Title IV, Part A - Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Fact Sheet
On January 8, 2002, the President signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), which reauthorizes the Elementary And Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSC) as Title IV, Part A of the NCLB became effective on July 1, 2002. The purpose of the SDFSC is to support programs that prevent violence in and around schools; that prevent the illegal use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs; that involve parents and communities; and that are coordinated with related federal, state, school, and community efforts and resources to foster a safe and drug-free learning environment that supports student academic achievement.
The Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs (ADP) also receives SDFSC funds to support community efforts to keep youth drug and alcohol free. The ADP now requires that the SDFSC funds allocated to community-based grantees through competitive Request For Applications (RFAs) are used to support programs or activities that complement and support activities of local educational agencies (LEAs).
The mission of the Safe and Healthy Kids Program Office (SHKPO) is to provide leadership to keep youth safe and alcohol, tobacco and drug free. Drug, alcohol and tobacco-use prevention programs are part of this effort as well as violence prevention and school safety are part of this effort. Programs to promote youth development, resiliency, buffers, protective factors, and assets are also part of this effort. The purpose of our prevention programs and youth development efforts is to foster a positive learning environment that supports academic achievement.
Overview
Research-validated effective drug and violence prevention programs will both prevent risk behaviors and create safe, disciplined, and drug-free schools conducive to setting high academic standards for all students. Youth development is essential to ensure that all students achieve academically. Schools receiving SDFSC funds are required to develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive drug and violence prevention program, with age-appropriate and developmentally based activities, that is coordinated with other school and community-based services. The SDFSC allows local schools to use funds to support the following authorized activities:
- Addressing the consequences of violence and the illegal use of drugs, as appropriate
- Promoting a sense of individual responsibility
- Teaching students that most people do not illegally use drugs
- Teaching students to recognize social and peer pressure to use drugs illegally and the skills for resisting illegal drug use
- Teaching students about the dangers of emerging drugs
- Engaging students in the learning process
- Incorporating activities in secondary schools that reinforce prevention activities implemented in elementary schools
Principles of Effectiveness
Each LEA, or consortium of such agencies, that receives SDFSC funds must use such funds to carry out activities that comply with the Principles of Effectiveness. For a program or activity developed pursuant to this subpart to meet the Principles of Effectiveness, such program or activity shall meet the following criteria:
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In General
- Be based on an assessment of objective data regarding
the incidence of violence and illegal drug use in the elementary
schools and secondary schools and communities to be served,
including an objective analysis of the current conditions
and consequences regarding violence and illegal drug use,
including delinquency and serious discipline problems, among
students who attend such schools (including private school
students who participate in the drug and violence prevention
program) that is based on ongoing local assessment or evaluation
activities.
- Be based on an established set of performance measures
aimed at ensuring that the elementary schools and secondary
schools and communities to be served by the program have
a safe, orderly, and drug-free learning environment.
- Be based on scientifically-based research that provides
evidence that the program to be used will reduce violence
and illegal drug use.
- Be based on an analysis of the data reasonably available
at the time, of the prevalence of risk factors, including
high or increasing rates of reported cases of child abuse
and domestic violence; protective factors, buffers, assets;
or other variables in schools and communities in the state
identified through scientifically based research.
- Include meaningful and ongoing consultation with and input from parents in the development of the application and administration of the program or activity.
- Be based on an assessment of objective data regarding
the incidence of violence and illegal drug use in the elementary
schools and secondary schools and communities to be served,
including an objective analysis of the current conditions
and consequences regarding violence and illegal drug use,
including delinquency and serious discipline problems, among
students who attend such schools (including private school
students who participate in the drug and violence prevention
program) that is based on ongoing local assessment or evaluation
activities.
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Periodic Evaluation
- REQUIREMENT—The program or activity shall undergo
a periodic evaluation to assess its progress toward reducing
violence and illegal drug use in schools to be served based
on performance measures described in section 4114(d)(2)(B).
- USE OF RESULTS—The results shall be used to refine,
improve, and strengthen the program, and to refine the performance
measures, and shall also be made available to the public
upon request, with public notice of such availability provided.
- WAIVER—An LEA may apply to the state for a waiver of the requirement of subsection (1)(C) to allow innovative activities or programs that demonstrate substantial likelihood of success.
- REQUIREMENT—The program or activity shall undergo
a periodic evaluation to assess its progress toward reducing
violence and illegal drug use in schools to be served based
on performance measures described in section 4114(d)(2)(B).
Services and Funding
The SDFSC is a formula grant program that targets resources where they are needed most. The California Department of Education (CDE) provides the following program leadership and technical assistance services guiding the use and distribution of SDFSC funds:
- The CDE distributes not less than 93 percent of SDFSC funds to LEAs.
- Of the 93 percent for LEAs, the CDE distributes 60 percent based on the relative amount such agencies received under Part A of Title I for the preceding fiscal year. The remaining 40 percent is distributed to LEAs based on the relative enrollments in public and private schools within the boundaries of the agency.
- The CDE will require LEAs receiving SDFSC funds to have an approved Local Education Agency Plan (LEAP) that supports coordination of the SDFSC program with other NCLB programs and coordinates SDFSC program planning with other related federal and state prevention efforts.
- The CDE requires LEAs receiving SDFSC funds to submit a Consolidated Application that addresses SDFSC requirements for program budgeting and consulting with private nonprofit schools.
- The CDE provides LEAs with program guidelines describing promising or research-validated effective exemplary prevention programs and activities through the CDE's publication Getting Results.
- The CDE provides LEAs with support to comply with the new Uniform Management Information and Reporting System (UMIRS). These supports include mandatory participation in the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) and the Annual Program Report. The CHKS provides full support for conducting a comprehensive youth health and risk behavior prevalence survey. Both the CHKS and LEA Annual Program Report can be used to collect and report the data needed to comply with the UMIRS requirements for program evaluation and performance measures.
- Each county office of education receives SDFSC funding to support its efforts to provide technical assistance and leadership to school districts within their county to develop and implement effective drug and violence prevention programs and youth development.
Services for Private Schools
LEAs receiving Title IV funds are responsible for providing equitable services and benefits to eligible private school students, teachers, and other educational personnel (Title IX, Part E, Uniform Provisions, Subpart 1- Private Schools). The LEAs and appropriate private school officials must consult during the design and development of the program. The obligation to initiate consultation lies with the LEA that receives the Title IV funds. Consultation must occur before the LEA makes any decision (i.e., hiring staff, ordering materials) that affects the opportunities of private school participants. The CDE’s Private Schools Office recommends that consultation occur in the spring prior to the year of service.
Consultation involves communications and discussions between LEAs and private school officials on key issues that are relevant to the equitable participation of eligible private school students, teachers, and other educational personnel. The LEA must always maintain control of the program funds as well as title to all material, equipment, and property purchased with Title IV funds. Only the LEA may obligate and expend Title IV funds on behalf of private school students and teachers. All services and benefits provided must be secular, neutral, and nonideological.
For more information regarding private schools and eligibility for services, please contact CDE’s Elementary Education Office, privateschools@cde.ca.gov, 916-319-0839.
