There is a clear correlation between drug use and declining academic performance.

"Drug-impaired students undermine our country's ability to compete on the world stage. Unfortunately, compared with many of our international competitors, the U.S. is operating at a handicap because too many of our youth, indeed our citizens, are abusing drugs. America represents four percent of the worlds population, yet it consumes two-thirds of the world's illegal drugs."

Quoted from a new report documenting the fact that student drug use is compromising academic success in U. S. schools. To read the full report by Judy Kreamer, Gary M. Fields, Ph.D., et al., titled "The Overlooked Cause of Children Being Left Behind: Drug Use Compromising Academic Success," published by Educating Voices, Inc., 2008, click here.

Smarter Student Drug Testing,  Robert L. DuPont, M.D. and Harvey Graves, Ph.D.

Random student drug testing (RSDT), as part of a school’s comprehensive drug abuse prevention program, is one of the best new ideas for preventing teenage drug use. Many schools may not be taking full advantage of the potential of this impressive biotechnology. In this 25-page report, the authors have provided practical information about RSDT programs as well as providing examples of smarter RSDT programs.  Information found in this paper will assist with:
        The basics of random student drug testing
        Deciding which drugs to identify on drug tests
        Steroid testing
        Testing for cheating
        Being knowledgeable about the true costs of smarter student drug testing
        Knowing how often and how many to test on a random basis
        Reporting the drug test results

Guide to Responsible Family Drug and Alcohol Testing, Robert L. DuPont, M.D. and Richard H. Bucher, Ph.D.

There is only one way to know if anyone, including a child, is using drugs and that is with a drug test. Although some schools and many employers are now using drug tests, the future of drug abuse prevention lies primarily with individual family decisions about creating and maintaining drug-free families.

Based on our work in drug treatment and in the workplace, we have developed a family guide to drug testing, titled Guide To Responsible Family Drug and Alcohol Testing  which promotes the use of testing for alcohol, other drugs of abuse, as well as nicotine, as a positive part of an overall family drug-prevention strategy. We believe that alcohol, drug and nicotine testing is a levelheaded extension of ongoing parental stewardship of their children’s health and welfare.

This Guide explains what drug tests do and do not do, how to use drug tests and what to do if you get a positive test result indicating recent drug use. It is available to any person or group interested in promoting this potentially life-saving drug abuse prevention strategy.  We ask only that you give accurate author attribution if you redistribute the Guide.

Student Drug-Testing Programs: Overview and Resource Guide

The guide is intended to provide school administrators and others with a concise overview and a useful tool for determining the facts about student drug testing.  It features a compilation of information on the components of a student drug-testing program, including technical information on policy and the drug testing process, the components of a successful program, as well as guidance to well-established standards for any drug-testing program.  It also provides overviews of the most significant studies on the effectiveness of student drug-testing programs, along with an overview of important case law and much more.

STUDENT DRUG TESTING: What you should know

STUDENT DRUG TESTING: What you should know is a four-page booklet designed to provide basic information on student drug-testing programs to district and school administrators, school boards, and parents.  The booklet is useful for those schools/districts considering the addition of student drug-testing to existing anti-drug programs as it includes topics such as:

        Why have a school drug testing program?
        Steps to implementing a program
        Elements of an effective program
        Funding options

Student Drug Testing: What you should know. Produced by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for use by its regional Demand-Reduction Coordinators, is provided here with kind permission of the DEA, Demand-Reduction Section.

What You Need to Know About Drug Testing in Schools

Unlocking the Potential (pdf), Random drug testing works for this New Jersey high school - along with a strong student assistance program for referrals. By Lisa Brady, Principal Hunterdon Central Regional High School  Reprinted from : Student Assistance Journal, Summer 2003

Starting a Student Drug-Testing Program