SEBRING — Random drug testing started this year in the county's middle schools with only one student testing positive during the first semester. A reported 260 students were tested at the School Board of Highlands County's four middle schools with negative results (no drugs in their system) for 259 students and one student testing positive. "So that's pretty good," said Student Services Coordinator Patty Jackson. The students who are tested are picked randomly just as in the high school. Drug testing started at the high school level near the beginning of the 2006-07 school year with school officials confident that it would give students a reason to say "no" when offered drugs. At the high school level thus far this school year, of the 124 students who were tested, two had "positive" results indicating ...more

December 28, 2007