The Magnolia ISD board of trustees approved a change in the district’s drug-testing policy during a board meeting Sept. 12, which expands the eligible student base for random drug testing. The modified policy was implemented upon board approval.

The modified policy requires high school students who purchase parking permits—in addition to students who participate in competitive extracurricular activities—to consent to random drug testing. The policy also now gives parents the option to request a drug test for their students.

Assistant Superintendent of Administration Jason Bullock said the changes were made to help students resist peer pressure.

“Magnolia ISD also wanted to partner with our parents and the community to promote healthy lifestyles and help students remain drug-free during crucial years of learning and social development,” Bullock said. “Today’s teens are faced with peer pressure to experiment with alcohol and drugs. Illegal substances pose a threat across the country, and no one is immune to this.”

Previously, only MISD students participating in extracurricular activities were subject to random drug testing. Despite the change in policy, Bullock said about the same number of tests will be performed.

“The names of the students who purchase parking permits this year will automatically be part of the random consent,” he said. “The number of random consent tests will roughly remain the same as a large portion of students parking on campus are also involved in school-sponsored extracurricular activities.”

Under the modified policy, parents can choose to confidentially request a drug test for their child. To request a test, parents must complete a consent form and submit it to a campus administrator, Bullock said. An independent medical lab then tests students on a randomly selected date. However, test results are reported directly to the parent, who must pay for the test.

“Since the results are not shared with the district, there will not be any school discipline,” Bullock said. “The consequences will be determined by the parent. Regardless of the outcome of the test, Magnolia ISD will partner with our families to provide a counselor or direct them to additional resources should they ask for that support.”

Bullock said the parent option was added as a way for MISD to work with the community to help students remain drug-free.

“We want to be a partner with our families to encourage parents and students to engage in conversations about resisting peer pressure,” he said.

Bullock said MISD will intervene if results from a school-requested random drug test are positive.