DRUG TESTING DRAWS 300

About 300 students have signed up for the Hart district's voluntary
random drug testing program since it was started three months ago.
The district plans to expand the program for the 2009-10 school year.

Hart board members approved the district-wide drug testing program,
known as Comprehensive Alcohol and Drug Reduction and Education
(CADRE), in February. A three-month trial period soon started as
Hart district officials began promoting the program to parent
and student groups.

"It had a really good response," said Darryl Adams, director of
human resources for the William S. Hart Union High School District.

The program runs off of a $216,000 Department of Education grant for
the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2011-12 school years.

Since the program is voluntary, students who take part must sign a
permission slip with their parents. In the three months before the
2008-09 school year ended, 150 students were randomly selected to
undergo drug testing by a third-party drug-testing company, Adams said.

About 10 of the tested students underwent secondary tests, Adams said.

Adams called the results a "very small amount of positive tests," he said.

Along with the drug testing, the program includes an education
component in which parents are invited to presentations about drug
and alcohol use in the Santa Clarita Valley. The meetings, led by
former and current narcotics officers, were well-attended, Adams said.

"Parents are asking for more of it," he said.

To meet the needs of parents, the district plans to offer a
presentation every six weeks once the 2009-10 school year begins, he said.

"If we can save one life, then it's worth it," he said.

A new component of the program will involve students forming
coalitions on their campuses to raise awareness about the program
and to encourage classmates to join.

"We hope to build the program to over 1,000 or more (participants)
by the end of next year," Adams said.

Hart district parent Heidi Espinosa said she found one of the
drug-information sessions to be informative.

"It gave you a lot of information as to how kids get drugs on the
Internet and the different types of drugs kids are taking these
days," she said.

Espinosa's son, a junior at Hart High School, has been attending
Action Family Counseling meetings.

Action Family Counseling is a locally-based organization that
provides counseling and services to families and teenagers facing
substance abuse.

She anticipates that her son will join the voluntary random drug
testing program in the fall, she said.

She remains grateful for the Hart district's efforts to keep kids off drugs.

"I think it's great. I feel that a lot of parents don't realize how
many drugs are out here in the valley," she said.