This paper reviews the literature which examines school policies currently guiding educational practice in the area of student substance abuse and discusses the relationship between special education and substance-using and substance-abusing students. Reviewed are: (1) definitions of substance abuse, which vary with the conceptualization of the problem, based on various models--moral, legal, medical, social learning, or ecological; (2) court cases which indicate that when drug or alcohol use by a special education student is related to a handicapping condition, exclusion from school does not appear to be an appropriate response; (3) studies on school performance and substance abuse, supporting the conclusion that substance-using adolescents are less committed to education and at greater risk for leaving school before graduating; (4) requirements that schools provide specialized educational services to students who abuse drugs; and (5) current responses of high schools to drug and alcohol use/abuse among students. The paper outlines reasons that schools should address the issue of policies and practices in the area of substance abuse and lists recommended steps to be taken by educators. (JDD)