Pubdate: Thu, 20 Dec 2007 Source: Sparta Independent, The (NJ) Copyright: 2007 Straus Newspapers Contact: http://www.strausnews.com/sparta_independent/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4455 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) SPARTA HIGH SCHOOL RANDOM DRUG TESTING POLICY A "GO" IN THE NEW YEAR Sparta - Four months after the intended September start date, the Sparta High School random drug testing program finally got the green light. School officials announced at the Board of Education meeting Monday, Dec. 17, preparations are underway to begin random testing sometime after the new year. With board of education approval in the spring, the program was to be implemented by the start of school. However, the state Department of Education said last summer that it would reevaluate sample collection and testing procedures with an eye toward consistent policies. Sparta opted to put the program on hold until it could determine if additional costs would be incurred. The new regulations are now in place. A controversial proposal to require a state-approved laboratory professional to be present at each school to do the testing was dropped due to cost. Each school's health professional can do the testing as long as he or she has taken a certification course at a cost of between $450 and $500. There was also talk of requiring schools to use state labs to send the "non-negative" results for further testing. Now the state says less expensive out-of-state labs can be used, so long as they are approved facilities. The cost for random testing should not be much more than the original estimate of between $4,000 and $6,000 per year. Random drug testing was first proposed by former High School Principal Rich Lio, who researched other programs around the state. From the onset, the program was not intended to be a "gotcha" for students, but to provide them with a means and a reason to "say no to drugs and alcohol." This month, the board's Curriculum Committee recommended the program move forward and Superintendent Dr. Thomas Morton has authorized Acting Principal James Bevere to begin preparations. Sparta's program will require all students in extra-curricular activities, sports and those who drive to and from school to be assigned a number and become part of a testing pool. When testing is conducted, a number will be selected randomly by computer and that student will be contacted to come in for testing. The student will then provide a urine sample in a chemically prepared cup. If a child receives a "negative" results, parents are notified their child was tested and the results were good. If a child receives a "non-negative" results, the state requires the sample be sent to an outside lab for further testing. Parents will be informed of this and will be provided with the test findings. Officials stress that the student's anonymity will be protected throughout the process. Students who test "non-negative" will be penalized by a loss of participation in their sport, extra-curricular activity, or right to park their car on campus for a length of time commensurate with their number of offenses. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake