Safe and Drug Free Schools coordinator Katherine Loudon and grant analyst Lauren Ohlin will seek approval for the request from the State and Federal Programs Department and the office Safe and Drug Free Schools to write a federal grant for the implementation of random student drug testing programs for Washoe County high schools that wish to have them.
The Board approved the pilot program at McQueen in August 2008. The school’s head football coach, Ken Dalton, agreed to help conduct the pilot with the support of staff, parents and students. Galena High School was used as a control school since it has similar demographics to McQueen.
According to a staff report, after the pilot, all football players who participated in the program tested negative for drug use, including alcohol. Surveys of football team members and students conducted during the football season showed that McQueen athletes said having a drug testing program in place would discourage drug and alcohol use during the sports season.
To elicit community feedback, Loudon and others held four parent forums within the district about the McQueen pilot and federal requirements.
The staff report on today’s item states that if a grant is obtained, the State and Federal Programs Department would draft a district policy on random student drug testing for student participants of extracurricular activities and would establish administrative procedures.
None of the funding for the program would come from the district’s budget.
The meeting is at 4 p.m. today at the WCSD Administration Building at 425 E. Ninth St.
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