Hallsville ISD Drug Testing Policy

Drug Testing of Students, Grades 7-12, who choose to Participate in School-sponsored

Extracurricular Activities Policy - FNF (Local)

Scope of Drug Testing Policy

The District requires drug testing of any student in grades 7-12 who chooses to participate in school sponsored extracurricular activities.

A student participating in these activities shall be tested for the presence of illegal drugs at the beginning of each school year and prior to joining an extracurricular program at any time during the school year. In addition, students shall be randomly tested throughout the school year.

The purposes of the drug-testing program are to:

Purpose

1. Prevent injury, illness, and harm resulting from the use of illegal drugs or alcohol;
2. Help enforce a drug-free educational environment;
3. Deter student use of illegal drugs or alcohol; and
4. Educate students regarding the harm caused by the use of illegal and performance-enhancing drugs or alcohol.

Distribution of Policy

The District shall provide each parent and student a copy of the drug-testing policy and consent form prior to the student’s participation in an affected area.

Orientation Meetings

Coaches and sponsors shall conduct meetings to explain the drug testing program and review the policy and consent form. Student attendance at the orientation meeting is mandatory; parent attendance is not mandatory.

Consent

Before a student is eligible to participate in extracurricular activities, the student shall be required annually to sign a consent form agreeing to be subject to the rules and procedures of the drug-testing program. If the student is under the age of 18, the student’s parent or guardian shall also sign the consent form. If appropriate consent is not given, the student shall not be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities. Positive drug test results shall not be used to impose disciplinary sanctions or academic penalties.

Use of Results

Drug test results shall be used only to determine eligibility for participation in extracurricular activities. Positive drug test results shall not be used to impose disciplinary sanctions or academic penalties.

Nevertheless, nothing in this policy shall limit or affect the application of state law, local policy, or the Student Code of conduct. A student who commits a disciplinary offense shall be subject to consequences in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.

Confidentiality

Drug-testing results shall be confidential and shall be disclosed only to the student, the student’s parents or legal guardian, and designated District officials who need the information in order to administer the drug-testing program. Drug test results shall not be maintained with a student’s academic record. Results shall not be otherwise disclosed except as required by law.

Testing Laboratory

The Board shall contract with a certified drug-testing laboratory to conduct testing of students’ urine samples. Testing laboratories shall not release statistics regarding the rate of positive drug tests to any person or organization with out consent of the District.

Substances for Which Tests are Conducted

The drug testing laboratory shall test for the presence of: Marijuana; cocaine, methaqualone; benzodiazepines; phencyclidine(PCP); methadone; barbiturates; propoxyphene; amphetamines; opiates; and metabolites of any of these substances.

Collection Procedures

Personnel from the drug-testing laboratory shall collect urine samples under conditions that are no more intrusive than the conditions experienced in a public restroom. When selected for testing, a student shall be escorted to the school’s testing site and shall provide a sample from a location that ensures reasonable privacy for the student. A district employee of the same gender as the student shall be present when any samples are collected.

Random Testing

Random tests shall be conducted on a weekly basis throughout the school year. The percentage of students participating in the program for each test date shall be determined annually by the Board and based on the number of participants in school sponsored extracurricular activities.

The drug-testing laboratory shall use a random selection method to identify students chosen for random testing. Students shall not receive prior notice of the testing date or time.

Reasonable Suspicion Testing

When an administrator or extracurricular activity sponsor has a reasonable suspicion that a student subject to this policy is currently using illegal drugs, the administrator or sponsor shall require the student to submit to a drug test.

Refusal to Test or Tampering

A student who refuses to be tested when selected or who is determined to have tampered with a sample, or who is in possession of a masking agent, shall be deemed to have a positive test result and shall be subject to the appropriate consequences depending on previous positive test results, if any. If a student is absent on the day of the random testing date, a sample shall be collected on the next random testing date.

Positive Test Results

An initial positive test shall be confirmed by a second test of the same specimen before being reported as positive. Upon receiving results of a positive drug test, the District shall schedule a meeting with the student, the student’s parent if the student is under the age of 18, and the coach or sponsor of the extracurricular activity to review the test results and discuss consequences.

The student or parent shall have three school days following the meeting to provide a medical explanation provided by a licensed physician for a positive result.

Consequences

Consequences of positive test results shall be cumulative through the student‘s enrollment in the District. A student who has a confirmed positive drug test shall be subject to the following consequences:

1. First Offense

   The student shall be suspended from any extracurricular activity for 30 school days following the date the student and parent are notified of the test results. During the period of suspension, the student shall not be permitted to participate in practices.

   • Retesting

     If the student wishes to return to participation in extracurricular activities, the student must be retested at the end of the period of suspension and have a negative test result; the student shall be retested on the next random test date.

   • Drug Abuse Prevention

     The student shall participate in an assistance and drug education program.

2. Second Offense

   The student shall be suspended from any extracurricular activity for 365 calendar days following the date the student and parent are notified of the test results.

   • Retesting

     If the student wishes to return to participation in extracurricular activities, the student must be retested at the end of the period of suspension and have a negative test result; the student shall be retested on the next random check.

   • Drug Abuse Prevention

     The student shall participate in an assistance and drug education program.

3. Third Offense

   The student shall be suspended from participation in any extracurricular activity for the remainder of the student’s enrollment in the District following the date the student and parent are notified of the test results.

   • Appeals

     A student or parent may appeal a decision made under this policy in accordance with FNG (LOCAL). The student shall be ineligible for participation in extra-curricular activities while the appeal is pending.