The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program: Background and Context (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised Jan. 22, 2007 |
| Report Number |
RL30482 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Edith Fairman Cooper, Domestic Social Policy Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
The No Child Left Behind Act (P.L. 107-110), amended and reauthorized the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA) as Part A of Title IVâ21st Century Schools. The act is up for reauthorization in the 110th Congress. The Department of Education (ED) administers SDFSCA through the SDFSC program, which is the federal government's major initiative to prevent drug abuse and violence in and around schools. State grants are awarded by formula to outlying areas, state educational agencies, and local educational agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Also, funds go to state Governors for creating programs to deter youth from using drugs and committing violent acts in schools. National programs are supported through discretionary funds for a variety of national leadership projects designed to prevent drug abuse and violence at all educational levels.
Other federally sponsored substance abuse and violence prevention programs are administered in the Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, and other agencies. Those programs are not discussed in this report.
A joint Department of Education and Department of Justice (DOJ) study (Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2006) states that "Our nation's schools should be a safe haven for teaching and learning free of crime and violence.... However, it is difficult to gauge the scope of crime and violence in schools given the large amount of attention devoted to isolated incidents of extreme school violence." ED and DOJ data show that from July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2005, there were 21 homicides and seven suicides at school of 5- to 18-year-old students, which translated to about one homicide or suicide of such a student at school per 2 million students enrolled in the 2004-05 school year. Also, in 2004, 12- to-18-year-old students were victims of about 1.4 million nonfatal crimes at school. A spate of school violence deaths and injuries occurred early in the 2006-2007 school term, prompting renewed interest in the issue, including a White House conference on school safety.
A study conducted by the University of Michigan (2006 Monitoring the Future), revealed a continued general decline in illicit drug use by all 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students. In 2006, very little or no declines in drug use occurred in any grade of such drugs as inhalants, LSD, cocaine powder, methamphetamines, heroin, tranquilizers, sedatives, various club drugs, steroids and others. There was little change in MDMA (ecstasy) use among 8th and 10th graders, but a very small increase in annual use among 12th graders. Marijuana use continued to decline among 10th and 12th graders, but stopped declining among 8th graders. After decreasing slightly in recent years among all grades, crack cocaine use showed a further decline among 10th graders. OxyContin use increased among 8th and 10th graders, but declined among 12th graders. Vicodin use slightly increased among all three grades. Alcohol use, cigarette smoking, and smokeless tobacco use declined only among 12th graders who had used the product 30 days prior to the survey. About one in every 25 8th graders and one in every 14 high school seniors abused over-the-counter cough or cold medications.
