Drug screening expanded to Austintown school employees

Staff report

austintown

Austintown Local School District will now require any person chosen for employment by the district to be drug tested at the employee’s cost.

These employees will go through the interview process and will be selected for employment after a drug test comes back negative, schools Superintendent Vince Colaluca said.

The board of education is reviewing the possibility of drug-testing students who have parking permits starting next year. The district randomly drug tests five student athletes a week. Colaluca said the district has tested athletes since the 1990s.

“Over the years, we have changed how we have done it,” he said.

There is a program in place to get students help after failing a drug test.

The drug testing takes place at a ValleyCare school clinic.

Prospective employees will be asked to pay $22 for the drug test. An employee will not be hired if he or she fails the test and will be offered program options.