DRUG TESTING TO INCREASE AT PARADISE HIGH SCHOOL

PARADISE -- The pilot program that randomly tested students at
Paradise High School for drugs will become a regular program,
expanded and improved.

The program put in place last school year by the Paradise Unified
School District board of trustees allowed for random tests of any
student participating in competitive extracurricular activities,
including sports and clubs.

The revised policy adds another type of test, tests for several more
drugs and increases the number of tests administered.

According to Jaclyn Hoiland, the district's prevention services
director, 124 tests were administered during the 2005-06 school year,
and none of them showed positive for the six targeted drugs --
amphetamines, opiates, phencyclidine, methamphetamines,
benzoylecgonine and marijuana metabolites.

She recommended using more sensitive hair follicle tests besides the
oral swabs used last year, and expanding to test for oxycontin,
ecstasy and alcohol.

The district received a three-year grant for $133,209 last October
and has unused funds from last year to roll over into next year, she
explained. In fact, the funds would pay for as many as 500 tests.

Hoiland described student surveys that indicate alcohol use at the
high school has escalated, and urged the board to increase the number
and kinds of tests to target that problem. An alcohol test would cost
$7, in addition to $25-28 per test, depending on which method was administered.

Principal Mike Lerch recounted that the program last year required
two trained faculty members be present to administer a test and he
said far more testing could be done if one person could give the tests.

Superintendent Steve Jennings agreed that one person should be
adequate, since the board chose to use non-intrusive tests, rather
than a urinalysis.

The board revised the policy to include the new testing method, add
to the targeted drugs, allow one person to administer the tests and
increase the number of students tested.

Lerch explained that the 124 tests given last year exceeded the 20
percent objective outlined by the board last summer, but said, "We
can test many more."

He said he hopes to boost the volunteer pool by including information
for parents in beginning-of-year packets. Students can be included in
the pool for random selection even if they don't participate in
extracurricular activities.

The policy requires at least 150 tests be administered in 2006-07.

Jennings suggested the district begin investigating tests for
steroids for consideration in the future and Trustee Michael Greer
added that tests for new hires should be the next focus.

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BACKGROUND: Students who participated in extra-curricular activities
at Paradise High School were part of a group tested randomly for
drugs during the 2005-06 school year.

WHAT'S NEW: The program will continue this year and be expanded and increased.

WHAT'S NEXT: The district will investigate the possibility of testing
for steroids and testing new hires.