File: IO-R (pdf)
Adopted: 1976
EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
All educational research in the Boulder Valley School District is coordinated by the Director of Evaluation and Guidance. Other District administrators will be asked to participate in screening or supervising research projects when appropriate.
Projects conducted by a District staff member that involve no cost to the District, are limited to the staff member's assigned school, and involve only minor changes in the regular instructional program, require the permission of the building principal, the appropriate level director, and the Director of Evaluation and Guidance. All other educational research activities taking place in the Boulder Valley School District must conform to the procedural guidelines described below.
Request to Do Research
Prospective researchers should obtain copies of the "Guidelines for Proposals to Do Research in the Boulder Valley School District" and the "Request to Do Educational Research" form from the office of Evaluation and Guidance. The proposal, the completed request form, and all materials to be used in the project should be submitted to the office of Evaluation and Guidance.
Review of Research Proposals
All research proposals will be reviewed by the office of Evaluation and Guidance for acceptability in the following areas:
- Benefits to the District and education in general.
- Compatibility with the regular instructional program.
- Impact on students, parents, and staff.
- Technical adequacy.
Following approval from the Director of Evaluation and Guidance, the appropriate level director will decide which schools may participate in the study and will contact the principals of those schools to determine whether they wish to participate. Four weeks
should be allowed for the completion of the review process.
Protection of Student Rights
Student anonymity must be assured in any research project. Results pertaining to individual students may never be publicized, and may only be shared with teachers if this is approved by the Evaluation and Guidance consultant and is permitted by law. The researcher(s) will be asked to notify parents by mail if the project involves activities or testing not commonly included in the regular instructional program. Parents will then have the option of excluding their child from the research project. If letters of notification are required, the researcher(s) will be responsible for all mailing costs.
Conducting the Research Project
Approved research proposals are regarded as contracts with the School District. Any deviation from procedures described in the proposal must be approved by the Director of Evaluation and Guidance or a designee. Unapproved procedural changes will be
considered grounds for project termination. All research activities in the schools must be completed by April 30.
Required Documentation of Research Projects
Copies of all project reports (dissertation, journal article, etc.), copies of all project data (tapes, cards, tabulations, etc.) collected within the Boulder Valley School District, and a one-page summary of results must be submitted to the Director of Evaluation and Guidance at the conclusion of the research project.
Dissemination Within the District
The Director of Evaluation and Guidance will disseminate a summary of project results to the Instructional Cabinet. When a project is relevant to a specific program or curriculum area, the results will be shared with the appropriate leadership personnel. Each semester, the office of Evaluation and Guidance will submit to the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent a summary of all research projects conducted within the District.
NOTE: The "Request to Do Educational Research" form and the guidelines for proposals are available from the office of Evaluation and Guidance.
End of File: IO-R