The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy will be hosting four regional one-day Random Student Drug Testing Summits in 2008. Random student drug testing is a valuable prevention strategy that can help deter children from initiating drug use. It can also identify children who have just started using drugs as well as children who have a dependency so that they may be referred to treatment.

Student drug testing programs are developed by the schools in which they are implemented so that the program is specifically tailored to the needs of the community. All student drug testing programs are designed to act as deterrent and are not by format or nature punitive.

The Random Student Drug Testing Summits will address relevant legal and program development issues and serve as an introduction for schools that would like to learn more about student drug testing. Participants will be provided with information on the Department of Education's 2008 grant competition and application process. For schools that already have a program in place, new information will be available.

Summit dates are as follows:

• Jacksonville, FL -- January 29, 2008
• Oklahoma City, OK -- January 31, 2008
• Albuquerque, NM -- February 6, 2008
• Indianapolis, IN -- February 19, 2008*

There is no cost to attend the summits but, because space is limited, we encourage you to register as soon as possible at http://summits.csrincorporated.com or send an email to summits@csrincorporated.com if you have additional questions. 

For additional information regarding random student drug testing, please visit www.randomstudentdrugtesting.org

For additonal information regarding the Department of Education's 2008 grant announcement and application for School-Based Student-Drug Testing, please visit www07.grants.gov/search

* Editor's note, Jan. 22, 2008: The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has changed the date of the regional summit in Indianapolis -- but not the time or location -- from February 13 to February 19, 2008. All meeting registrations will be carried over automatically to this new date. Please contact ONDCP by email: summits@csrincorporated.com or phone: 703.312.5220 with questions.