Pubdate: Tue, 03 Aug 2004 Source: Albany Democrat-Herald (OR) Copyright: 2004 Lee Enterprises Contact: http://www.mvonline.com/support/contact/DHedletters.php Website: http://www.democratherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/7 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test) C. LINN DRUG TESTS STUDENTS Central Linn School District is the only district in the mid-valley that has a student drug-testing policy. Students in all extracurricular activities in grades 7-12, including student government, have been randomly tested since 1997. Central Linn Superintendent Max Harrell said "a very small percent" of the students tested have been found to take illegal drugs. The primary reason for testing, he said, is "to try to help some of these kids if they are identified as being positive." Some money is available for drug and alcohol counseling, he said. Central Linn usually screens for four or five different drugs, Harrell said. "It's a part of our budget and we have to make sure we have funds in there for that," he said. Followup tests have not been a problem, he said. "The bigger problem is providing the counseling service."