Each year the Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention (ADAP) program offers the Arkansas Prevention Needs Assessment (APNA) Student Survey of 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders attitudes and behaviors at no cost to Arkansas schools. DHHS encourages a representative of each school district to attend one of the five presentations being planned for the APNA Student Survey during the week of May 15 - 19, 2006. The actual meeting dates and locations are attached.
The presentations are designed to help participating school districts know how to best use the data received; and to help non-participating school districts understand how the survey results can benefit school districts following participation in the APNA survey. This survey has been especially designed to provide the information needed for NCLB reporting; applying for funding in the areas of substance abuse, delinquency, school dropouts and violence; and to plan for the prevention needs of youth in the school and community.
The APNA survey allows schools and school districts to complete the required needs assessment at no cost, and to track information on drug and alcohol use rates, age of first use, delinquency rates, student perceptions of drug and alcohol health risks and social acceptance, and levels of risk and protection. NCLB mandates that states report school-by-school data on suspensions, expulsions, and truancy rates. In addition, states must also provide school and community level tracking of substance use rates, age of first substance use, student perceptions of health risks associated with substance use, and student perceptions of social disapproval and acceptance of violence and drug use. Participation in the APNA survey will aid the school, district, and state in gathering this information.