Pursuant to a request from a U.S. Senate committee, this document reviews the implementation of the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986, whose major purpose was to help schools and communities establish drug abuse education and prevention programs. Information gathering efforts were conducted in large urban school districts within five states--California, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas--and the District of Columbia. Objectives of the review were to identify how school districts use funds, to examine whether educational programs include education on alcohol abuse, to determine how school districts assess program effectiveness, to obtain students' views on the drug education provided, and to identify state and local program officials' views on the Department of Education's program direction. Results showed that school districts used a wide range of approaches in their Drug-Free School programs, and that they used one-half of their funds for counseling high risk students and the rest mostly for training and program development, but that little is known at the local, state, or national level about how effectively these programs reduce or prevent drug and alcohol abuse among students. Appended are: (1) a summary of the scope and methodology of the review; (2) a description and listing of drug education programs and activities in the six urban school districts; (3) an explanation of drug education program evaluations; (4) a summary of student views on the effectiveness of drug education programs; and (5) a list of major contributors to the report. Tables and figures are included. (TE)