Research Requirements

The Beaverton School District recognizes the importance of educational research, and the value of refining the educational knowledge base. However, the primary work of the District is to educate children, and review of the applications will focus on protecting BSD students and staff from unnecessary disruption to the school environment. Research proposals must be submitted by email or hard copy to the BSD research coordinator for review.

The proposal is reviewed by a committee and may take a minimum of four weeks to approve. The committee may require changes to be made prior to approval. Not all applications will be approved—the committee takes the overall quality, number of requests, and the number of current research projects already taking place into account. There is no appeals process. If approved, you will receive notification via a letter from the District.

Consider your research timeline and expectations of completion. The approval process takes time, especially if changes to the project are required. Please also remember that we operate on a school year calendar. As such, applications that are received after Memorial Day are not likely to be approved until the following September.

Outside researchers are allowed on BSD facilities, but must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or complete a medical or religious exception and follow all safety protocols adopted by the district.

Submission Information

A well-developed research design must be in place. Please do not submit a proposal if you do not have a project already determined.

All projects must be educational in nature. An example of a proposal that would not be approved would be a study on childhood musical preferences.
When designing an education-based experiment, the controls you employ should have ethical considerations behind them. For example, if you are doing a months-long experiment with a program meant to improve writing, what would it mean to leave half of your subjects “untreated”?
All research must be pre-approved! If the researchers fail to receive approval, the project will be immediately suspended.
You may not directly contact principals or teachers to begin projects until approval is received.
You must provide the District with a copy of the final research result (e.g. a journal article).

Questions about research proposal requirements should be sent to Kristie Hauss, Research Committee Coordinator.

Please submit your proposal electronically after reviewing the approval criteria, research agenda, and documentation information.

Submit your proposal electronically

If you do not wish to submit electronically, you may submit a hard copy to the District, c/o Kristie Hauss.

Approval Criteria

BSD Research Committee Review Checklist

The BSD Research Committee reviews proposals using these criteria to guide their recommendations for approval or denial. A "no" response is not necessarily an automatic disqualification.

Purpose & Alignment

Request aligns with District Research Agenda
Results of requests have practical use
BSD is a compatible setting request and its methods

Design & Methods

Quality research design and methods
Requested data is appropriate for the stated research question
Request does not interfere with instructional time
Collection methods are appropriate for age, development level, and language proficiency of subjects
BSD employees only: Research is not conducted within researcher's own students or supervised employees. (Or, rationale is convincing and appropriate)

Confidentiality & Anonymity

Rationale is convincing and appropriate for any individually identifiable data
Data confidentiality measures are adequate and appropriate

External Approval

Approval from researcher's IRB
Approval from other entities or agencies as applicable

District Research Agenda

While the District encourages all research related to teaching and learning, we do have a prioritized research agenda.

Equity is one of the key Pillars of Learning in the Beaverton School District. As such, we are particularly interested in proposals that view educational research through an equity lens.

The District also encourages the evaluation of our many new and continuing programs and policies. This includes areas such as CTE, social and emotional learning, content adoptions, and AVID.

Proposals that are most likely to be approved can illustrate that their research is of use to the BSD. Knowledge of BSD initiatives and policies demonstrates compatibility with the BSD.

Documentation

A statement of the research questions, issues, and hypotheses (10 pgs max)
Literature review (3 pgs max)
A curriculum vitae (CV) with current contact information.
A longer statement of the specific research design and methodology, including:
1. Names and role descriptions for the individuals who will participate in interviewing, questioning, or testing of students and staff
2. Scope and significance of the project (how many, and what type of students and BSD staff involved and what will happen to them)
3. Proposed start/end dates
4. Time demands on BSD students and staff (e.g. once a week, daily, etc.)
5. Instruments of measurement
6. Procedures for data collection, confidentiality, and disposal of data after analysis
IRB approval form. If the project completes requirements for a college or university course, program or degree, the applicant should supply a copy of the Institutional Review Board approval if the college or university has required it.
Funding documentation. If the project is being funding by an approved grant, please state the name of the grant and the grant approval number, if applicable.
Signed Agreement form. All projects must have submitted the Agreement to Conduct Research in the Beaverton School District.
Copies of the instruments that will be used (such as surveys or assessment forms).
Copies of any letters that are to be sent to students, staff, parents, or community members. The BSD prefers that passive permission letters be used for non-controversial, non-sensitive research only. A passive agreement format asks for the parent signature to be returned to the researcher only if permission is denied. If no letter is returned, the parent is assumed to have consented.

Application & Approval Process

Working In Schools