D.A.R.E. America and the D.A.R.E. Program

Launched in 1983, D.A.R.E. is a comprehensive K-12 prevention education program taught in thousands of schools in America, as well as many other countries.  Taught by highly trained law enforcement officers, D.A.R.E. Education Programs deliver science/evidence-based curricula that teach students good decision-making skills that will help them lead safe and healthy lives and cope with high risk circumstances including drugs, alcohol, violence, bullying, and internet safety.

Since its earliest beginning, D.A.R.E. has been a highly decentralized program building upon its strong foundation of collaboration at the local level between school districts and educators, law enforcement agencies and their officers, and families and students.  Today, it’s the largest program of its kind that also develops and reinforces school and community-based prevention and community-oriented policing.

The program’s history of collaboration is further demonstrated in its curricula that have been developed through partnerships with some of the most respected institutions and individuals in America including the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, US Drug Enforcement Administration, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Penn State University, Arizona State University, University of Akron, as well as leading experts in the field of drug abuse, prevention science, and medicine.

After the program’s rapid and expansive growth in the 1980’s and recognizing its growing national demand, D.A.R.E.’s early community leaders founded D.A.R.E. America in 1989 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to oversee, guide, and manage its development and national and international expansion.

While D.A.R.E.’s decentralized approach to implementation and instruction of the curricula is one of its core strengths, D.A.R.E. America provides critical functions and ensures program fidelity without which local programs would not succeed.

Curriculum Development and Implementation

  • Research, creation, and improvement of curricula
  • Evaluation studies to demonstrate the efficacy of the D.A.R.E. curricula
  • Peer reviews through scientific, educator, and law enforcement advisory committees

Program Fidelity

  • Creation and oversight of D.A.R.E. Officer Training content
  • Coordination and monitoring of D.A.R.E. Officer Trainings
  • Implementation of Mentor Trainings

Educational Materials

  • Oversight of final content and design
  • Production and distribution to local programs
  • Subsidized cost of curricula workbooks

Marketing

  • Development and expansion of the D.A.R.E. Brand
  • Customer relationship management (CRM)
  • Stakeholder relations

Media Relations

  • Media monitoring of all news stories relating to D.A.R.E.
  • Responding to negative press
  • Creating national and local proactive, positive news stories

Program Preservation and Expansion

  • Interface with D.A.R.E. state coordinators
  • Support for local D.A.R.E. programs
  • Identify and respond to communities interested in starting a D.A.R.E. program or wanting to expand existing programs

Governance

  • Maintenance of non-profit status
  • Fulfillment of all regulatory/tax reporting
  • Maintenance and protection of the D.A.R.E. Trademark

Government & Corporate Relations

  • Building and maintaining relations with elected officials
  • Membership on national and international advisory committees
  • Developing and maintaining strategic partnerships

Fund Development

  • Fundraising activities to support operations
  • Charitable foundation grants