PUBLIC POLICY

Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities (SDFSC) Program

| Increase SDFSC Appropriations | SDFSC Support Facts |
| Supporting Research | National Network for SDFSC |

Increase SDFSC Appropriations

| Legislative Alert | Sample Letter |

Increase FY 2003 Appropriations for the State Grant Portion of the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Program

Background

The SDFSC program is the backbone of youth drug prevention efforts in the United States. State and local programs funded by the SDFSC program are increasingly showing positive impacts and impressive outcomes. For example:

• Alaska- Reports that recidivism rates among students statewide have dropped by as much as 13% within the past 3 years, due to Youth Court programs funded under the SDFSC program.
• Kentucky- Reports highly significant increases in abstinence over a six-month period in 1999: from 32% to 70% for marijuana; from 26% to 56% for beer drinking; and 51% to 86% for liquor drinking. These results are attributed to the Early Intervention and Student Assistance programs funded out of the 20% Governor’s Share.
• Ohio- Reports a decrease in the percentage of ninth graders who smoked a cigarette the first time before age 13 from 34% in 1993 to 25% in 1997, and a decrease in the percentage of students who were in a physical fight during the preceding 12 months form 44% in 1993 to 37% in 1997. Also reports decreased alcohol, tobacco, and other drug policy violations in grades 7-12 by 71% from 45 violations in 1997-98 to 13 violations in 1998-99.These results are credited to programs under the State Grants and Governor’s Portion the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act.
• Oregon- Reports steadily decreasing marijuana usage among 11th, 8th and 6th graders from 1996 through 2000, by 4%, 6.7% and 1.1% respectively.
• Pennsylvania- Reports the following successful performance measures for students served by its Student Assistance program during the 1999-2000 school year: 85% with no additional drug and alcohol violations; 67% with no additional suspensions; a 36% improvement in attendance and a 51% improvement in academics.

Drug and alcohol use are a continuing problem

Drug and alcohol use continue to plague America’s youth. Drugs such as ecstasy are fueling a new epidemic. According to the 2001 Monitoring the Future results over half of American young people have tried an illicit drug by the time they finish high school. The late 1990s saw a huge resurgence in marijuana usage. In fact 11% of high school seniors report that they have used marijuana in the last 30 days (Monitoring the Future, 2001). In the next 15 years, the youth population will grow by 21%, adding 6.5 million youth— even if drug use rates remain constant, there will be a huge surge in drug-related problems, such as academic failure, drug-related violence and HIV incidence, simply due to this population increase (CSAP, FY 2001 DHHS Request 2000). Our nation cannot afford to live with these statistics.

The American public has consistently identified drugs as one of the most serious problems facing its communities and children, and continues to do so. A new survey released on January 31, 2001 by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change found that illegal drugs is considered the second most serious problem in communities across the country (Survey for the Pew Partnership for Civic Change, 2001).

Given that drug use continues to plague America’s youth and positive academic outcomes are linked to drug and alcohol free schools, the State Grants portion of the SDFSC program must be maintained and strengthened in FY 2003 appropriations, as proposed in the President’s Budget.

Peer substance use impacts academic performance

A recent study by the University of Washington provides the first large-scale documentation that found that the level of peer substance use in schools has a substantial impact on academic performance. The study findings link lower reading and math scores to peer substance abuse – not to individual student use as one might expect. On average, students whose peers avoided substance use had test scores (measured by the Washington state math and reading standards) that were 18 points higher for reading, and 45 points higher for math (Washington Kids Count/University of Washington, 2000). The study concluded that if the public is concerned with academic performance, the challenges in students’ learning environment, particularly substance use, must be addressed (Washington Kids Count/University of Washington, 2000).

Enhance the prevention infrastructure in our Nation’s schools

Recent research states that schools play a critical role in getting the anti-drug message out to children. In today’s changing society, schools serve as one of the only sources of information for most children about the harms of drug use. The 1999-2000 Pride Survey found that teachers are as likely as parents are to warn youth about the problems of alcohol and drugs. Clearly, schools play a critical role in getting the anti-drug message out to students. Because children spend more than a quarter of their day at school and find many role models within school walls, schools have a unique opportunity to deliver effective drug prevention programs. In doing so, they reinforce norms against drug use and give students peer refusal and other life skills.

Conclusions

Adolescent drug use has escalated since 1992. Among 2001 high school seniors, 54 percent indicated they had used an illicit drug by the time they left high school (Monitoring the Future, 2001). Fifty-four percent of 2001 high school seniors is fifty-four percent of too many adolescents at risk of continued drug use. Because initiation is one of the greatest predictors of continued use and because peer substance use in schools has a substantial impact on academic performance, we must enhance our efforts to prevent adolescent drug initiation. The FY 2003 funding level for the State Grants portion of the SDFSC program should be increased to $620 million.

SDFSC Support Facts

Drug and alcohol use are a continuing problem

Drug and alcohol use continue to plague America’s youth. Drugs such as ecstasy are fueling a new epidemic. According to the 2001 Monitoring the Future results over half of American young people have tried an illicit drug by the time they finish high school. The late 1990s saw a huge resurgence in marijuana usage. In fact 11% of high school seniors report that they have used marijuana in the last 30 days (Monitoring the Future, 2001). In the next 15 years, the youth population will grow by 21%, adding 6.5 million youth— even if drug use rates remain constant, there will be a huge surge in drug-related problems, such as academic failure, drug-related violence and HIV incidence, simply due to this population increase (CSAP, FY 2001 DHHS Request 2000). Our nation cannot afford to live with these statistics.

The American public has consistently identified drugs as one of the most serious problems facing its communities and children, and continues to do so. A new survey released on January 31, 2001 by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change found that illegal drugs is considered the second most serious problem in communities across the country (Survey for the Pew Partnership for Civic Change, 2001).

Peer substance use impacts academic performance

A recent study by the University of Washington provides the first large-scale documentation that found that the level of peer substance use in schools has a substantial impact on academic performance. The study findings link lower reading and math scores to peer substance abuse – not to individual student use as one might expect. On average, students whose peers avoided substance use had test scores (measured by the Washington state math and reading standards) that were 18 points higher for reading, and 45 points higher for math (Washington Kids Count/University of Washington, 2000). The study concluded that if the public is concerned with academic performance, the challenges in students’ learning environment, particularly substance use, must be addressed (Washington Kids Count/University of Washington, 2000).
Enhance the prevention infrastructure in our Nation’s schools

Recent research states that schools play a critical role in getting the anti-drug message out to children. In today’s changing society, schools serve as one of the only sources of information for most children about the harms of drug use. The 1999-2000 Pride Survey found that teachers are as likely as parents are to warn youth about the problems of alcohol and drugs. Clearly, schools play a critical role in getting the anti-drug message out to students. Because children spend more than a quarter of their day at school and find many role models within school walls, schools have a unique opportunity to deliver effective drug prevention programs. In doing so, they reinforce norms against drug use and give students peer refusal and other life skills.

Conclusions

Adolescent drug use has escalated since 1992. Among 2001 high school seniors, 54 percent indicated they had used an illicit drug by the time they left high school (Monitoring the Future, 2001). Fifty-four percent of 2001 high school seniors is fifty-four percent of too many adolescents at risk of continued drug use. Because initiation is one of the greatest predictors of continued use and because peer substance use in schools has a substantial impact on academic performance, we must enhance our efforts to prevent adolescent drug initiation.

Supporting Research

Washington Kids Count Study

A recent study by the University of Washington concluded that:

• Academic achievement and risky behaviors show a close association by middle school: This relationship is also present in high school. This implies that prevention programs should begin prior to 6th grade and continue through high school.*
• Social and moral beliefs, risk in the community, and commitment to school influence substance use and violence/delinquency: In both middle and high school, these factors directly impacted substance use and violence/delinquency. In high school, some of these aspects of the social environment also directly impacted achievement.
• Attitudes and behaviors are closely related: In middle school, groups of students that think it's okay to use alcohol or drugs, know where to obtain them, and think they are unlikely to get caught, are also using them. Groups with antisocial and rebellious attitudes are also involved in violent/delinquent behaviors. In high school, groups with favorable attitudes toward risky behaviors also tend to engage in those behaviors.
• Substance use is closely related to violence/delinquency: The strong association between these factors suggests that prevention programs should address violence/delinquency and substance use together.

Source: Washington Kids Count/University of Washington, 2002

Click here to read the Full Study or a Summary

Impacts on Learning

Risk Factors	Adolescant Problem Behaviors
	Substance Abuse	Deliquency	Teen Pregnancy	School Drop-Out	Violence
Community
Availability of Drugs
Availability of Firearms
Community Laws and Norms Favorable Toward Drug Use, Firearms, and Crime
Media Portrayals Violence
Transitions and Mobility
Low Neighborhood Attachment and Community Disorganization
Extreme Economic Deprivation
Family
Family History of the Problem Behavior
Family Management Problems
Family Conflict
Favorable Parental Attitudes and involvement in the Problem Behavior
School
Early and Persistent Antisocial Behavior
Academic Failure Beginning in Late Elementary School
Lack of Commitment to School
Individual/Peer
Alienation and Rebelliousness
Friends Who Engage in the Problem Behavior
Favorable Attitudes Toward the Problem Behavior
Early Initiation of the Problem Behavior
Constitutional Factors

© 1996-1998 Developmental Research and Programs

Franklin County Survey

The Safe and Drug-Free Schools Consortium has administered the Primary Prevention, Awareness, Attitude and Use Survey (PPAAUS) five times since 1988. PPAAUS is designed to measure student attitudes and reported usage of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and provide information on violence and safety issues. Sixth through twelfth graders in the 16 public school districts and 36 non-public schools in Franklin County, Ohio completed the latest survey in the fall of 2000.

Follow this link to read more about the survey and its results: http://www.edcouncil.org/programs/drugfree/ppaaus/execsum.htm

National Network for SDFSC

To visit the National Network for SDFSC (NNSDFSC)’s homepage, go to: http://www.unf.edu/dept/fie/sdfs/network/index.html