Drug Testing Policy
Random Testing
District Policy
Waxahachie ISD’s policy is to conduct random drug testing on students in grades 7-12 that participate in school-sponsored extracurricular activities (both UIL and non-UIL sanctioned). This includes students who park on a WISD campus.
In This Section
Drug Testing
Policy

WISD and the Board of Trustees believe that the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities is a privilege offered to eligible students on an equal opportunity basis. The use of alcohol or drugs by any student presents a hazard to their health, safety, and welfare. By using random drug testing, we are able to detect and prevent illegal drug and alcohol use among students.
To be eligible to participate in any school-sponsored extracurricular activity, a secondary student (grades 7-12) must agree to participate in a drug-testing program that includes random testing during the school year. A signed consent form [below] must be on file for each student before they are able to participate in extracurricular activities. The Drug Testing Consent form is part of the Student Enrollment forms.
Procedures
FAQs
- What is a "school-sponsored" extracurricular activity?
- Where to submit signed consent form?
- How are students chosen for testing
- How are students tested?
- What drugs are detected?
- What happens after positive test results?
- Are results reported to law enforcement?
- Are test results part of educational records or are they reported to district staff?
- Are there penalties aside from extracurricular ineligibility?
- How to appeal extracurricular ineligibility?
- What if drugs prescribed by a doctor cause a positive test result?
- Are false positive test results possible?
- If drug use is confirmed after testing positive, is extracurricular participation permitted?
- What if there are additional offenses?
- Does the test detect steroids?
- What if a parent or guardian refuses to sign the consent form?
- What happens if students refuse to be tested?
- Does the district provide notice before conducting testing?
- Will junior high offenses affect students when they get to high school?
- Why are students that park on campus also included in this policy?
What is a "school-sponsored" extracurricular activity?
All interscholastic athletics, cheerleading, drill team, academic clubs, special interest clubs, musical performances, dramatic performances, student government, and any other activity or group that participates in contests, competitions, or community service projects on behalf of or as a representative of the District, whether UIL sanctioned or not.
Where to submit signed consent form?
How are students chosen for testing
How are students tested?
What drugs are detected?
What happens after positive test results?
A second, more definitive test must confirm all positive results before being reported as positive. The same sample will be used to conduct the second test. When there is a positive, confirmed test result, the following steps will be taken:
- The school official to whom the results are reported will notify the principal and extracurricular program director.
- The principal or district administrator will notify the student’s parent/guardian, the student, and the sponsor or coach of the affected activity. The principal will inform the parent of the opportunity to respond to a positive test. The principal will schedule a meeting with the appropriate campus counselor, the parent/guardian, the student, and the student’s physician to develop a plan of assistance for the student.
- At the meeting, the principal will give students and parents a copy of the test results and provide them with an opportunity to offer an explanation of the results. Parents may also request a retest of the original specimen to confirm the results, but the retest will be at the parent’s expense. A request to retest must be made in writing within 48 hours of the meeting with the principal, and payment for the retest must be included with the request.
Are results reported to law enforcement?
Are test results part of educational records or are they reported to district staff?
Results will not be placed in student records. Results will be kept confidential and disclosed only to the student, his/her parent/guardian, and school officials with a need to know (as designated by the Superintendent). Test results will not be provided to districts outside of Waxahachie ISD for any reason, including through the withdrawal process.
Are there penalties aside from extracurricular ineligibility?
How to appeal extracurricular ineligibility?
An appeal of the sanction may be instituted by the parent by giving written notice to the appropriate campus principal within five days. The student shall be ineligible for participation pending the appeal. All appeals shall utilize the procedures in FNG(LOCAL).
What if drugs prescribed by a doctor cause a positive test result?
Are false positive test results possible?
If drug use is confirmed after testing positive, is extracurricular participation permitted?
Upon a first offense, the student will be removed from participation until the following criteria are fulfilled:
- A minimum of ten (10) school days have elapsed;
- Satisfactory completion of six hours of community service that is verified by the appropriate campus counselor; and
- The student tests negative each session for the remainder of the school year.
Any student who tests positive, completes six hours of community service, and is reinstated will be re-tested once a month for as long as he or she participates in school-sponsored extracurricular activities for the remainder of the school year.
What if there are additional offenses?
If a student tests positive a second time, the student shall be removed from participation, including practice or competition, until the following criteria are fulfilled:
- A minimum of 90 school days has elapsed;
- Satisfactory completion of the assistance plan including at least four 45-minute education and advisement sessions are verified by the appropriate campus counselor; and
- The student is retested by the testing agency with a negative result.
Any student who tests positive, receives counseling, and is reinstated shall be retested once a month for as long as he or she participates in school-sponsored extracurricular activities for the remainder of the school year.
If a student tests positive a third time, the student shall be removed from participation, including practice or competition, until the following criteria are fulfilled:
- A minimum of 180 school days has elapsed;
- Satisfactory completion of the assistance plan including at least four 45-minute education and advisement sessions are verified by the appropriate campus counselor; and
- The student is retested by the testing agency with a negative result.
Any student who tests positive, receives counseling, and is reinstated shall be retested once a month for as long as he or she participates in school-sponsored extracurricular activities for the remainder of the school year.
Does the test detect steroids?
What if a parent or guardian refuses to sign the consent form?
What happens if students refuse to be tested?
Does the district provide notice before conducting testing?
Will junior high offenses affect students when they get to high school?
Positive drug test results during junior high school (grades 7 and 8) shall not be used as consideration for graduated sanctions beginning in high school (grades 9–12). Once a student begins high school (grade 9), the sanction for the first positive drug test result shall be commiserate with the first level of sanctions noted above (ten-day suspension, one advisement session, proof of negative drug test result), regardless of whether the student previously tested positive as a junior high school student (grades 7 and 8).
Why are students that park on campus also included in this policy?
Parking on campus is a privilege extended to students and is subject to the same initial and random drug testing requirements as students who participate in school-sponsored extracurricular activities.
In addition to any other sanctions that may be imposed based on a student driver’s participation in school-sponsored extracurricular activities, a student who has a positive test result shall not be permitted to park on school property for the same number of school days in which the student is prohibited from participation in extracurricular activities. After satisfactory completion of the appropriate sanction provided above and upon subsequent testing with a negative test result, the student shall be permitted to park on school property.
Contact Us
Random Drug Testing
- Goals
- Why test?
- Who is eligible?
- Parent/Guardian Requirements
- Student Responsibilities
- Selection
- Process
- 5-Panel Drug Test
Goals
Why test?
The Waxahachie ISD Board of Trustees "encourages students to participate in school-sponsored extra-curricular activities, but believes the opportunity to participate is a privilege offered to eligible students on an equal-opportunity basis. The use of alcohol or other drugs by students participating in extracurricular activities presents a hazard to the health, safety, and welfare of the student participant. The board believes testing student participants in school-sponsored extracurricular activities serves the important purpose of detecting and preventing illegal drug and alcohol use among students." FNF(Local)
We find that testing students who participate in extracurricular activities is a reasonably effective means of addressing the School District's legitimate concerns in preventing, deterring, and detecting drug use.
Justice Clarence Thomas
US Supreme Court
June 27, 2022
Board of Education of Independent School
District No. 92 of Pottawatomie County vs. Earls
Who is eligible?
Any Waxahachie ISD student in grades 7-12 that participates in school-sponsored extracurricular activities:
- Athletics
- Cheerleading
- Drill Team
- Academic Clubs
- Special Interest Groups
- Musical Performances
- Dramatic Productions
- Student Government
- Any other activity or group that participates in contests, competitions, or community projects on behalf of or as a representative of WISD
- Any student parking on WISD Campus Grounds
Parent/Guardian Requirements
Student Responsibilities
Selection
- The drug-testing laboratory (A&D Tests, Inc.) will use random selection computer software from the DrugPak Software Suite to identify the students tested in each testing session.
- Students will not receive prior notice of testing dates or times.
- A student's participation in more than one campus activity does not increase their likelihood of being selected by the randomizing software. In other words, a student's name can only be in the list of names one time each testing session.
- Waxahachie ISD employees are not involved in the random drug testing selection process in any way.
Process
- A district employee will escort students to the testing site.
- A technician from the testing laboratory will be present in the restroom at all times. These individuals are specially trained to conduct the sample collection process and to ensure its integrity.
- The student will provide a urine sample in the privacy of the bathroom stall after being given precise instructions.
- Every effort will be made to maintain the privacy and dignity of each student throughout the entire process.
5-Panel Drug Test
- Positive Test Results
- Parent Notification
- 1st Positive Result
- 2nd Positive Result
- 3rd Positive Result
- Appeal
- Confidentiality
- Privacy
- Resources
Positive Test Results
- The sample is automatically retested for verification if a student’s urine has tested positive for one of the five substances in the panel.
- The possibility of the presence of over-the-counter drug interference is also eliminated.
- If the student is taking prescribed medication that may have produced a positive result, the information will be reviewed by the laboratory’s Medical Review Officer (MRO). The MRO can change a positive test result to a negative if this circumstance exists.
- Waxahachie ISD Random Student Drug Testing policy consequences apply for positive tests.
Parent Notification
- Drug testing results should be returned to WISD officials 4-6 days after the testing session.
- Parents/guardians will be notified as soon as possible if their student tests positive.
- The principal and/or coach/sponsor will make the notification.
- A conference will be scheduled with the student, parent or guardian, administrator, and coach or sponsor to discuss the positive drug test and the resulting consequences.
1st Positive Result
The student will be removed from participation, including practice or competition, until the following criteria are fulfilled:
- A minimum of 10 school days have elapsed;
- Satisfactory completion of six hours of community service with an agency from the WISD approved list.
The sponsor or coach may allow the student to continue to participate in practices or rehearsals held within the school day. Any student who tests positive, completes community service, and is reinstated will be retested once per month for as long as he or she participates in school-sponsored extracurricular activities for the remainder of the school year.
2nd Positive Result
If a student tests positive a second time, the student will be removed from participation, including
practice or competition, until the following criteria are fulfilled:
- A minimum of 90 school days have elapsed;
- Satisfactory completion of the assistance plan including at least four 45-minute education and
advisement session is verified by the appropriate campus counselor; and - The student is retested by the testing agency with a negative result.
3rd Positive Result
The student will be removed from participation, including practice or competition, until the following
criteria are met:
- A minimum of 180 school days have elapsed;
- Satisfactory completion of the assistance plan including at least four 45-minute education and advisement session is verified by the appropriate campus counselor; and
- The student is retested by the testing agency with a negative result.
Appeal
An appeal of the sanction may be instituted by the parent by giving written notice to the appropriate campus principal within five days. The student will be ineligible for participation pending the appeal. All appeals will utilize the procedures in FNG(LOCAL).

