Parent Meeting on Random Drug Testing
Frequently Asked Questions
What if a non-prescription medication causes a positive test?
PrescriptionMedication: Ifastudentistakingprescriptionmedication, whichisnotonrecordattheschool,andresultsofarandomdrugtestarepositive,thestudenthasuntilthenextschooldayat3:00PMtosupplyaphysician’sprescription orthepharmacy bottlewiththelabelattachedtotheprincipalforverification.Ifastudentassertsthe useofalegallyprescribedmedicationordrugdirectlyrelatedtoapositiveresult,thestudentmaycontinuetoparticipatein Extra-curricularActivities, driving to school,orschool dancesuntilthedeadline.Ifavalidreason andsupporting documentationforthepositivetest arenot supplied bythedeadline, theappropriateconsequenceswill beimmediatelyimposed.
Will this be on a transcript at all and what happens to the record after the student graduates?
No. This would be considered a temporary student record and would be removed from the student’s records once the student graduates.
Could a student be tested more than once?
Yes, it’s possible. Students would remain in the testing pool the entire school year so it is possible that a student could be randomly selected more than once.
If a student has a prior offensefor drug/alcohol, can they still self-report?
Yes. Once implemented, this policy does not wipe out any previous infractions and resets the student’s record. A student may still self-report after the policy is implemented. If a student tests positive on any future test, he/she will be given the next suspension they are eligible to receive prior to self-reporting.
Can the students choose which drug test they wish to take?
No. The district will determine throughout the year what tests will be given as part of the random testing program. Urine, saliva, and hair follicle testing will be the three options for the district to choose from.
Other than self-reporting, is a student required to submit a clean test after he/she has tested positive?
No. A student is not required to submit a clean test after testing positive. After he/she has served any suspension from activities and fulfilled any required counseling services, they are not required to produce a follow up test. Their name would still remain in the testing pool and would be eligible for random selection in the future.
If a student is eighteen years old and older, do parents need special permission to get the test results?
Once a student turns eighteen, he/she can request the school district not send results to his/her parents. Once a student turns eighteen and is considered an adult, they can take ownership of their student record.
Can parents be present at the time of the testing?
No. In order to administer this program as efficiently and timely as possible, the drug screening agency will solely be responsible for the administration of the testing procedures.
HIPPA- Is that a consideration?
All medical records and students records will be carefully handled in order to meet HIPPA compliance requirements.
Are home schooled students eligible to participate in extra-curricular and would they be subject to testing?
Only full time students enrolled at Central are eligible to participate in athletics and student clubs/organizations. It’s possible for a home school student to participate in band under certain conditions. If a home school student were to participate in band, that student would be subject to testing just like the full time enrolled student.
Why are teachers and coaches not subject to random drug testing?
The district is not opposed to looking at this, but it is collective bargaining issue that would have to be bargained with the IEA/NEA. Issues like drug testing would create a change in working conditions, thus requiring collective bargaining with the teacher’s union on this issue. The board of education will discuss this as a possible bargaining topic during the next round of collective bargaining with the teacher’s union later this school year.
Is there a check and balance to verify that the building principal is matching the selected random ID number to the correct name?
Yes. After reviewing this question, the proposed policy was amended to add this language to section “3B: Screening for Drug Use”:
3. To ensure accountability, the principal and the superintendent will have copies of all student rosters and their ID numbers on file. The principal and the superintendent will both be notified by the testing agency of which ID numbers have been selected for random testing. The principal and the superintendent will both be notified of the results of any tests administered.
Special Needs Children- How are you going to address this?
Prior to implementation of this policy, our special education staff would meet to identify any students that may need the testing method altered based upon the disability of that student. Should any alteration of the testing method be recommended based upon the disability of the student, the parents of that student could be consulted to help determine the best course of action for that student.
How much does each drug test cost and what fund does that come from?
Urine and saliva testing costs will be $30 per test. Hair Follicle tests cost $125 a test and will be used less frequently. Our total yearly cost for this program will be approximately $2,500. Our annual district budget for expenditures is $7,475,774. This cost is .00033 of 1% of our budget.
The district would apply for Title IV- Drug Free School federal grant money to offset the cost.
Will there be morecollaboration with teachers, parents, and coaches to make sure students are getting the same message about staying away from drugs?
Yes. If approved, this program will increase the dialogue within these three groups and encourage more open conversations with parents and their child’s coaches and teachers. It will also create more opportunities for parents to have this conversation with their children about the impact of making poor decisions in this area.
What agency will be used in the appeal process?
The Safety Specialist (TSS) out of Quincy will be the testing vendor for hair follicle testing, which is the testing method used if a test result is appealed. If a parent chooses to appeal the result of a positive test, they may do so at their cost. If the results of the appeal overturn the original result, the parents will be reimbursed for the cost of the test. TSS is a certified testing agency that conducts test based upon the current scientific methodology and lab results.
What happens if a child is in counseling and teased by another student?
Should that occur, the student engaged in teasing another student will be dealt with accordingly with our student handbook. There will be no tolerance for a student engaged in this behavior toward another student in this situation.
How can you keep students from driving to school when [this] is government property?
Joy v. Penn-Harris-Madison Sch. Corp., 212 F.3d 1052 (7th Cir. 2000): The Seventh Circuit upheld the school's policy requiring students interested in participating in extracurricular activities and student drivers to undergo random drug testing.
In that case students who possessed parking passes and who were subject to the random drug testing, the district court stated that, except for those students close enough to school to walk and “a limited category of students otherwise,” PHM provides public transportation. Therefore, students do not have a compulsion to drive themselves to school. The court explained that students sign a consent form in exchange for the privilege of parking on school premises and that the safety issues evolving from students driving to and from school while under the influence of illegal substances justifies the testing.
When will students be tested and will they miss class because of that?
We will make every effort to schedule any testing around the student’s schedule in order to have the least impact on their school day.
If a student tests positive, do they have to use the same vendor to retest when they appeal?
All appeals will be tested by The Safety Specialist (TSS). TSS will conduct a hair follicle test for any parent who wishes to appeal and pay for the test. Hair follicle testing is more accurate and can go back ninety days in determining if there has been drug use.
During the presentation it was said that our students are currently subject to drug testing by the IHSA? What does the IHSA test for?
The IHSA puts out a list of banned substances that they test for annually. For a listing of the banned substances by the IHSA please follow this link:
Are there any studies that show the long term effectiveness of drug testing programs?
Yes. Please follow this link as one such resource with information on effectiveness of such programs: