Request to Conduct Research

Any person wishing to conduct research within the Dysart Unified School District must follow district policies and procedures. 

An application and necessary documentation must be completed and approval granted prior to initiating any research project with the district.  

• Dissertation projects    
• Thesis projects    
• University research studies

Dysart Unified Request to Conduct Research Procedure

In order to assure that the District cooperates with recognized research agencies to promote useful research, that compliance with all statutory requirements is maintained, and students are assured of data security, the following approval and participation process shall be followed:

• Research proposals shall be submitted to the District Department of Research and Achievement for review.
  
• The Department of Research and Achievement will submit recommendations for approval of research proposals to the Superintendent’s cabinet.
  
• When a proposal is approved, the Department of Research and Achievement will be responsible for coordination and oversight of the research, including compliance with the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) and other standards for conducting human subject research.
  

• Research should have potential benefits for students
• Results should be available to the District.
  
• Student data with potential privacy invasion must have advance authorization of parents or guardians.
  
• Research should not interrupt instructional activities.
  
• Student research must have faculty approval and supervision.
  
• Proposals must include explicit language regarding what data is to be collected and for what purpose.
  
• Agreement to participate with education research agencies must restrict use of data to the proposing agency and prohibit sharing with any other third party without the express consent of the District.
  

• District policies regarding these rights and procedures to protect these rights will be communicated to parents and eligible students at the start of each school year and after any substantive changes.
• The PPRA provides certain rights to parents and students or emancipated minors regarding the administration of surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes, and certain physical exams.
  
• The District Department of Research and Achievement will assure that researchers communicate and obtain informed consent concerning data derived from school records, interviews, surveys or questionnaires that invade a student's or their families PPRA rights.

The District will comply with all statutes pertaining to surveys including the requirement that notwithstanding any other law, each school district and charter school shall obtain written informed consent from the parent of a pupil before administering any survey that is retained by a school district, a charter school or the department of education for longer than one year and that solicits personal information about the pupil regarding a number of characteristics which are listed in the statute A.R.S. 15-117.

Below are the links to all necessary documents that need to be completed and submitted for approval.