• Data Requests and Research

    In the spirit of enhancing the development of students, staff, and the field of education, ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ ISD considers requests from outside entities to perform educational research projects within the district. To ensure that such projects are in the best interest of students and are aligned with the district's core purpose, research requests are submitted to the Associate Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction, and Accountability for review and approval by the Cabinet before the onset of the study. The review board will notify the researcher of project acceptance. Please review the guidelines on this page and complete an application for research (internal or external) and a request for data (if needed). ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ lacks the resources to support undergraduate research and class assignments at this time. 

    Type of Application

    External Applicants include:  >

    • University or college faculty and staff
    • Research institutions and agencies
    • Service providers and contract evaluators
    • Graduate students who are not ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ employees   

    Internal Applicants include:   >

    Guiding Principles

    ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ will review applications based on the following principles:

    • The proposed research project complies with the policies and regulations of ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ ISD. An approved study may be terminated at any time by the Cabinet.
    • The project provides direct or indirect benefits to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ and does not require an expenditure of time and effort by students and staff. 
    • The study protects the privacy of students and staff in compliance with state and federal law. The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Texas Education Code state that information about an individual student is private and confidential and is generally only accessible with parental consent.

    Important Policies

    • ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ recommends that researchers familiarize themselves with local, state, and federal regulations. 
    • ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ ISD Board Policy on Student Records
    • FL (Legal)
    • FL (Local)
    • Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
    • Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) 
    • The Protections of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) 
    • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPAA)

    Research Restrictions

    1. There must be a direct or indirect benefit to students. Projects that include curriculum must meet the definition of district curriculum, or the research must be implemented outside of instructional time.
    2. Research activities will take place outside of the state testing windows. See the district testing calendar for state and district testing dates. 
    3. Active written consent from parents and active written assent from students is required for students to participate in research activities. Please see the Confidentiality and Ethical Consideration section for more information.
    4. Video recording is not allowed.
    5. Personal, social, or psychological research that may be in conflict with the rights of individuals or groups will not be approved.
    6. ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ ISD resources (printing, email, supplies, etc.) cannot be used for research activities.
    7. The CAA office does not have the authority to grant permission for the use of school buildings for data collection. Arrangements must be made through the school principal and/or the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Facilities Rentals site.  >Visit ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Facility Rentals site. The researcher should obtain prior approval from the campus principal when the proposed project involves campus personnel or students.
    8. Any compensation provided for participation must be described in the proposal.
    9. Researchers may not request data directly from schools, departments, or teachers. Data requests must be submitted through the form associated with this website.

    Confidentiality and Ethical Considerations

    Confidentiality describes how participants' personal information, including consent, will be collected and maintained. The district, students, and teachers cannot be personally identifiable in the reporting of data or study findings. The district name, staff members, and campus names will not be identified except through prior approval by the identified staff members and the research review board.  The primary investigator is responsible for maintaining all data collected in such a manner that ensures the security and confidentiality of all research participants. All data will be stored in secure files and on devices that are password protected and/or encrypted. Access to data will be limited to the principal investigator and secondary researchers.

    Parent, Student and Staff Consent

    Requests by individuals or entities associated with institutions of higher learning receive approval from the appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) before the initiation of the study. 

    Parent consent must be written in an easily understood language and available in the languages of the participants. Please see the readability guidelines. Researchers should print consent/assent forms on their own stationery and avoid using district letterhead or logos. Parent consent should include:

    • A description of the purpose of the research and what the participants will be asked to do, including the time commitment for each participant.
    • A notice if the participants will be audio recorded and how the recording will be used and what happens to the recordings after the research project is completed.
    • A description of any identifiable information that the researcher will collect or seek access to, such as test scores, attendance records, addresses, etc. The form should include a separate check box with a yes/no referring to the release of this information.
    • A notice that all information will remain confidential.
    • A notice that participation is voluntary and participants may withdraw at any time without negative consequences.
    • Include the name of the researcher and a local or toll-free number for parents or participants to call if they have questions.
    • For research that includes data collection instruments (such as surveys), the parent consent form must include the following text:
      • Parents, please be aware that under the Protection of Pupil Rights, Act 20 U.S.C. Section 1232 (c)(1)(A) you have the right to review a copy of the questions asked of, or materials that will be used with, your students. If you would like to do so, you should contact [insert Researcher Name] at (XXX) XXX-XXXX to obtain a copy of the questions or materials.

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