Policy 3030 – Research in the Howard County Public School System

Research questions or hypothesis refinement/testing that are based on theory and are highly relevant to and add to the existing knowledge base on Pre-K-12 teaching and learning, especially in the context of HCPSS priorities.

Research methods that are appropriate for addressing the research questions include, but are not limited to: study sample, study design, instrumentation, data collection, and data analysis plan.

The applicant demonstrates that their role will not conflict with the interests of the research subjects. Research design takes into account the need to eliminate any potential power differential between the researcher and research subjects, or perceived and real authority of the researcher over the research subjects.

If the applicant is an HCPSS student in an HCPSS research class, the student’s teacher will oversee that all research activities are conducted as approved.

If the applicant does not hold a doctorate, a research supervisor with a doctorate is required. The supervisor will oversee that all research activities are conducted as approved.

If the applicant is applying on behalf of an organization, the principal investigator must hold a doctorate and this individual will oversee that all research activities are conducted as approved.

All applicants, including the principal investigators and all personnel to be involved, must demonstrate completion of learning modules provided by the Superintendent/designee related to protecting human subjects and adhering to data privacy laws and regulations.

Research proposals from external researchers must be presented to the Superintendent/designee for screening, and evaluated for approval and the documentation of approval be provided to the Board of Education at a regularly scheduled Board meeting.

Upon request by the Superintendent/designee, external research conducted in schools must have approval from each school’s principal as part of the approval process.

If the research is conducted on HCPSS campuses, an HCPSS employee will be assigned by the site leader as the point of contact to monitor that the research is conducted as approved.

Research proposals by HCPSS students that are part of regular classroom assignments, must be approved by the teacher of that class.

The HCPSS will not approve or support:

Research that is not subject to the approval process by the Superintendent/designee includes:

Authorization for an external researcher to conduct research is granted upon written approval by the Superintendent/designee.

All researchers will adhere to the following ethical standards:

The following types of research activities involving adults, as well as students, regardless of age and/or IRB requirements, require the written informed consent from a parent (or student of majority age or emancipated minor student) and the assent of the student.

Action research activities will not require burden on HCPSS employees beyond normal job duties. Action research activities also will not interrupt HCPSS teaching and learning and operational processes.

All researchers will adhere to federal, state, and local laws and regulations as well as HCPSS policies, procedures, and guidelines for maintaining the accuracy, integrity, quality, and confidentiality of student and employee data in any format and location.

Research activities will not put undue strain on system resources. This includes no undue interference with the internal researcher’s and other employees’ normal work duties. Any use of HCPSS resources to conduct research requires supervisor/designee approval and the approval of the office that owns the resource.

To the extent possible, researchers will maintain anonymity when conducting research. Anonymity of subjects must be maintained in any dissemination of information gained from approved research activities.

Researchers will maintain the anonymity, confidentiality, and protection of PII of individual students, schools, and HCPSS employees in reporting the results.

Researchers will not release data or information in a way that permits linking specific individuals to specific responses or information.

Researchers will not reveal the identity of schools, offices, departments, divisions, or the district.

Dissemination of information obtained from action research conducted by HCPSS employees will be screened and evaluated for approval by the employee’s supervisor/designee.

For all approved external research studies, HCPSS will make public the researcher name, institution, contact information, project topic, and expected project completion date.

School-based and Central Office administrators will be trained regarding the implementation of this policy to support their role in approving research projects and ensuring that HCPSS employees comply with procedures for conducting research in the school system and the procedures for protecting data privacy in any dissemination of information from research activities.

Appropriate personnel will be trained to ensure that HCPSS employees comply with procedures for screening, evaluating, approving, conducting, and disseminating research within the scope of this policy.

Violation of this or any HCPSS policy is grounds for immediate rejection of the research application or termination of the approved research.

Authorization to conduct research may be revoked if the researcher violates any standards or procedures outlined in this policy, or does not conduct the research in accordance with the researcher’s approved proposal.

Authorization to conduct research may be revoked if HCPSS deems the study in progress is causing discomfort to research participants.

Unless it meets the definition of research within the scope of this policy, requests for proposals (RFPs), Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), grant evaluation requirements, and other data sharing agreements between HCPSS and other organizations are out-of-scope. (Policy 3060 Student Data Governance and Privacy, Policy 6030 Procurement of Architectural and Construction Management Services)

Recruitment of HCPSS employees or students occurring outside of typical work hours for studies conducted outside of HCPSS and outside of typical work hours; as long as no PII or other identifying information about individuals, schools, or the district is collected or is shared in the dissemination of information gleaned.

Research studies using publicly-available information.

Activities deemed not to be research within the scope of this policy, such as oral history, journalism, biography, literary criticism, legal research, historical scholarship, quality assurance activities, customer satisfaction, and others.

HCPSS student projects that do not involve HCPSS students or HCPSS employees as subjects.

Surveys from professional organizations to its members, as long as no PII or other identifying information about individuals, schools, or the district is shared in the dissemination of information gleaned.

Screen and evaluate external research proposals in accordance with this policy.

Handle all communication with those proposing to conduct external research.

Monitor the implementation of external research projects to ensure adherence to guidelines and timeframes.

Maintain a record of all submitted external research materials and decisions. For approved external research, maintain a record of submitted research reports.

Maintain a record of all approved action research materials submitted by supervisors/designees.

Supervise action research activities conducted by their direct reports.

Evaluate and approve/reject dissemination of action research requests.

Inform the Superintendent/designee of action research proposals that have been approved.

Monitor implementation of approved action research proposals.

Submit to the Superintendent/designee a copy of completed action research findings.

Questionnaires or Surveys: multiple choice or open-ended questions.

Interviews and Focus Groups: formal and informal discussions.

Observations: formal and anecdotal perceptions.

Document Analysis: extant materials related to the research.

For profit and not-for-profit organizations, national study groups, federal/state/local agencies.

HCPSS employees seeking to conduct research for purposes outside of job responsibilities (e.g., coursework, program requirements, personal interests, master’s theses, doctoral dissertations).

Non-HCPSS employees seeking to conduct research in HCPSS.

HCPSS students seeking to conduct research that is not part of their regular classroom assignments and/or that will be disseminated beyond HCPSS.

Non-HCPSS employees or entities that enter into an agreement with HCPSS that include research activities as defined in the scope of this policy as part of the agreement.

Biological Parent – A natural parent whose parental rights have not been terminated.

Adoptive Parent – A person who has legally adopted the student and whose parental rights have not been terminated.

Custodian – A person or an agency appointed by the court as the legal custodian of the student and granted parental rights and responsibilities.

Guardian – A person who has been placed by the court in charge of the affairs of the student and granted parental rights and responsibilities.

Caregiver – An adult resident of Howard County who exercises care, custody, or control over the student but who is neither the biological parent nor legal guardian, as long as the person satisfies the requirements of the Education Article, §7-101(c) (Informal Kinship Care) or has been issued a U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Verification of Release form entering into a custodial arrangement with the federal government.

Foster Parent – An adult approved to care for a child who has been placed in the home by a state agency or a licensed child placement agency as provided by the Family Law Article, §5-507.