IO_LC April 2026.pdf (66 KB)

​​ ​File:​​IO​LC​ ​Adopted: October 14, 1976​ ​Revised: May __, 2026​ ​Associated Regulation:​​IO-R​ ​EDUCATION​AL​​RESEARCH​ ​The Board recognizes that systematic study of the educational process and​ ​related variables can contribute significantly to the development and​ i​mplementation of high quality instructional programs. The Board​​also values​ ​transparency that allows consideration of the success of the School District’s​ ​programs by the community.​​therefore encourages the conduct of well designed​ ​educational research projects within the District.​ ​The Board of Education recognizes that requests will be made on occasion by​ ​nonschool personnel and/or agencies to conduct research projects in the​ ​schools. However, because such projects invariably involve School District​ ​personnel and interrupt class instructional time, a Research Review Committee​ ​shall provide written approval based on a determination that the proposed​ ​research has potential value for the School District and is consistent with School​ ​District philosophies, legal obligations, and standards of good scholarship.​ ​While recognizing the value of educational research, the Board also has a​ ​responsibilityto protect students, parents, and staff from harassment; invasion of​ ​privacy; and physical, psychological, social, and educational injury.​ ​Consequently, the Board requires that all research proposals be carefully​ ​screened by the Director of Evaluation and Guidance or a designee and​ ​appropriate directors, to ensure that the proposed research has potential value​ ​for the District and is consistent with District philosophies, legal obligations, and​ ​standards of good scholarship.​¶​ ​The Director of Evaluation and Guidance and the appropriate division director(s)​ ​must provide written approval before a research project may be conducted in the​ ​District. The Director of Evaluation and Guidance will be responsible for​ ​monitoring any approved research. This policy applies to those research projects​ ​not sponsored by the District.​¶​ ​¶​ ​Educational research activities in the District should conform to the guidelines​ ​described in "Procedures for Educational Research in the Boulder Valley School​ ​District."​¶​ ​Protection of Student Rights​

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​Any survey, assessment, analysis or evaluation of students shall be consistent​ ​with district policy and applicable law.​ ​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 School District and is permitted by law.​ ​If research by nonschool personnel is to involve students, complete information​ ​about the project shall be provided to parents/guardians and students in​ ​advance. No student shall be the subject of any research project without the prior​ ​written consent of the student's parents/guardians and the student if the student​ i​s old enough to understand the process and purpose of the project. Consent​ ​shall not be necessary when the researcher merely will observe students​ ​engaged in normal activities.​ ​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 in​ ​writing.​ ​Documentation and dissemination​ ​Copies of all project reports, data collected within the Boulder Valley School​ ​District, and a one-page summary of results must be submitted to the School​ ​District at the conclusion of the research project.​ ​Annually, the School District’s head of research shall provide to the​ ​Superintendent a summary of all research projects conducted within the School​ ​District.​ ​CROSS REF.:​ ​GCS, Consulting, Research, and Intellectual Property​ ​GCQB​, Professional Research and Publishing​¶​ ​End of File: IO​

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