A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

Biennial Evaluation Report - FY 93-94

Chapter 115

Drug-Free Schools and Communities State and Local Programs

(CFDA No. 84.186)

I. Program Profile

Legislation: Part B (sections 5121-5127) of the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA) of 1986, as amended (20 U.S.C. 3191-3197) (expires September 30, 1999).

Purpose: To provide Federal financial assistance to States for school- and community-based programs of drug and alcohol abuse education and prevention.

Funding History

Fiscal Year	Appropriation
1987	$161,046,000
1988	191,480,000
1989	287,730,000
1990	460,554,000 ¹
1991	497,702,000
1992	507,663,000
1993	498,565,000
1994	369,500,000

1/ This amount includes $24,688,000 for Emergency Grants. (See Chapter 123.)

II. Program Information and Analysis

Performance Indicators

Two sources of data provide an opportunity to detect changes in State-level commitment to, and LEA participation in, the DFSCA program over time. These are (1) DFSCA State Biennial Performance Reports (SBPRs)¹, which covered the period July 1989 through June 1991 (III.1) and (2) the DFSCA Implementation Study, which covered school years 1987-1988 and 1988-1989 (III.2).

LEA participation in the program increased from 78 percent in school year 1988-1989 to 96 percent in school year 1990-1991. The primary reason that the remaining districts did not participate continues to be that the amount of the LEA allocation is too low relative to the effort required to complete an application for funds.
The number of States that had conducted evaluations of the effectiveness or impact of their programs increased from 15 to 25. The number of States conducting prevalence surveys during the reporting period also increased, from 25 to 49. States reported that they used these data in several ways: to identify program needs, to establish baseline measures or provide trend data on students' use of substances, and to assess program effectiveness.

Population Targeting

Nearly 40 million school-age public- and private-school youth (kindergarten through grade 12) were served by DFSCA programs during this reporting period. High-risk youth are a primary focus of programs operated with Governors' funds; 50 percent or more of Governors' funds were used to provided services to children of substance abusers, economically disadvantaged youth, and dropouts or youth who were at risk of dropping out of school.

Services

Services provided include student training and instruction, staff training and development, student support services, purchase or development of instructional materials, training for parents and community members, community awareness and coordination, and needs assessment and evaluation. The most frequently reported program focuses included (1) improving students' knowledge, attitudes, and values about drugs; (2) developing students' decision-making skills and self-confidence; (3) developing students' social and interpersonal skills; (4) enhancing the knowledge, skills, and abilities of staff involved in drug prevention programs; and (5) referring and counseling students with problems.

Program Administration

Each State allocation is divided between the SEA and the Office of the Governor. The SEA must allot most of its funds to local and intermediate education agencies based on enrollment in both public and private, nonprofit schools. Approximately 10 percent of the States' SEA allocation is set aside for program administration, training, and technical assistance activities. Of funds allocated to the Governor's office, at least 42.5 percent must be used for programs designed to meet the needs of high-risk youth, 10 percent for drug abuse resistance education programs, and 5 percent for replication of successful prevention programs. SEA set-aside funds were primarily used for training and technical assistance, administrative functions, needs assessment and evaluation, instructional materials, supplemental grants to LEAs, increasing public awareness, and coordinating community resources.

Mangement Improvement Strategies

The program office revised the non-regulatory guidance for Part B programs to clarify requirements pertaining to allowable services and evaluation under the DFSCA.

III. Sources of Information

DFSCA State Biennial Performance Reports (for the period July 1989 through June 1991). (Unpublished data).
A Study of the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act: Report on State and Local Programs (Executive Summary). (Research Triangle Park, NC: Research Triangle Institute, 1991).
Legislation and program files.

IV. Planned Studies

In September 1990, the Department began a 60-month study of the relative effectiveness of school-based prevention program strategies. The study has three components: (1) monitoring changes in alcohol and other drug use knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of a cohort of 5th and 6th graders from school year 1991-1992 through 1994-1995; (2) conducting in-depth case studies of 10 Governors' local prevention projects for high-risk youth in order to identify exemplary practices in community-based prevention programs; and (3) conducting a mail survey to SEAs to examine changes in State programs in response to the 1989 amendments to the DFSCA and to stand for the State Biennial Performance Reports for the period July 1991 through June 1993.

V. Contacts for Furter Information

Program Operations:: Michelle Padilla, (202) 260-2648
Program Studies:: Susan Thompson-Hoffman, (202) 401-3630

¹ All States and territories, except Alaska, submitted SEA reports for this period. The following States and territories did not submit Governor's reports: the District of Columbia, Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee, Guam, and the Republic of Palau. West Virginia did submit a Governor's report, bu the report was received too late for inclusion in these analyses.

-###-

[Special Programs for Indian Adults--Subpart 3]

[Drug-Free Schools and Communities Regional Centers Program]