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Research Conducted by Representatives

Research Request

RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY REPRESENTATIVES

OF UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES, AND OTHER AGENCIES

IN THE TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS

It shall be the policy of the Tuscaloosa City Schools to participate with universities, colleges, and other agencies in research and related studies. This participation shall be governed by specific criteria. Participation in research and related studies that involves students and professional or non-professional staff members of the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education shall be based on the following criteria:

1. Research in the school shall be limited to those studies associated with the master thesis, the doctoral dissertation, and those educationally-related projects conducted by institutional faculty members or experienced professionals from other agencies. Research shall be confined to the areas of education and the social sciences.

2. The research shall be expected to contribute something useful and of value for the improvement of public elementary and secondary education. The proposed research study shall be designed so that it can be expected to produce valid and reliable results.

3. A written request addressed to the Superintendent of Schools shall be the initial step in seeking approval for the conduct of research or related studies in the Tuscaloosa City Schools. These requests shall be initiated by university and college faculty advisors for graduate students, by institutional faculty members for their own proposed research, and by agency directors for experienced professionals.

4. A complete and concise description of the proposed research or related study shall be attached to each request to conduct research.

5. The conduct of research and related studies shall be under the direct control of officials in the Tuscaloosa City Schools. Faculty advisors and agency directors shall be expected to assume appropriate supervisory responsibilities with regard to research or related studies conducted by their students or employees.

6. Questionnaires, interview statements, and test items shall not include information which invades the area of personal rights or which raises questions of a personal nature relative to socioeconomic status, income, race, religion, creed or national origin.

7. Personality measures (attitude scales, projective techniques, standardized personality inventories, or specially-designed personality instruments) shall not be administered by researchers in the Tuscaloosa City Schools.

8. Parents of students, students, and professional or non-professional staff members who participate in research or related studies shall be thoroughly oriented as to the purpose of the research and are to be given the reasons why they have been selected to participate in the study.

9. Researchers planning to administer aptitude tests, achievement tests, interest inventories, surveys, or interview schedules to students shall be required to obtain written permission from each parent. The permission form (to be designed by the researcher) shall state that the Tuscaloosa City Schools are cooperating in a research study approved by a university, college, or professional agency. The permission form shall also state that the cooperation of the Tuscaloosa City Schools does not imply approval or disapproval of the premise or results of the proposed research study. Requests by researchers to examine student records shall conform to the Policy and Procedures or the Collection, Maintenance, and Dissemination of Student Records in the Tuscaloosa City Schools.

10. The signed parental permission form shall be reviewed by the Superintendent of schools prior to the beginning of the research or related study.

11. Research and related studies shall not be conducted during the months of September, December, and May.

12. The participation of students and professional or non-professional staff members in the Tuscaloosa City Schools shall be voluntary.

13. Tests, interviews, and other research protocols shall not be administered during the regular school day.

14. Research and related studies shall meet with the approval of participating school principals.

15. Research and related studies shall be conducted at times convenient to the principal and his staff.

16. A typewritten copy of the dissertation, thesis, or report shall be deposited with the Tuscaloosa City Schools‚ Learning Resource Center.

17. The Superintendent of Schools shall provide individual school principals with a written notice of approved research studies.