Students

Administrative Procedure – Random Drug Testing

Consent Form

To try out for or to participate in any school-sponsored IHSA interscholastic competition, the student must read this policy and sign a consent on the Release Form by which the student agrees that as a condition of participation in school interscholastic competition, he/she will be eligible for the drug testing program outlined in this procedure.  This consent form must also be signed by the student’s parents or guardians in advance of the tryouts if applicable.  If the student, his/her parents, or guardians refuse to sign the release form, the student will not be permitted to be a member of a team or participate in the competition.  The consent form will be valid for a calendar year, including the following summer and must be renewed annually.

Confidentiality

The results of any test administered under the terms of this procedure shall be kept confidential and disclosed only to the student, his/her parents or guardians, and school officials designated by the superintendent.  The results of the testing shall not be used as a basis for any disciplinary action other than disqualification from team or competition involvement as provided for in this policy and procedure.  The test results will not be part of the student’s permanent record but will be kept in a secure file in the district offices.

Testing Procedure

1. Between three and five random testing dates will occur between the months of August through May.

2. Only the superintendent, designated administrators, and the designated testing facility will be aware of the testing date prior to the actual morning of the testing.

3. A computerized data system administered through an outside testing agency will randomly select 10 students registered in an extracurricular activity for testing at each session.

4. The students selected will be escorted by a school employee to the designated testing room.  Students may be randomly selected more than once a year.

5. Parents will be notified that their child was randomly selected for the screening and may request a copy of this procedure and related board policies.

6. A school employee will be present and in charge of necessary registration procedures at the time of testing.

7. The student must produce a urine specimen of the amount the testing agency requires.

8. A licensed medical facility selected by the superintendent shall take every reasonable precaution to collect an unadulterated urine specimen from the student during the collection process and will provide an accurate chain of custody for each and every specimen.

9. Any student who is in attendance on the day of testing and does not report for testing or refuses testing will be judged as testing positive for a prohibited substance.

10. Any masking or other form of tampering with the urine specimen will be considered a positive test and the consequences will be handled accordingly.

11. Once the drug testing is completed by the testing facility, the results will be returned to the designated school administrator. 

12. If any student cannot produce a urine sample within 2 hours from the time they enter the testing area, it will be considered a refusal and consequences will be implemented.

Negative Test

The parents or guardians of a student who tests negative will be notified by mail within ten (10) school days of the District’s receipt of the information.

Positive Test

The administrator will inform the student and parents as soon as the results are received that the student has tested positive for illegal or IHSA prohibited substances, school policy has been violated, and consequences will be implemented.  The testing agency will send a follow-up letter to the school regarding the positive test result.

A. Assessment

If the test results are positive, the student must schedule an assessment interview with a qualified chemical dependency counselor within two (2) business days at the student’s expense or through a school approved agency that provides free assessments.

The chemical dependency counselor will secure the necessary release of information and make recommendations to the parents or guardians and the District student assistance program counselor regarding the student’s chemical dependency assessment and treatment recommendations. The student assistance program counselor will notify the athletic director as soon as possible regarding the status of the student. 

If the parents or guardians and student refuse to go for an assessment interview, it will be considered a violation under the High School Code of Conduct and a suspension from the program will be imposed.  If, at the end of the suspension, the student has still not completed an assessment interview, the suspension will continue until an assessment has been completed.

B. Consequences

1.      The student will be immediately suspended pending an athletic code committee hearing.  A positive test result will be viewed as an athletic code violation and subject to the penalties and procedures of the High School Code of Conduct.

2.       All participants who have self-reported or tested positive will be tested in future sessions for one calendar year.

Self-Reporting

An extremely important part of this program is to allow students to self-report if they have used or are using any drug.  The student who self-reports prior to being notified of testing will not be suspended from competition; however, the student will submit a urine specimen at future drug testing sessions for one calendar year.  The drug screen must be negative each time.  The student who self-reports must submit to drug assessments by an outside agency.  Failure to submit to drug testing, assessment, or participation in the recommended program after self-reporting will cause the student to be guilty of a high school code of conduct violation and subject to consequences as stated in the High School Code of Conduct.  A student may self-report one time without consequences of suspension during his/her high school career.

Retesting

The student will have an opportunity within twenty-four (24) hours of the notification of the initial positive test results to have the specimen tested in a laboratory of the family’s choice and at their expense.  The athletic director may consult with medical professionals to evaluate the results of the retest, taking into consideration any evidence offered by the student.  Should the test be confirmed as positive, and there is not a satisfactory explanation for the positive results, the student will have two (2) business days to complete an assessment interview with a qualified chemical dependency counselor at the student’s expense. During this retesting, the student shall remain subject to the original penalty. 

Enforcement

Nothing contained in this policy shall prohibit or limit the application of the District’s regular student disciplinary rules and regulations to students.  The provisions of this policy are considered an addition to all other rules and regulations governing student conduct and discipline.

Hearing Rights

The parents or guardians of a student charged with a violation of the rules of this policy and procedure shall be given an opportunity for a hearing as outlined in the High School Code of Conduct.

DATED:          January 2014

UPDATED:    August 20, 2018

Non-PRESS Administrative Procedures