At the height of its popularity, D.A.R.E. was found in 75% of American school districts and was funded by the US government. The program consists of police officers who make visits to elementary school classrooms, warning children that drugs are harmful and should be refused. It also denounced alcohol, tobacco, graffiti, and tattoos as the results of peer pressure. After a review that considered multiple criteria, D.A.R.E. America partnered with Pennsylvania State University to develop and adopt the keepin’ it REAL drug prevention curriculum. In 2008, D.A.R.E. launched keepin’ it REAL in middle schools; in 2013, D.A.R.E. launched kiR’s elementary school curricula.
Years after its effectiveness was cast into doubt, the program remained popular among politicians and many members of the public, in part because of a common intuition that the program ought to work. As an English Educator, Nynke brings a wealth of linguistic expertise, a passion for words, and a profound understanding of effective communication to her roles in various educational settings. With a background as a linguist, logophile, and communication specialist, Nynke has accumulated significant teaching experience in schools, colleges, and English language centers. In 2001, the Surgeon General of the United States, David Satcher, placed the D.A.R.E. program in the category of “Ineffective Primary Prevention Programs”.26 The U.S. General Accounting Office concluded in 2003 that the program was sometimes counterproductive in some populations, with those who graduated from D.A.R.E. later having higher than average rates of drug use (a boomerang effect).
Kids Definition
Proponents say that D.A.R.E. has helped prevent drug use in elementary, middle, and high school students. They contend that D.A.R.E. improves social interaction between police officers, students, and schools, is the most prevalent substance abuse prevention program in the United States, and is popular with kids and parents. In 1998, a grant from the National Institute of Justice to the University of Maryland resulted in a report to the NIJ, which among other statements, concluded that “D.A.R.E. Drug & Alcohol Rehab Treatment for Women Near You does not work to reduce substance use.”19 D.A.R.E. expanded and modified the social competency development area of its curriculum in response to the report. Research by Dr. Dennis Rosenbaum in 199820 found that D.A.R.E. graduates were more likely than others to drink alcohol, smoke tobacco and use illegal drugs. The evidence suggested that, by exposing young impressionable children to drugs, the program was, in fact, encouraging and nurturing drug use.22 Studies funded by the National Institute of Justice in 1998,1923 and the California Legislative Analyst’s Office in 200024 also concluded that the program was ineffective.
Beyond this, D.A.R.E.’s enhancement lessons include bullying, cyber security, a supplemental marijuana lesson, family talks, and the recently launched K-12 Opioid & & Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention lessons. Multiple studies have been conducted that have established that the keepin’ it REAL elementary and middle school curricula are effective. They mean is research available showing that the curriculum is effective in reducing outcomes such as drug use, bullying and other problem behaviors by improving the decision-making and other skills of those who were exposed to the lessons compared to those who were not? D.A.R.E. curricula have been proven effective and evidence-based through multiple studies.
Con 1: The D.A.R.E. program does not help prevent drug use in elementary, middle, or high school students.
Most recently, UNC Greensboro’s three year, multi-longitudinal evaluation completed in 2021 concluded “D.A.R.E.’s keepin’ it REAL Elementary School Curriculum is Evidence-based, Successful and Effective.” And, it is the only evaluation ever conducted reviewing prevention education curricula taught by law enforcement officers, rather than teachers. D.A.R.E. has partnered with prestigious educational institutions to adapt curricula proven to be effective. A comprehensive study completed in 2021 by UNC Greensboro – the only one ever conducted reviewing a prevention education curricula taught by law enforcement officers rather than teachers – concluded D.A.R.E. keepin’ it REAL Elementary School Curriculum is Evidence-based, Successful and Effective.
- The primary goal of most school-based, curriculum-driven prevention programming is to encourage decisions to never use drugs, or at least facilitate a significant delay in the onset of use of drugs.
- The program distributed t-shirts and other items branded with the D.A.R.E. logo and with anti-drug messages.
- The program consists of police officers who make visits to elementary school classrooms, warning children that drugs are harmful and should be refused.
- And it also needs the intelligent comments and recommendations of the program’s audience – school children.
- D.A.R.E. offers the most comprehensive prevention curricula available for K-12 students anywhere.
Con 7: D.A.R.E. lures parents into a false sense of security about their kids’ drug use.
Not only is D.A.R.E. still around, it’s growing with education programs in every state in America and many other countries. Since 2018, more than 500 communities throughout the United States launched a new D.A.R.E. program. Elementary, middle, and high school curricula, as well as critical enhancement lessons on subjects including opioid abuse prevention, vaping, teen suicide, and internet/social media safety are now being taught in these communities by D.A.R.E. Instructors who attended one of the 40 two-week, intensive D.A.R.E. training courses conducted annually.
The curriculum meets multiple National Core Standards in the areas of Reading (Literature, Informational Text, and Foundational Skills), Writing and Speaking and Learning. The 10 lessons in D.A.R.E.’s keepin’ it REAL elementary curriculum are aligned with National Common Core 5th grade standards. D.A.R.E. curricula provide students the knowledge and skills to make good decisions for safe and healthy living. D.A.R.E.’s keepin’ it REAL elementary and middle-school curricula are based on Socio-Emotional Learning Theory which identifies basic skills and processes needed for healthy youth development.
As a gentleman, Lucian will do his duty, but he’s convinced that Gemma trapped him, and has no plans to play the role of doting husband. If D.A.R.E. can prevent even one child from becoming addicted to drugs or dying from a drug overdose then it is worth funding. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The program distributed t-shirts and other items branded with the D.A.R.E. logo and with anti-drug messages. These items were repurposed by drug culture as ironic statements starting in the 1990s. D.A.R.E. was founded in 1983 and has proven so successful that it has been implemented in thousands of schools throughout the United States and many other countries.
D.A.R.E.’s elementary, middle and high school curricula, as well as its enhancement lessons on subjects that include bullying, internet safety, and over-the-counter prescription drug and opiates abuse, have been developed through partnerships with highly respected universities and prevention education experts. Each curriculum has been developed and approved under the guidance of D.A.R.E. America’s Scientific Advisory Committee chaired by Richard Clayton, Ph.D. The D.A.R.E. keepin’ it REAL (kiR) middle school curriculum was developed by Pennsylvania State and Arizona State Universities with funding provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The two high school curriculums were developed by Rutgers University and the University of North Carolina, Greensboro respectively. The D.A.R.E. kiR elementary curriculum is currently the subject of rigorous scientific evaluation, results of a preliminary evaluation of the curriculum conducted by Chapman University showed positive outcomes.
However, to remain relevant, effective, and impactful requires much more… it requires the critical review and substantive contributions of highly respected experts in the field of education, science, and law enforcement. And it also needs the intelligent comments and recommendations of the program’s audience – school children. To this end, several years ago D.A.R.E. established key Advisory Committees, the members of which are actively engaged in the development and implementation of virtually all aspects of the D.A.R.E. program. In contrast, the length of training for most other prevention programs is only 2-3 days and is usually offered only to existing classroom teachers. Further, these programs offer neither a nationwide training system for instructors nor a rigorous process to ensure that training centers are accredited.In contrast, the length of training for other prevention programs is only 2-3 days, frequently offered only online, is usually offered only to existing classroom teachers, and, therefore, does not include in-classroom training.