Order Code RS20532
Updated August 1, 2002
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
The Safe and Drug-Free Schools
and Communities Act: Reauthorization
and Appropriations
Edith Fairman Cooper
Analyst in Social Science
Domestic Social Policy Division
Summary
The 107th Congress considered and approved reauthorization legislation to extend
and amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Safe and
Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA). Also, legislation to make FY2002
appropriations to continue funding for the program was approved. The President signed
both measures into law.
For FY2003, the President proposed $644,250,000 for the SDFSC program, which
is a $102,500,000 decrease from the FY2002 appropriation, eliminating three activities
under national programs – mentoring, community services for expelled or suspended
students, and alcohol abuse reduction. The Senate Labor, Health and Human Services,
and Education Appropriations Committee recommends for FY2003 (S.Rept. 107-216),
$654,250,000 ($10 million more than the budget request) to continue funding for the
SDFSC program.
This report will be updated to reflect relevant legislative and/or executive branch
activities.
Most Recent Developments
For FY2003, the President requested $644,250,000 for the SDFSC program. On July
18, 2002, the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations
Committee (L-HHS-ED) reported S. 2766 (S.Rept. 107-216) recommending
$654,250,000 for FY2003 SDFSC program funding. Of this sum, $485,017,000 would
be used for state grants, $169,233,000 for national programs, of which $7,000,000 would
be used for Project SERV (School Emergency Response to Violence). No specific
funding levels were mentioned for the National Coordinator Initiative, the Safe
Schools/Healthy Students initiative, mentoring programs, community service for expelled
or suspended students, or for alcohol abuse reduction. The Committee suggested,
however, that $850,000 be included to continue the National Recognition Awards
program under the guidelines of Section 120(f) of P.L. 105-244 (the Higher Education
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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CRS-2
Amendments of 1998) “to provide models for innovative and effective alcohol and drug
abuse prevention programs in higher education and to focus national attention on
exemplary alcohol and drug abuse prevention efforts.” The Committee observed that
changes to formula allocations from SEAs to LEAs for drug, and violence prevention and
education programs might have created dramatic changes in funding for some LEAs.
Consequently, the Committee requested ED to compile nationwide data for Congress by
May 1, 2004, providing a breakdown of funding changes at the LEA level, which
currently is not done.
Introduction
The authorization for the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act expired
on September 30, 2000. In the 107th Congress, legislation was considered and approved
for reauthorization of the Act. This report discusses the SDFSCA reauthorization and
appropriations to fund the SDFSC program. For background information about the
program, see CRS Report RL30482, The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities
Program: Background and Context.
The Safe and Drug-Free Schools & Communities Program:
Authorizations
The No Child Left Behind Act (P.L. 107-110), amends and reauthorizes SDFSCA
as Part A of Title IV – 21st Century Schools. It authorizes funds for the SDFSC program,
which is the federal government’s major initiative to prevent drug abuse and violence in
and around schools. It awards state grants by formula to outlying areas, state educational
agencies (SEAs), and local educational agencies (LEAs) in all 50 states, the District of
Columbia (DC) and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Also, funds go to a state’s Chief
Executive Officer (Governor) for creating programs to deter youth from using drugs and
committing violent acts in schools. National programs are supported through
discretionary funds for a variety of national leadership projects designed to prevent drug
abuse and violence among all educational levels, from preschool through the
postsecondary level.
State Grants. For FY2002, $650 million was authorized for state grants and such
sums as necessary for each succeeding fiscal year through FY2007. Of the funds
authorized, 1% or $4,750,000 (whichever is greater) is reserved for Guam, American
Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; 1%
or $4,750,000 (whichever is greater) is reserved for the Secretary of the Interior to
administer programs for Indian youth; and 0.2% is reserved to provide programs for
native Hawaiians. The remaining funds are distributed to the states, DC, and Puerto Rico,
by a formula of 50% based on school-aged population and 50% based on ESEA Title I,
Part A concentration grants for the preceding fiscal year. No state receives less than the
greater of one-half of 1% (0.5%) of the total allotted to all of the states or the amount for
FY2001, under prior law. State grant funds in any amount may be redistributed to other
states if the Secretary determines that a state will not be able to use the funds within 2
years of the initial award. Also, a limitation is included stipulating that funds
appropriated for national programs may not be increased unless state grant funding is at
least 10% more than the previous fiscal year’s appropriation.

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CRS-3
Of the total state allotment, 20% goes to the Governor to award competitive grants
and contracts to LEAs, community-based groups, other public entities, private groups and
associations. The Governor may use not more than 3% of the funds for administrative
costs.
An SEA must distribute at least 93% of its allotment to LEAs for drug and violence
prevention and education programs and activities. Of those funds, 60% are based on the
relative amount LEAs received under ESEA Title I, Part A for the previous fiscal year,
and 40% are based on public and private school enrollments. Also, of the amount
received from the state, LEAs may use not more than 2% for administrative costs.
SEAs may use up to 3% of its allotment for administering the program. In FY2002,
they may use in addition to the 3% administrative costs, 1% of the state’s allotment
(minus funds reserved for the Governor) to implement a uniform management
information and reporting system (UMIRS). Funds may be used directly or through grants
and contracts to create the UMIRS, which is designed to collect information on truancy
rates; the incidence, seriousness, and frequency of violence and drug-related crimes that
result in suspending and expelling students in elementary and secondary schools in a state;
the kinds of curricula, programs, and services provided by the Governor, SEAs, LEAs,
and other fund recipients; and the incidence and prevalence of drug use and violence
among minors, age of onset of such behavior, and the perception of health risk and social
disapproval for such behavior. SEAs may use not more than 5% of allotted funds for state
activities for planning, developing, and implementing capacity building; providing
technical assistance and training, evaluation, and program improvement services; and for
coordinating activities for LEAs, community-based groups, and other public and private
entities.
National Programs. The authorization for national programs was such sums as
necessary for FY2002 through FY2007. Funds available under national programs allow
the ED Secretary to consult with the HHS Secretary, the Director of the Office of National
Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), and the Attorney General to administer programs aimed
at preventing violence and illegal drug use among students and promoting their safety and
discipline. Also, from national program funds, up to $2 million may be reserved for
evaluating the national impact of the SDFSC program, and an amount necessary is
reserved to continue the Safe Schools/Healthy Students initiative.1 In FY1999, the
National Coordinator Initiative was created under national programs allowing LEAs to
recruit, hire, and train persons to serve as SDFSC program coordinators in middle
schools. ED officials believed that middle school students were at the age where they
were most likely to begin experimenting with drugs and becoming more involved in
violence and crime. The new law continues this permissive activity by expanding
coverage for national coordinators to serve as drug prevention and school safety program
coordinators in all schools with notable drug and safety problems.
National program funds may be made available as formula grants to states for
administering programs that require students expelled or suspended from school to
1 This initiative is funded jointly with HHS and the Department of Justice to assist school districts
and communities in developing and implementing community-wide projects in order to create
safe and drug-free schools and encourage healthy childhood development.

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perform community service (see below for FY2002 appropriations provided for this
activity). Grants would be made to states with 50% of allotted funds based on school-
aged population and 50% based on ESEA Title I, Part A concentration grants for the
preceding fiscal year. No state would receive less than one-half of 1% (0.5%) of the total
allotted to all of the states. Competitive grants may be awarded, in consultation with the
Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMSHA, within HHS), to LEAs allowing school districts to develop and implement
programs to reduce alcohol abuse in secondary schools (see below for FY2002
appropriations provided for this activity). In addition, grants may be awarded to LEAs,
non-profit community-based groups, or to a partnership between an LEA and such an
organization for assistance in creating and supporting mentoring programs and activities
for children with greatest need (see below for FY2002 appropriations provided for this
activity).
Other permissive initiatives authorized under national programs include allowing the
ED Secretary to make grants to LEAs and community-based groups to assist localities
most directly affected by hate crimes; creating a School Security Technology and
Resource Center at the Sandia National Laboratories in partnership with the National Law
Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center – Southeast and the National Center for
Rural Law Enforcement in Little Rock, Arkansas, to be administered by the Attorney
General as a resource for LEAs to assess school security, develop security technology,
evaluate and implement such security, and to provide technical assistance for improving
school security; and establishing a National Center for School and Youth Safety to be
jointly created by the ED Secretary and the Attorney General to provide emergency
assistance to local communities in response to school safety crises, to establish an
anonymous student hotline so students can report possible violent behavior, to provide
consultation to the public regarding school safety, to compile information about best
practices related to school violence prevention, and to provide outreach to rural and
impoverished communities.
Appropriations and Funding History
The conference agreement on the FY2002 appropriations for the Departments of
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, provides funding to continue
provisions of the SDFSC program. A total of $746,750,000 was appropriated for various
authorities under the program. Of this sum, $472,017,000 are for state grants,
$34,733,000 for national programs, $10,000,000 for Project SERV (School Emergency
Response to Violence),2 $37,500,000 for the National Coordinator Initiative,
$100,000,000 for the Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) initiative,$17,500,000 for
mentoring programs, $50,000,000 for community service for expelled or suspended
students, and $25,000,000 for alcohol abuse reduction.
For FY2003, the President requested $644,250,000 for the SDFSC program. Of this
sum, $472,017,000 are requested for state grants and $172,233,000 for national program
activities. This request is a $102,500,000 decrease from the FY2002 appropriation. It
eliminates three activities under national programs – mentoring, community services for
2 Conferees on the legislation stipulated that the availability of funds for the two emergency
activities be extended through September 30, 2003.

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CRS-5
expelled or suspended students, and alcohol abuse reduction. On July 18, 2002, the
Senate L-HHS-ED Appropriations Committee reported S. 2766 (S.Rept. 107-216)
recommending $654,250,000 for FY2003 SDFSC program funding. Of this sum,
$485,017,000 would be used for state grants, $169,233,000 for national programs, of
which $7,000,000 would be used for Project SERV (School Emergency Response to
Violence). No specific funding levels were mentioned for the National Coordinator
initiative, the Safe Schools/Healthy Students initiative, mentoring programs, community
service for expelled or suspended students, or for alcohol abuse reduction.
The Committee suggested that $850,000 be included to continue the National
Recognition Awards program under the guidelines of Section 120(f) of P.L. 105-244 (the
Higher Education Amendments of 1998) “to provide models for innovative and effective
alcohol and drug abuse prevention programs in higher education and to focus national
attention on exemplary alcohol and drug abuse prevention efforts.” The Committee
observed that changes to formula allocations from SEAs to LEAs for drug, and violence
prevention and education programs might have created dramatic changes in funding for
some LEAs. Consequently, the Committee requested ED to compile nationwide data for
Congress by May 1, 2004, providing a breakdown of funding changes at the LEA level,
which currently is not done.
Table 1 presents a 7-year appropriation funding history for the program.
Table 1. SDFSC Appropriations Funds, FY1997-FY2003,
by Grant Program
($ in thousands)
FY2003
Pres.
Budget
Program
FY1997
FY1998
FY1999
FY2000a
FY2001
FY2002
Request
State Grants
$555,978
$531,000
$441,000
$439,250
$439,250
$472,017b
$472,017
National
0
$25,000
$27,003
$29,023
$28,000
$34,733
$45,000
Programs

Project
––-
––-
––-
0
$10,000
$10,000
$10,000
SERV
––-
––-
$35,000
$50,000
$50,000
$37,500
$17,233
Coordinator
Initiative
–––
––-
$62,997
$81,727
$117,000
$100,000
$100,000
SS/HS
–––
––-
––-
––-
––-
$17,500
0
Mentoring
Community
––-
––-
––-
––-
––-
$50,000
0
Service ...
Alcohol
Abuse
––-
––-
––-
––-
––-
$25,000
0
Reduction
Total
$555,978
$556,000
$566,000
$600,000
$644,250
$746,750
$644,250
Funding

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Source: U.S. Department of Education Budget Service and Conference Report, H.Rept. 107-342, Making
Appropriations for the Departments of L-HHS-ED and Related Agencies for the Fiscal Year Ending
September 30, 2002, December 19, 2001, p. 124.
a FY2000 funds reflect the requirement that agencies reduce their FY2000 appropriation by 0.38%. ED
rescinded a portion of the state grant appropriation (from the initial appropriation of $445 million by
$5.7 million).
b The SDFSC is a forward-funded program. Total funds usually are available from July 1 of the fiscal year
appropriated through September 30 of the following fiscal year. For FY2002, as for FY2000 and
FY2001, the state grant appropriation was split. Of the annual appropriation, $142,017,000 will
become available on July 1, 2002, and remain available through September 30, 2003. The remaining
allotment, $330,000,000, will become available October 1, 2002, and remain available through
September 30, 2003.
The Gun-Free Schools Act
The Gun-Free Schools Act, which was Title XIV, Part F of the ESEA, was
incorporated as part of SDFSCA because of its close relationship with the SDFSC
program. This provision calls for each state receiving funds under the No Child Left
Behind Act to have a law that requires LEAs to expel for 1 year any student bringing a
weapon to school. The chief administering officer of an LEA, however, can modify the
expulsion requirement on a case-by-case basis.

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