Pubdate: Tue, 25 Nov 2003 Source: Kane County Chronicle (IL) Copyright: 2003 Kane County Chronicle Contact: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3178 Website: http://www.kcchronicle.com/ Author: Heath Hixon DARE Gets Funding From STC Schools Board OKs Contract for Student Growth Research * The St. Charles school board voted 6-1 to approve a contract with Northern Illinois University's Center for Governmental Studies to conduct research on potential student growth and land use within the school district's boundaries. The study will analyze land capacity for residential growth and how future growth will affect the district. Tom Hernandez, district spokesman, said the study will not only help with projected enrollment, but also anticipated growth. The study is expected to cost $34,950 and be completed by Feb. 1. ST. CHARLES - The Drug Abuse Resistance Program received funding Monday from the school board for another year, but the program's future at schools may be in doubt. School board members voted 7-0 to once again fund DARE at five elementary schools within St. Charles city limits. But questions over the program's effectiveness could mean the district might seek other drug-prevention programs after this academic year ends. Stacy Anderson, district student assistance coordinator, said questions exist whether the program is meeting its own goals of teaching students to resist pressure to do drugs. "When you look at the research, at the end of the day, it is not effective in preventing drug use," she said. The anti-drug program is taught by police officers in all of the district's 12 elementary schools to fifth- and sixth-grade students. The program's mission is to teach children to recognize and resist the pressures to abuse drugs and alcohol. The district pays for half of the program's costs, or about $49,000, in five elementary schools that are within St. Charles city boundaries. The city pays for the other half. Kane County pays for the program to be taught in five district elementary schools outside of St. Charles. The other two district schools receive funding from the cities of South Elgin and West Chicago. But district funding for DARE could stop, however, if a committee to be set up next year recommends that the money could be better spent on other programs. The district board would have to approve the change. Melanie Raczkiewicz, district assistant supervisor for elementary education, said the district is establishing a panel of staff, parents and community members that will meet early next year to analyze the program's cost-effectiveness. Raczkiewicz said "there is a possibility" that funding for the program could end at the end of this academic year. She stressed, however, that if the district were to stop funding the program, then another anti-drug program would replace DARE. "If it is not DARE, then it is going to be something else that is going to give students the tools and good decision-making skills (they need)," she said. Funding for the program at schools in unincorporated portions of the county by the Kane County Board is also in doubt because of questions over the effectiveness of the program. The board's Executive Committee voted Nov. 5 not to approve Sheriff Ken Ramsey's request of $15,000 of the county riverboat fund to help pay for the program. But the county's Corrections and Rehabilitation Committee voted Thursday to recommend that the Executive Committee appropriate some money to the program. The Executive Committee approves all grants from the county's riverboat fund. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake