Policy 604 - Educational Research

The Board has a duty and a responsibility to participate in research activities that further the knowledge base upon which improvements to education can be made. However, such participation must not be detrimental to the normal educational activities in the School District.

The Board will facilitate the conduct of non-Board-initiated research in the School District or in School District schools, if in the opinion of the Superintendent the research has the potential to be beneficial to student learning. Such research activities must not cause undue interruption of the regular business of the School District or the classroom activities of students nor negatively impact upon community relationships.

The Superintendent is authorized to establish administrative procedures for screening, modifying, approving, rejecting, monitoring and evaluating any research projects from individuals or groups who wish to conduct non-Board-initiated research which involves the resources, students, staff or time of the Board.

Administrative Procedures

Permission to Conduct Non-Board-Initiated Research

All researchers who wish to use the School District or any school within it as a research site and/or to use students, teachers, or administrators as subjects or respondents are to first submit written proposals to the Superintendent. Such research proposals are to include:

a statement addressing the need for or possible usefulness of the study
specific purposes of the study
procedures to be used in the study including all questionnaires, surveys, or interview schedules
possible implications of the study for a school or School District
the name of school district, post-graduate department of a university, or recognized research institution under whose direction the research will be conducted

Before approving a research proposal, the Superintendent shall be convinced that the conduct of the research will:

provide results of interest and value to the School District and/or the broader educational community
cause minimal disruption to the operation of the School District or individual schools
not be detrimental to relationships with the community
be sponsored and guided by a reputable agency

Conducting Non-Board-Initiated Research

After approving a research proposal, the Superintendent must be assured that all reasonable steps will be taken to inform subjects and/or their responsible parents, in advance of all aspects of the research which bear directly on them including:

any treatment they are to receive
any data that will be collected from them
the magnitude of their participation

If the research will involve the participation of an individual school or schools, the Superintendent may, in consultation with principals of schools that might be involved with the research, approve contact between the researcher and the principals.

The principal of any participating school will ensure that the necessary consultations with teachers, other staff, students (if appropriate), and parents are undertaken. The principal must also make certain that confidentiality is maintained and that students have the option of not participating.

Upon conclusion of the research project, a final copy of the study must be submitted to the Superintendent and to the principal of any participating school.