Pubdate: Sat, 07 Jun 2008
Source: Ledger, The (Lakeland, FL)
Copyright: 2008 The Ledger
Contact:  http://www.theledger.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/795
Author: John Chambliss

SCHOOLS WILL DOUBLE RANDOM DRUG TESTS

LAKELAND | The Polk County School District learned  Wednesday it will 
receive nearly $200,000 in federal  grant money that will allow it to 
double the number of  students randomly tested for drugs.

About 4,500 students are now randomly tested and that  will increase to 9,000.

And the district will expand the testing to include  more than 
athletes. Other extracurricular groups, such  as Future Farmers of 
America and Future Business  Leaders of America, will now be included.

The one-year grant is for $196,571 and the district can  apply for a 
similar grant for two more years. Polk was  one of 49 school 
districts throughout the nation to  receive money.

Audrey Kelley-Fritz, senior manager of prevention,  health and 
wellness for Polk schools, said she was  excited at the news but was 
still waiting for formal  confirmation from the federal government.

Student drug testing began in 2004. The method used to  test students 
is through an examination of urine. Each  year about 30 to 40 
students test positive for illegal  drugs. The district doesn't test 
for steroid use  because of the additional expense it would require.

Students who test positive for drugs go to the Mark  Wilcox Center in 
Winter Haven for evaluation. The  positive results do not affect a 
student's record at  school and they are not disciplined, Kelley-Fritz said.

This year, about 30 students tested positive. Usually,  a few test 
positive for cocaine or alcohol, but all 30  this year tested 
positive for marijuana, Kelley-Fritz  said.

Marijuana is the most common drug found because it  stays in the 
system the longest, Kelley-Fritz said.

Officials say the testing has worked. Marijuana usage  rate for 
athletes has declined 17 percent since 2004,  according the 
District's Web site.

Each test costs about $18 per student. If a student  tests positive, 
a confirmation test is conducted for  about $50. Many confirmation 
tests determine that the  students tested positive for drugs that are 
prescribed  to them. Those tests are discarded.

Nationally, a total of $5.8 million in grants was given  for drug testing.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart