Colorado High School Will Drug Test Students

EAGLE COUNTY, Colo. -- A high school in Eagle County will become one of the first in Colorado to subject students to random drug testing.

Testing will target students in extracurricular activities and sports at Battle Mountain High School.

It will start this fall.

Brooke Skjonsby, the Director of Communications for Eagle County Schools told 7NEWS, "This was an issue brought forth by parents, students, faculty and community members who were concerned that drugs were interferring with our kids and how they perform in the classrooms."

She said this was a "community effort to address a problem."

The Board of Education approved the drug testing program Wednesday.

More than 75 percent of students at Battle Mountain High are involved in extracurricular activities.

The Vail Daily newspaper is reporting that students who test positive for drug use will get help from the school. A Student Assistance Program will be created to assess a student’s problem, provide counseling and find appropriate treatment.

The program will cost at least $60,000 to fund and staff the Student Assistance Program.

According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, Ignacio High School, in the town of Ignacio, near Durango, is the only secondary school in Colorado to have random drug testing. Assistant Principal Melanie Taylor said in the program's three years no student has tested positive.

The school holds random testing two or three times each season for up to five students at a time, Taylor said.