(1) Response Response Chairman John Glenn Questions for the Record for Mr. John Luke You state that the Cleveland school system relies on (a) How did they choose these packages? Did they get any (b) The Cleveland district used three commercially- When Drug-Free Schools funds became available, the district expanded these programs to cover more schools and students. The district did not seek nor obtain help from the state or federal government in selecting its programs. Are the schools evaluating the programs on any regular basis? To date program evaluations have consisted basically of surveys of teacher and student perceptions and opinions of the strengths and weaknesses of the programs being used. District annual evaluation reports to the state education agency also include descriptive information on district programs and participation levels. However, the district has not assessed its programs' effectiveness in changing students' knowledge, attitudes or behaviors regarding the use of drugs or alcohol. (2) Response Response You report that neither the State nor the local school districts in Ohio has undertaken a formal evaluation of the drug-free school program. (a) Do you know whether there are plans to carry out such an evaluation? (b) The 1989 amendments to the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986 require states to submit a report to the Secretary of Education every 2 years on state and local program effectiveness. The Department of Education is developing guidance for the states and districts to follow in conducting these required evaluations. An Ohio state education agency official told us the agency did not know how it would meet this requirement because of the wide variety of programs in the state. A Cleveland district official told us the district planned to develop (through a contracted student survey) baseline data on student knowledge, attitudes and behaviors regarding drug use by the end of school year 1989-90. How would you advise that such an evaluation be In 1988 the Department of Education published guidance on selecting and implementing curricula which suggests use of such data as (1) indicators of curriculum effectiveness, (2) school and law enforcement records of drug-related incidents, (3) use of intervention and referral services, (4) student surveys, (5) feedback from staff and parents, (6) participation in drug-free activities, and (7) analyses of program service delivery. A study by the Departments of Education and Health and As stated above, the Department is developing guidance Could an effective evaluation program be designed Our work to date under this study was not designed to address this specific question and has not provided sufficient information to enable us to conclude whether an effective evaluation program would be prohibitively expensive. However, we plan to gather additional information on the issue of program evaluation in the remaining phases of our study, and will address the issue further in future reporting on our findings. Can you give an assessment of which money was better TESTIMONY SENATE GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE HEARING FEBRUARY 13, 1990 SENATOR JOHN GLENN, CHAIRMAN THE SENATOR GLENN, MY NAME IS DEBRA LEWIS CURLEE, CO-DIRECTOR OF THE YOUTH ACTION PROJECT OF THE FEDERATION FOR COMMUNITY PLANNING. PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX NEEDS OF TODAYS YOUTH. MY TESTIMONY WILL ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS AND HOPEFULLY PROVIDE INSIGHT TO THE NEED FOR A MORE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO SOLVING PROBLEMS. DRUG ABUSE AND MISUSE, TEENAGE PREGNANCY AND EARLY CHILDBEARING, DROPOUT, JUVENILE CRIME AND YOUTH GANGS, AND YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT ARE SYMPTOMS OF A BROADER COMMUNITY PROBLEM. WHEN YOUTH DO NOT HAVE SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT, THEY ARE NOT LIKELY TO SET GOALS OR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. THE RESULTS MAYBE ANY OR ALL OF THE ABOVE WHICH INTERFERE WITH DEVELOPING THE NECESSARY SKILLS TO INSURE A PRODUCTIVE ADULTHOOD. WE MUST REFOCUS OUR EFFORTS TOWARD PREVENTION AND BUILD ON THE ENERGY OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR NEED FOR COMMITMENT. YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE STRONG TIES TO THEIR FAMILIES, SCHOOL, COMMUNITY, SPIRITUAL AFFIRMATION AND WORK, AND ARE INVOLVED IN SOME TYPE OF POSITIVE YOUTH ACTIVITIES ARE LESS LIKELY TO GET INVOLVED IN ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIORS. FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS OFTEN DO NOT PROVIDE THAT STABILITY AND VALUES RE-ENFORCEMENT THAT ENABLES YOUTH ΤΟ GAIN A SENSE OF IDENTITY AS ACHIEVING AND CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. THEY HAVE FEW ROLE MODELS THAT DEMONSTRATE LEGITIMATE PATHS FOR ACHIEVEMENT. THEY HAVE MANY ROLE MODELS WHO DEMONSTRATE NEGATIVE SHORT CUTS TO ACQUIRING POSSESSIONS AND STATUS. PREVENTION IS THE ANSWER. IT IS A SOCIETAL ACTION TO PRECLUDE OR CORRECT ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIORS. AS A SOCIETY WE TEND TO PROVIDE FEW SUPPORT TO OUR AT-RISK YOUTH UNTIL THEY GET INTO TROUBLE. EVEN OUR INTERVENTIONS ARE OFTEN DESIGNED AS "QUICK FIXES". PAGE 2 TESTIMONY FEBRUARY 13, 1990 SENATOR GLENN UNITED STATES STATISTICS AT A GLANCE: HIGHEST RATE OF TEEN ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG USE OF ANY 28% OF OUR 17 AND 18 YEAR OLDS DO NOT COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL 13% OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES FAIL TO REACH READING AND WRITING COMPETENCE BEYOND THE SIXTH GRADE LEVEL 13% OF ALL 17 YEAR OLDS ARE FUNCTIONALLY ILLITERATE BETWEEN 1985 AND 1986 THE HOMICIDE RATE INCREASED NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF VIOLENT CRIMES COMMITTED BY TEEN PREGNANCY RATE IS ONE OF THE HIGEST IN THE WESTERN CUYAHOGA COUNTY/CLEVELAND, OHIO STATISTICS AT A GLANCE: t SINCE 1983 THERE IS AN 100% INCREASE IN JUVENILE IN 1982 JUVENILES WERE ONLY 1% OF THE ARREST FOR IN 1989 THERE WAS A 14% INCREASE IN AGGRAVATED ARREST. 50% OF NINTH GRADERS EITHER DROPOUT OR DO NOT COMPLETE 12TH GRADE IN THE FOUR YEAR SPAN 50 COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF OHIO HAVE A HIGHER RATE OF TEEN BIRTHS BUT CUYAHOGA RANK 1ST IN OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS TO TEENS AND ADULT WOMEN 26% OF BIRTHS TO TEENS IN CLEVELAND WERE TO THOSE WITH AT LEAST ONE CHILD |