
22100%
8.What is the approximate number of students in
the drug testing “universe” of your school
or schools? NumberPercent
Fewer than 5000%
50 to 99418%
100 to 2991150%
300 to 499418%
500 or more29%
Unknown14%
22100%
9. Do you select a specific percentage or a specific
number of students to be tested?NumberPercent
Percentage732%
Number 1359%
No specific number or percentage15%
No response 1 5%
22100%
10. Is the number or percentage of students tested
consistent from test to test or does it vary?NumberPercent
Consistent number or percentage1882%
Varies from test to test418%
22100%
11. Who selects the students to be tested? NumberPercent
School personnel 732%
Contractor1150%
Other:
Computer29%
Auditor15%
Other students15%
22100%
12. Among the school or schools involved in your
district’s drug testing program, what percentage
of the total student enrollment is subject to
random drug testing?NumberPercent
Percentage subject to testing:
2%15%
15-25%29%
30%314%
40-50%627%
60 - 70%418%
70 - 80%314%
Unknown314%
22100%
13. What percentage of your drug testing “universe”
is tested each year?NumberPercent
Percentage tested each year:
2%15%
10%15%
20%29%
30%314%
40%15%
50%15%
60%15%
65%15%
Percentage varies from year to year627%
Unknown523%
22100%
14. How often are students randomly selected
and tested?NumberPercent
Weekly1045%
Semi-monthly00%
Monthly418%
Quarterly00%
Once per semester15%
Other:
3 times per week15%
3 out of 4 weeks15%
16-17 weeks per year15%
3 times per season (Fall, Winter, Spring)15%
1 time per season (Fall, Winter, Spring)29%
Varies from year to year15%
22100%
15. How many students are selected for each
round of tests?NumberPercent
Fewer than 101464%
10 to 19523%
20 to 2929%
30 to 3915%
40 or more00%
22100%
16. Approximately how many students have
been randomly tested since the testing program
began?NumberPercent
Fewer than 50 students00%
50 –100 students00%
100-200 students418%
More than 200 students1882%
22100%
17. Approximately what percentage (%) of the
total student body has been tested since the
program began?NumberPercent
Less than 10%29%
10%-25%627%
25%-50%836%
More than 50%29%
Unknown418%
22100%
18. For which drugs does your district test students?
Please check all that apply.NumberPercent
Alcohol1150%
Benzodiazepines1777%
Cocaine and/or its derivatives 1777%
Ecstasy 418%
Opiates2195%
Marijuana (THC)22100%
Methamphetamine2195%
LSD627%
Steroids314%
PCP418%
Nicotine418%
Amphetamines314%
Barbituates15%
Methaqualone15%
19. What types of testing does your district use?
Please check all that apply.NumberPercent
Rapid on-site drug screen?418%
On-site breath alcohol418%
On-site saliva alcohol15%
Laboratory urinalysis1986%
Laboratory hair analysis00%
Laboratory saliva analysis00%
20. Who conducts the testing?NumberPercent
School personnel314%
Contract service provider1986%
22100%
21. How does the district pay for the testing?NumberPercent
On a per test basis1882%
Per an agreed amount for all services5*23%
*One school reported both23105%
22. If your district pays for testing on a per test
basis, what is the cost of a single test?NumberPercent
Under $25732%
$25-$501464%
$50-$7515%
More than $7500%
22100%
23. If your district pays a lump sum for testing
services, please indicate the approximate amount.NumberPercent
$1600 per year15%
$2500 per year15%
It varies from year to year15%
We do not pay a lump some1882%
2197%
24. Approximately how many tests have returned
positive results for illegal drug use since the
district’s testing program began?NumberPercent
Zero positives tests29%
1-5 positive tests1254%
5-10 positive tests314%
10-25 positive tests314%
25-50 positive tests29%
More than 50 positive tests00%
22100%
25. If your district has experienced few positive
drug tests, how do you interpret the results?NumberPercent
Testing has reduced or nearly eliminated
our student drug problem.29%
Testing keeps a small drug problem
from growing larger.1464%
Testing may not be necessary to control
student drug abuse.29%
Testing is not reaching students most likely
to be abusing drugs.523%
Other314%
26. Have there been instances where a
preliminary positive test was later
shown to be negative (false positive).NumberPercent
Yes 627%
No1568%
Unknown15%
22100%
27. If the answer to question 26 was yes,
approximately how many false positive
tests have occurred?NumberPercent
One false positive314%
2-5 false positives15%
5-10 false positives15%
More than 10 false positives 00%
Unknown 14%
No response1673%
22100%
28. What actions are taken when a student tests
positive for illegal drug use? Please check
all that apply.NumberPercent
Notify parents22100%
Suspension from activities1986%
Counseling/treatment1777%
Notify local law enforcement authorities314%
Suspension from school314%
Expulsion15%
Suspension from school until testing
shows a negative result15%
Suspension from activities until testing
shows a negative result15%
Probation15%
29. Have levels of participation in extracurricular
activities in your district increased or decreased
since the inception of random drug testing?NumberPercent
Increased00%
Decreased29%
No change2091%
Unknown00%
22100%
30. If there has been a change in extracurricular
participation levels, in your opinion, was the
change due to random drug testing?NumberPercent
Yes00%
No 29%
No opinion2091%
22100%
31. Please characterize the reactions of the
following constituencies to implementation/
operation of your district’s random student
drug testing program.category.NumberPercent
Community
Positive2091%
Negative00%
Neutral 2 9%
22100%
Parents/Guardians
Positive2091%
Negative00%
Neutral 2 9%
22100%
Students
Positive1045%
Negative314%
Neutral 9 41%
22100%
Faculty/Staff
Positive2091%
Negative00%
Neutral 2 9%
22100%
32. Has your district tracked the rate of reported
drug use among students since the inception of
the program?NumberPercent
Yes418%
No1882%
22100%
33. If you answered "yes" to question 32,
what has been the trend?NumberPercent
Reported use has decreased314%
Reported use has increased00%
Reported use has not changed15%
No tracking1882%
22100%
34. What do you consider the primary benefit(s)
of your district’s student drug testing program?
Please check all that apply.NumberPercent
Testing sends the right message about our district’s values. 20 91%
Testing has helped some students avoid starting on drugs. 18 82%
Testing has caused some students to stop
using drugs.1464%
Drug testing has reduced the overall amount of drug abuse among our students. 10 46%
Testing has reduced the number of students who use drugs. 10 46%
Testing has reduced the frequency with
which some students abuse drugs.1046%
Talk of drug use has been reduced15%
Testing has had no benefit.00%
35. Has the district formally evaluated the effectiveness
of the random testing program?NumberPercent
Yes 314%
No1986%
22100%