PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM: The purpose of the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Act of 2001 (SDFSCA), also known as Title IV-A of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is to prevent violence in and around schools and to strengthen programs that prevent the illegal use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. This Title requires parental involvement and coordination with related federal, state, and local efforts and resources; and makes federal assistance available to states, local educational agencies, public and private nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education for selected programs, services, and activities.

DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS: The total allocation to a state under Title IV-A of NCLB is granted as two distinct sums: A minimum of 80% is granted to the State Educational Agency (SEA) and supports state and local level prevention initiatives (i.e., SEA/LEA Programs), and up to 20% is awarded to the chief executive officer for initiatives under the Governor's Program. Four percent (4%) of the SEA/LEA portion is available for state level programs, services and activities while another 3% may be used for the administrative costs of carrying out this program. Ninety-three percent (93%) of the SEA/LEA portion is awarded to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) based in part on the relative enrollments in public and private nonprofit elementary and secondary schools within their boundaries, and in part on their Title I allotment.

Unlike most other states, the Maine SEA/LEA Program is jointly administered by two agencies, the Department of Education (DOE) and the Office of Substance Abuse (OSA), in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement was necessitated by state legislation that consolidated substance abuse prevention, education, research, and treatment within a single state agency (OSA) which is located in the Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services, and federal legislation authorizing the State Educational Agency (SEA) to apply for program funds while ensuring that all related federal accountability and reporting requirements are fulfilled.

The Governor's Portion of Title IV-A is administered by the Office of Substance Abuse in accordance with the requirements of that section of Title IV-A. Three percent (3%) of the funds available to a state under this portion may be used to administer the program. The remainder of the Governor's Portion is used for Discretionary Programs or awarded through a Request-for- Proposals application process.

BRIEF HISTORY OF SDFSCA: The Drug Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA) was signed into law as Subtitle B of the Title IV Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. The Hawkins-Stafford Elementary and Secondary School Improvement Amendments of 1988 repealed Subtitle B of Title IV and reauthorized DFSCA as Title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). In 1994, DFSCA was reauthorized as the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA) or Title IV of the Improving America's Schools Act, the name given to the 1994 reauthorization of ESEA. In December 2001, Congress reauthorized this program as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) under ESEA. President Bush signed the NCLB into law on January 8, 2002.

Last updated 10/15/02