The District requires drug testing of any student in grades 9–12 who chooses to participate in school sponsored extracurricular activities and/or requests a permit to park a vehicle on school property.

The purposes of the drug-testing program are to:

1. Prevent injury, illness, and harm resulting from the use of illegal and performance-enhancing drugs or alcohol;

2. Help enforce a drug-free educational environment;

3. Deter student use of illegal and performance-enhancing drugs or alcohol; and

4. Educate students regarding the harm caused by the use of illegal and performance-enhancing drugs or alcohol.

The Superintendent shall annually publish on the District’s website a list of school-sponsored extracurricular activities for which drug testing is required for each school year.

Covered Activities for the 2023-2024 School Year:

• UIL Athletics and Powerlifting,

• UIL Academics,

• Cheerleading,

• Drill Team,

• Band and Flag Corp,

• Student Council,

• Beta Club,

• FCCLA,

• DECA,

• FFA,

• Barbeque Team,

• Welding Team,

• Extra Curricular Art,

• Chess Competitions,

• Parking on School Property

The District will provide each parent and student a copy of the drug-testing policy, procedures, and consent form prior to the student's participation in an affected activity or the student being issued a parking permit.

Before a student is eligible to participate in extracurricular activities or to receive a parking permit, the student will 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 will also sign a consent form. If appropriate consent is not given, the student will not be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities or to receive a parking permit.

Drug-testing results will be used only to determine eligibility for a parking permit and participation in extracurricular activities. Positive drug test results will not be used to impose disciplinary sanctions or academic penalties.

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

Drug-testing results will be confidential and will be disclosed only to the student, the student's parents, and designated District officials who need the information to administer the drug-testing program.

Drug-testing results will not be maintained with a student's academic record. Results will not be otherwise disclosed except as required by law.

The Board will contract with a certified drug-testing laboratory to conduct testing of students' biological samples. Testing laboratories will not release statistics regarding the rate of positive drug tests to any person or organization without consent of the District.

The District will make available to students and parents a list of the exact substances for which tests will be conducted.

Personnel from the drug-testing laboratory will collect urine samples under conditions that are no more intrusive than the conditions experienced in a public restroom. When selected for testing, a student will be escorted to the school's testing site by a District employee and will remain under employee supervision by an employee of the same sex until the student provides the required sample.

Random tests will be conducted on as many as 6 dates throughout the school year.

No less than 3% percent and no more than 30 total of the students participating in the program will be randomly selected for each random test date. The drug testing laboratory will use a random selection method to identify students chosen for random testing. Stu-dents will not receive prior notice of the testing date or time.

A student who refuses to be tested when selected or who is determined to have tampered with a sample will be deemed to have a positive test result and will 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 test, a sample will be collected on the next random testing date.

An initial positive test will 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 will 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, as applicable, to review the test results and discuss consequences.

The student or parent will have 2 school days following the meeting to provide a medical explanation for a positive result.

If the student wishes to return to participation in extracurricular activities or have a parking permit reinstated, the student will be retested on the next 2 random test dates so long as the student wishes to participate in extracurricular activities or park a vehicle on school property.

The District will notify the parent and student of drug and alcohol abuse prevention resources available in the area.

Consequences of positive test results will be cumulative through the student’s enrollment in the District.

Upon a first offense of receiving a confirmed positive drug test, a student will be suspended from any extracurricular activity and the student’s parking permit will be suspended, for 14 calendar days following the date the student and parent are notified of the test results.

During the period of suspension, the student may participate in practices but not in any competitive activities or performances.

Prior to being reinstated, a student must participate in a counseling session to discuss the causes and dangers of drug/alcohol use.  The student may receive counseling from a district-provided counselor, or a counselor of the student’s choice.  If the student chooses to participate in a counseling session with a qualified drug and alcohol counselor of the student’s choice, student is responsible for the cost of the counseling session and must ensure that that counselor provides confirmation to the District that the counseling sessions have taken place.

Note: If the student wishes to return to participation in extracurricular activities or have a parking permit reinstated, the student will be retested on the next 2 random test dates so long as the student wishes to participate in extracurricular activities or park a vehicle on school property.

Upon a second offense of receiving a confirmed positive drug test, a student will be suspended from any extracurricular activity and the student’s parking permit will be suspended, for 30 calendar days following the date the student and parent are notified of the test results.

During the period of suspension, the student may participate in practices but not in any competitive activities or performances.

Prior to being reinstated, a student must participate in two counseling sessions to discuss the causes and dangers of drug/alcohol use.  The student may receive counseling from a district-provided counselor, or a counselor of the student’s choice.  If the student chooses to participate in counseling sessions with a qualified drug and alcohol counselor of the student’s choice, student is responsible for the cost of the counseling session and must ensure that that counselor provides confirmation to the District that the counseling sessions have taken place.

Note: If the student wishes to return to participation in extracurricular activities or have a parking permit reinstated, the student will be retested on the next 2 random test dates so long as the student wishes to participate in extracurricular activities or park a vehicle on school property.

Upon a third offense of receiving a confirmed positive drug test, a student will be suspended from participation in any extracurricular activity and the student’s parking permit will be suspended, for 60 calendar days following the date the student and parent are notified of the test results.

During the period of suspension, the student may participate in practices but not in any competitive activities or performances.

Prior to being reinstated, a student must participate in two counseling sessions to discuss the causes and dangers of drug/alcohol use. The student may receive counseling from a district-provided counselor, or a counselor of the student’s choice.

Note: If the student chooses to participate in counseling sessions with a qualified drug and alcohol counselor of the student’s choice, student is responsible for the cost of the counseling session and must ensure that that counselor provides confirmation to the District that the counseling sessions have taken place.

Upon a fourth offense of receiving a confirmed positive drug test, a student will be suspended from any participation in any extracurricular activity and the student’s parking permit will be suspended, for the remainder of the student’s enrollment in the District.

If a student’s suspension from participation in extracurricular activities and parking privileges is not completed by the end of the semester, the student will complete the assigned period of suspension during the following semester or during the first semester of the following school year.

A student or parent may appeal a decision made under this policy in accordance with FNG(LOCAL). The student will be ineligible for participation in extracurricular activities or reinstatement of parking privileges while the appeal is pending.

Links:

GISD - Board Policy

Administrative Regulations

Tested Substances

Activities Covered by Drug Testing