2416.01 - CONDUCT OF RESEARCH STUDIES

Fremont City School District

Bylaws & Policies

2416.01 - CONDUCT OF RESEARCH STUDIES

The School District takes the position that educational research, when carefully planned and conducted, provides a promising approach to the solution of contemporary educational problems. Consequently, the school system assumes the position of actively encouraging the conduct of meaningful research that is aimed at the advancement of education as a science or the advancement of the behavioral sciences commonly associated with the science of education. The District also takes the position that the training of educational researchers should include practical experience in the conduct of well-planned, meaningful research in a school setting. Thus, the District accepts the responsibility for cooperation with institutions of higher education.

Requests for permission to conduct research within the school system necessitate formulation of a set of guidelines. For this purpose, six (6) categories of research are identified. They are as follows:

	A.	In-system research consists of properly authorized studies designed to supply the information needs of the school system and conducted by system personnel.
	B.	Course requirement research consists of projects assigned to college or university graduates or undergraduates as a requirement for course completion, usually with a one-semester or less time frame (10-12 weeks).
	C.	Thesis and dissertation research consists of research conducted to fulfill the requirement associated with a specific course at an academic institution.
	D.	Cooperative research consists of research jointly planned and conducted by personnel from the school system and some outside agency, such as a university, private research foundation, or a government agency.
	E.	Invited research consists of studies specifically requested by the school system to supply its information needs.
	F.	Faculty research consists of studies conducted by individual faculty members of institutions of higher education, exclusive of the categories of invited or cooperative research.

Expectations

	A.	Submit a proposal for consideration only after it is well conceptualized and designed.
	B.	Develop and maintain good human relations with school personnel while collecting data.
	C.	Remain cognizant of the school's instructional mission and strive to minimize interference with normal school routines and instructional schedules.
	D.	Recognize the integrity of cooperating students and observe good human relations in all interaction with students.
	E.	Explicate the immediate and/or potential implications of findings for educational practices in the District.
	F.	Protect the confidentiality of individual student responses and/or performances. Guidelines for the release of confidential information should be mutually agreed upon by researcher and school officials prior to data collection.
	G.	Insure that persons involved in data collection have been provided with adequate training in the use of all assessment procedures involved in the study.
	H.	Employ treatment and/or assessment procedures congruent with the ethical standards of both the educational community and Federal human subjects regulations.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

The school system has adopted criteria for granting approval for the conduct of a study in the District.

This does not mean that school system officials necessarily propose to judge the merit of research proposals in any absolute sense. Rather, they propose to evaluate the merits of granting the use of instructional time and facilities by the potential researcher and to safeguard the rights of students and staff.

To insure a complete and adequate review, it is suggested that the prospective researcher follow the proposal outline shown below.

IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE ENTIRE PROPOSAL PACKAGE SUBMITTED TO THE DISTRICT FOR CONSIDERATION NOT EXCEED TEN (10) PAGES. IF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NEEDED, THE REVIEW COMMITTEE WILL REQUEST IT.

				SUGGESTED PROSPECTUS OUTLINE

Investigator's name			_____________________________________________________________

Address			_____________________________________________________________

Campus address			_____________________________________________________________

Telephone(s)			_____________________________________________________________

Advisor's name			_____________________________________________________________

Campus telephone			_____________________________________________________________

I.	Problem Statement


II.	Related Research and Theoretical Framework


III.	Objectives, Hypothesis and/or Questions


IV.	Procedures

	1.	Population and Sample

	2.	Design

	3.	Data and Instrumentation (attach instruments)

	4.	Analysis

	5.	Time Schedule

V.	Reporting and Dissemination


VI.	Personnel


VII.	Facilities


VIII.	Implications and Benefits

The following criteria, organized by topic area, will be employed in the evaluation of requests for the conduct of research in the District.

General Significance of Study

		1.	Preference will be given to studies that offer most promise for advancement of science of education or to the advancement of some area of behavioral science which contributes knowledge of direct value to the science of education.
		2.	Preference will be given to studies that are judged to offer the greatest potential contribution to instructional and administrative theory and/or practice.
		3.	Preference will be given to the studies that focus on educational problems of high priority for the District.

Adequacy of the Design

		1.	Preference will be given to well-conceptualized studies based upon theoretical frameworks having relevance for instructional theory and practice in education.
		2.	Preference will be given to studies which are designed in such a way as to maximize the probability of answering the research questions posed by the study.
		3.	Preference will be given to studies which employ data collection procedures with established reliability and validity.

Logistical Criteria

		1.	Preference will be given to studies which minimize the distraction and disruption of normal school routines in the course of data collection.
		2.	Preference will be given to studies that require a minimal amount of staff time and instructional time for data collection. The researcher should expect to provide substantial justification for a study demanding a large amount of instructional time.
		3.	Preference will be given to studies that minimize the amount of information that must be directly provided by District personnel.
		4.	Preference will be given to studies that are so planned as to minimize space and facility requirements from the school system.

Feedback

		1.	Preference will be given to studies in which the data collected is of direct value to accomplishing the mission of the school system.
		2.	Preference will be given to studies that demonstrate the most effective planning for dissemination of findings to school personnel.
		3.	Preference will be given to studies in which the implications of the findings for educational practices in the District are most effectively and clearly explicated.

PROCEDURAL CONSIDERATIONS

The following minimal procedural considerations will be required of researchers who receive approval for the conduct of a study:

	A.	The researcher will provide building principals and cooperating teachers with an accurate schedule of data collection activities in their school.
	B.	The researcher will clearly delineate prior to the beginning of data collection, the nature of any information needed from school personnel or school files, e.g. intelligence test data, achievement test data, or attendance data.
	C.	The researcher will provide feedback to cooperating school personnel concerning the progress of the study and its final results. The precise nature of the feedback to be provided should be mutually agreed upon by the researcher and school officials.
	D.	The researcher will outline procedures for securing parental permission for student participation in those studies where the invasion of privacy is potentially involved.
	E.	The researcher will keep the Superintendent informed in advance, by memo, which schools are participating and any changes in design or instrumentation as well as the start and completion dates.
	F.	The researcher will provide the Superintendent with two (2) copies of the report of the completed study before dissemination.

The approval of a research study does not imply that the District will collect or summarize data for the researcher. If a study requires data to be collected by District staff, the researcher is responsible for contacting the department that is to provide the assistance. The researcher must provide clearly defined specifications for data to be collected by District staff, and must allow adequate time to collect this data. Data collection can only be completed if the collection process does not interfere with other District priorities.

PROCEDURES FOR REQUESTING APPROVAL:

	A.	At least one (1) month prior to the intended start date of the study, the researcher will submit five (5) copies of a prospectus and instruments (if appropriate) along with a complete copy of the proposal to:
		Superintendent
		Fremont City Schools
		1220 Cedar, Suite A
		Fremont, OH 43420-1156
		The researcher's address, telephone number, and school address and telephone number should be included on the prospectus.
	B.	Any student, staff or faculty member of a university shall include a copy of the approved IRB (Instructional Research Board) approval form. The Superintendent will have the prospectus reviewed by appropriate members of the staff. The final decision to support the proposal is made by the Superintendent.
	C.	The Superintendent will inform the applicant of the decision to approve, deny, or recommend modifications. If approved, a letter of introduction will be provided. The researcher is to offer this letter to building administrators when soliciting participation/subjects.
	D.	A proposed research project that has been approved is subject to acceptance of the building principal in consultation with the appropriate staff to be involved in the study. Therefore, upon said approval, the researcher will contact the principal(s) to be involved to explain the study, the requirements of the study, the means of conducting the study, and to offer the letter of introduction.
	E.	The building principal will, if approving the involvement of his/her building in the study, make the necessary arrangements for the researcher or delegate that responsibility to the appropriate person in the building (e.g. instructional coordinator, guidance counselor, etc.).

Adopted 3/07