While there is no guarantee of success for any prevention program, we can assume that the chances of success increase in proportion to the number of key elements the program contains. However, differences between a program's features and the way it is implemented in a school or district can affect its success. For example, the SIIS study found that prevention programs in many New Jersey school districts had significant gaps or did not cover all grade levels. This is like trying to stay warm with a blanket that has gaping holes in it. School administrators, health educators, pupil services providers, and parents all have ample reasons to measure the effectiveness of their schools' prevention programming, including those for violence, delinquency, and dropouts, as well as substance abuse.
Principals can lead the way by seeking the best possible prevention curricula.
References American Guidance Services. Comprehensive Health Education Foundation. Here's Looking at You, 2000. Cambridge University Press, 1994. Rutgers University Center for Applied Psychology, 1993.