The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program is a federally funded intiative that supports programs that prevent the violence in and around schools and that strengthen programs that prevent the illegal use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in private as well as public schools. In order to be eligible for funding, school systems are required to develop programs that meet the Principles of Effectiveness.

Principles of Effectiveness
In order to be eligible for funding, school systems are required to develop programs and activities that meet the Principles of Effectiveness. In order to meet the Principles of Effectiveness, the program or activity shall:

1. 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 going local assessment or evaluation activities.

2. 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.

3. Be based on scientifically based research that provides evidence that the program to be used will reduce violence and illegal drug use.

4. 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.

5. Include meaningful and ongoing consultation with and input from parents in the development of the application and administration of the program or activity.

Unsafe School Choice Option
Each State receiving funds under this Act shall establish and implement a statewide policy requiring that a student attending a persistently dangerous public elementary or secondary school, as determined by the State in consultation with a representative sample of local educational agencies, or who becomes a victim of violent criminal offense, as determined by State law, while in or on the grounds of a public elementary school or secondary school that the student attends, be allowed to attend a safe public elementary school or secondary school within the local educational agency, including a public charter school. Transportation shall be provided by Franklin Special School District.

Likewise, families of students who attend schools designated as “unsafe” due to a pattern of violence and/or the student is a victim of a violent crime on school premises, the parent may choose to transfer his/her child to a school that is not designated as unsafe. Transportation shall be provided by Franklin Special School District.    

Learn more about the U.S. Department of Education Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities. For more information on the FSSD's Safe and Drug-Free Schools program, please contact Annie Sawyers , Instructional Facilitator for Student Performance.