Research Requests

The procedures are designed to meet five broad objectives.

1. To provide a formal channel for the screening and monitoring of research and development projects conducted within the district.
2. To provide a means of assessing the value of proposed projects in terms of their contribution to established bodies of knowledge and to the education of pupils.
3. To provide a formal mechanism for assessing the degree to which the district as a whole and particularly those individuals directly involved are "at risk" as defined by the United States Department of Education regulations on the protection of human subjects.
4. To provide assistance to approved projects in selecting appropriate locations and samples.
5. To provide a mechanism for monitoring the progress of approved projects and for in-district dissemination of results.

These procedures, while applicable to all research and development projects conducted within the district, are designed primarily for two groups.

1. District personnel conducting research or development projects in connection with course work, thesis, or dissertation.
2. Faculty, staff, or pupils at any university, college, or research and development organization who initiate a request to the district to conduct a project using district facilities, personnel, or pupils.

1. Administrators receiving requests for use of district facilities, personnel, or students for research and development purposes should refer the requestor to the Department of Assessment, Evaluation and Planning for screening.
2. Applicants will submit a copy of their proposal and such extra information needed to allow the project to be evaluated against the criteria in step 3.
3. The proposed project will be evaluated against the following criteria:
   1. Does it add to an existing body of knowledge?
   2. Will it contribute to the district's effort to provide the best possible education for its students?
   3. Will participants in the project be "at risk?"
   4. Is the "informed consent" of individuals involved to be obtained and how?
   5. Are the procedures proposed to protect the confidentiality of data adequate?
   6. Are the procedures to be used to disseminate the results of the project adequate, particularly in respect to (a) and (b) above?
4. Projects that meet these criteria will be referred to the appropriate administrative staff with a recommendation that they be approved if timelines, logistics, etc. can be accommodated. Where appropriate, researchers will be asked to make a presentation to appropriate division personnel.
5. Projects may be finally approved at the division or department level. Those that are very large or that could prove controversial may, however, require the approval of the superintendent's executive staff or Board of Education.
6. Personnel in the Department of Assessment, Evaluation and Planning will assist the researcher with logistical arrangements (selection of schools, classes etc.) and make introductions necessary to ensure a smooth start to the project.
7. Approved projects will file with the Department of Assessment, Evaluation and Planning a timeline of activities which will be used to aid the overall monitoring of the project. Monitoring may be performed by Assessment, Evaluation and Planning or division level personnel as deemed appropriate. Project approval may be revoked at any time by the district administration.
8. Final reports will be forwarded to the Department of Assessment, Evaluation and Planning and other locations by prior arrangements by the researchers.