INFORMATION)AND)INSTRUCTIONS)FORCOMPLETINGA)RESEA...

Mobile County PUBLIC SCHOOLS

THE MISSION OF MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS is to graduate prepared and productive citizens.

THE VISION OF MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS is to become a premier educational system where students engage in multiple pathways leading to success in a global society.

We believe ourprimary focus is to educate all students to become productive citizens.

We believe allemployees are professionals who share in the responsibility for the success of our students.

We Believe is asafe, secure, and productive environments for learning and working.

We Believe thesuccess of our schools is enhanced by the support and partnerships of the community.

INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING A RESEARCH APPLICATION

Please read prior to requesting approval to conduct research.

Purpose The Mobile County Public School System believes that responsible research is necessary to evaluate and improve educational outcomes. As such, MCPSS encourages qualified individuals and/or organizations to conduct research aligned to the MCPSS Strategic Plan with the potential to inform educational practices.

Board Policy – Research 4.12 The professional staff is encouraged to conduct educational research aimed at developing, validating and standardizing new or alternative instructional programs, strategies, or methods. All formal research or experimental projects using either school system personnel or pupils shall be approved by the superintendent. Informal studies in individual schools may be conducted upon the approval of the local principal. All research programs coordinated by persons or agencies outside the school system and all programs involving multiple schools within the system shall be approved by the superintendent. Summary reports of all research efforts conducted in the school system will be submitted to the superintendent.

How does MCPSS define types of research? Research is any data collection and/or analysis from or about Mobile County Public School System (MCPSS) students, staff, parents, or school communities.

Internal Research – Research initiated by an employee of MCPSS as related to their roles, responsibilities, and job duties; or research initiated and commissioned by MCPSS and conducted under the direction of MCPSS staff. External Research – Research initiated by an employee of MCPSS for the purpose of degree requirement or any study initiated by a non-‐MCPSS employee.

Which application should I complete? Local School Research Request Form – must be completed by any MCPSS employee when conducting external research only at the school where he or she is employed. The employee’s principal must approve and sign the Local School Research Request Form. An electronic copy must be sent to the Office of Research, Assessments, Grants, and Accountability for documentation and filing. Researchers who complete a MCPSS Local School Research Request Form must have approval from their principal prior to making any contact with school staff, parents or students. No further approval is required.

MCPSS Application to Conduct Research – MCPSS employees requesting to conduct research at a school other than the school where they are employed, at multiple schools, all central office employees and all non-‐MCPSS employees must submit a MSPSS Application to Conduct Research for consideration by the Internal Review Board (IRB).

Researchers who complete the MCPSS Application to Conduct Research must have an approval letter from the Office of Research, Assessments, Grants, and Accountability prior to making any formal agreements with principals, system staff, school staff, parents, or students.

http://www.mcpss.com/strategic-plan/

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What are the guidelines for conducting research in MCPSS?

• All applications for conducting research in MCPSS must be submitted to the Officeof Research, Assessments, Grants, and Accountability by midnight of the submission deadline.

• The research project must be approved by the university’s Institutional Review Board of theinvestigator’s own institution if required by the institution. A copy of the approval letter mustbe submitted with the MCPSS Application to Conduct Research.

• Applicants must review and sign a research contract.• Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.• MCPSS will not edit nor make changes in an application for the researcher.• The researcher is responsible for ensuring that proposals are free from factual, grammatical,

spelling, and typographical errors. Proposals containing such errors will not be accepted forreview.

• Applications must be submitted electronically.• The time required of staff and students must be fully justified by the educational benefits.• Applications must be submitted electronically by midnight of the submission deadline listed

below to be eligible for review timeline as listed below.• If you do not receive an email confirming the receipt of your application within two business

days following submission, please contact Merrier Jackson at 251t 221t 4036.• Electronic surveys are required to use our website to submit. Please contact Jordan Morris

at (251) 221-6281 or [email protected] for details.• Research proposal must align with the MCPSS Strategic Plan.• Research projects are prohibited during local/state testing windows, the beginning or end of

the school year, end of quarter, etc.• In accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations,

personally identifiable information from a student’s educational record will not bedisclosed without prior parental consent. Staff members may not be asked to conduct/manage the administration of informed consent for external research projects.

• Pseudonyms must be used for the school division, schools, and any individuals participating inthe study in all reports, articles, or presentations about the study or its findings.

• A copy of the executive summary must be submitted to the Office of Research, Assessments,Grants, and Accountability within 30 days of completion of the project.

• MCPSS’ Office of Research, Assessment, Grants, and Accountability must be notified prior tothe publication of any results of, or data from, the research study.

Research Application Review Timeline (See table below) Applications to conduct research within Mobile County Public School System are reviewed four (4) times per year. The review process (from submission deadline to decision letter mailing) takes approximately six (6) weeks.

• Applications to conduct research are due by midnight of the submission deadline date.• Researchers will receive both a decision letter (via U.S. Mail) and an e-‐mail regarding the

status of their application by the 15th day of the month following the review.• The Office of Research, Assessment, Grants, and Accountability does not provide expedited

review.



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Review and Decision Each research proposal will be reviewed by the Internal Research Board (IRB). The IRB may suggest revisions to the proposal prior to acceptance. Approval will be granted or denied based on the following criteria:

• Alignment with the MCPSS Strategic Plan• Anticipated benefits to students, staff, and the Mobile County Public School System• Quality of the research• Resources required of staff, students, and MCPSS

If your Research Application is approved: You must provide a copy of the approval letter to the school administrator when formally seeking school participation. Administrators will make the final decision as to whether a project will be implemented in their school based on school priorities at the projected time of implementation. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the researcher to contact the administrator and obtain approval to conduct the research. Once an administrator has made this decision there is no appeal.

If your Research Application is denied: Applicants may elect to submit a revised version of their application for a later review month. At the discretion of the Executive Director of the Department of Research, Assessments, Grants, and Accountability, the application may or may not be forwarded to the IRB for review. A revised application may still be denied by the IRB on the grounds of concerns listed in the original denial letter or on new grounds. The IRB will not accept an application that has been denied twice.

What should I do if I have questions? Questions should be submitted to [email protected]. All questions will be answered within 48 hours.

Reports and Dissemination The researcher should submit one copy of executive summary to the Department of Research, Assessment, Grants, and Accountability within 30 days of completion of the study. If requested, copies of the report should also be provided to the principals of the schools in which the study was implemented. The researcher may be asked to present or show findings from the study to the Executive Director of Research, Assessment, Grants, and Accountability. The Mobile County Public School System must be allowed by the researcher to make non-‐commercial use of the results for the benefit of the school system. Research permission is valid for one calendar school year. No study-‐related activities may continue beyond the expiration date of the original research approval.










Mobile County Public Schools RESEARCH APPLICATION -‐ PROCESS

Start Here

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

Applicant must visit the MCPSS website to begin the online application process. Does the applicant have questions about the

process?

Applicant completes online Application to Conduct

Research. Was this research request previously submitted to the IRB for consideration?

Application to Conduct Research must be submitted in accordance to the Information and Instructions for Completing a Research Application by midnight of the deadline date. Is

it complete?

Yes

Applicants waits for decision from MCPSS IRB. Written notification will be made within six (6)

weeks of submission closing date.

Applicant refers to the Information and Instructions for

Completing a Research Application or emails questions

or concerns to [email protected].

Questions will be answered within 24 hours of receipt.

If yes, at the discretion of the Executive Director of RAGA, the application may or may not be forwarded to the IRB for review. A revised application may still be denied by the IRB on the grounds of concerns listed in the original denial letter or on new grounds. The IRB will not accept an application that has been denied twice.

Late and incomplete applications will not be advanced to MCPSS’s IRB for consideration.

http://documents.mcpss.com/?DivisionID=13114&DepartmentID=13540&ToggleSideNav=ShowAll

THE MISSION OF MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Is to graduate prepared and productive citizens.

THE VISION OF MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Is to become a premier educational system where students engage in multiple pathways leading to success in a global society.

We believe…our primary focus is to educate all students to become productive citizens.

We believe…all employees are professionals who share in the responsibility for the success of our students.

We Believe…in a safe, secure, and productive environments for learning and working.

We Believe… the success of our schools is enhanced by the support and partnerships of the community.


MCPSS RESEARCH QUESTIONS/TOPICS OF INTEREST 2015-‐2016 Academic Year

Goal I: Graduate college and career ready students.

Engaged Learners

• Intervention and support for at risk students (I-‐3D, E; I-‐1C; I-‐3B)• Student preparation to succeed in college and in the workforce (I-‐2A-‐F)• Increased educational opportunities for underserved students (I-‐1B; I-‐2A, E; I-‐3A)• Improving instructional practices (I-‐1D)• Prevention and early intervention strategies in early childhood education among

at risk students (I-‐1C); I-‐3D-‐E• Multiple pathways to graduation (I-‐3A)• Addressing performance gaps among students of poverty, students who speak

another language other than English at home, and students with disabilities or atrisk for developing disabilities (I-‐1C; I-‐2A; I-‐3A-‐E)

• Improving cognitive outcomes for all children from birth to first grade (I-‐3A-‐E)• Transition (I-‐3C)• Career planning needs of students (I-‐2A-‐F)

• Implementation of strategic planning (II-‐1A-‐C; VI-‐3B)• Use of data, research and evaluation for continuous improvement (I-‐1C; II-‐1B,III-‐

2A)• Induction and mentoring programs for novice employees (II-‐2A)• Professional learning and employee effectiveness (I-‐1D; II-‐2B; II-‐3B IV-‐1D)• Workforce productivity (II-‐2C; III-‐3A-‐E; IV-‐1D)

Quality Professionals

• Technology in early childhood education (I-‐3D, E)• Use of technology to improve learning outcomes• Innovative technology in education (III-‐1B

Goal IV: Provide safe, supportive, and equitable environments.

• Meeting the physical, social, emotional, and academic needs of students (I-‐1E; I-‐2A-‐F; III-‐3D; IV-‐1A-‐B)

• Reducing barriers to student achievement (I-‐A-‐E)• Integrative partnerships in education (VI-‐2B-‐C)

Goal V: Manage financial resources responsibly and transparently.

• High performing school district finance (V2C-‐E)• Impact of operational effectiveness and efficiency on student achievement (V2C-‐E)

Goal VI: Communicate with employees and community to inform, engage, and ensure accountability.

• Engaging families in their children’s education (II-‐2F; VI-‐1A-‐B; VI-‐2A)• Creating sustainable partnerships (VI-‐2B-‐C; VI-‐2D)• Promoting a positive work culture (VI-‐3A, D)• Improving internal communications (III-‐2B; VI-‐3C)• Improving external communications (III-‐2B; VI-‐3A)

Community Partnerships

Emerging Technologies

Goal II: Recruit, employ, develop, and retain professionals who are effective in achieving our mission.

Goal III: Use emerging technologies to support teaching, learning, and work.

Sound Fiscal Management

Operational &

Support Systems

Title of Research Proposal: ___________________________________________________________

Section A: Applicant/Researcher Information

Name:

Mailing Address:

Email: Phone:

Current Employer: Position:

This research is related to a:

( ) Dissertation ( ) University ( ) Non-Profit Organization ( ) Thesis ( ) Independent Research ( ) Other______________________________________________________________________________

Has any MCPSS employee already agreed to support your research study? ( ) Yes ( ) No

If yes, please list the name, school/office and position of the MCPSS employee who has agreed to support this study.

Name: School/Office: Position:

Graduate Students Only: Please fill out the information below. MCPSS reserves the right to contact university faculty associated with a proposed research project. Advisor contact information is required for graduate student projects.

University Name: College/Department:

Advisor’s Name: Title/Position:

Email: Phone:

Have all advisory committee members formally approved this research? ( ) Yes ( ) No

Do you have approval from your university’s Institutional Review Board? If so, please provide a copy of the approval letter. ( ) Approval Received ( ) Provisional Approval Received ( ) Exemption Received ( ) No

Other Researchers: Is this research sponsored by another organization? ( ) Yes ( ) No If yes, please provide the following information regarding the organization.

Name of Organization:

Contact Name:

Email: Phone:

Type of Study ( ) Quantitative ( ) Qualitative ( ) Mixed-Methods (Researchers who are MCPSS employees may not conduct qualitative or mixed methods research where the researcher is employed.)

Data Elements ( ) Data ( ) Surveys ( ) Interviews

( ) Observations ( ) Video or Audio Recording

( ) Other: __________________

Participants

( ) Elementary School ( ) Administrators ( ) Parents/ Community

( ) Middle School ( ) Teachers ( ) Central Office

( ) High School ( ) Students ( ) Other: __________________

MCPSS Application to Conduct Research

2015-2016 Academic Year




Beliefs:

We believe our primary

focus is to educate all students to become productive citizens.

We believe all employees

are professionals who share in the responsibility for the success of our students.

We believe in safe,

secure, and productive environments for learning and working.

We believe the success of

our schools is enhanced by the support and partnership of the community.




Beliefs:





We believe in safe,






Section B: Proposed Study Alignment to MCPSS Strategic Plan

Priority will be given to studies that align and support the MCPSS Strategic Plan.

Choose goals and priorities that apply to your proposed research study.

( ) Engaged Learners: Graduate college and career ready students.

( ) Improve curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices to support teacher effectiveness and student learning.

( ) Provide college and career readiness preparation for all students.

( ) Differentiate the educational experience to effectively engage, appropriately challenge and ensure mastery for every student.

( ) Quality Professionals: Recruit, employ, develop, and retain professionals who are effective in achieving our mission.

( ) Engage Central Office employees in professional development related to district goals and expectations.

( ) Foster a culture of relevant and effective professional growth among all employees.

( ) Strengthen MCPSS’s ability to attract, recruit and retain highly effective leaders, teachers, and support staff through an efficient recruitment and hiring process.

( ) Emerging Technologies: Use emerging technologies to support teaching, learning, and work.

( ) Provide scalable infrastructure to support teaching, learning, and operational needs.

( ) Provide and maintain multiple platforms to support teaching, learning, and organizational needs.

( ) Provide and support end-user devices and software that adapts to technological change.

( ) Operational & Support Systems: Provide safe, supportive, and equitable environments.

( ) Remove barriers to student success.

( ) Maintain facilities, services, and equipment creating a safe, clean, and healthy environment.

( ) Ensure equitable access to support services and other resources.

( ) Sound Fiscal Management: Manage financial resources responsibly and transparently.

( ) Align resources for maximum impact on student learning.

( ) Ensure financial stability and growth through effective stewardship of financial assets.

( ) Plan capacity for facilities and make design choices that are consistent with effective approaches to teaching, learning, and the future of the school system.

( ) Community Partnerships: Communicate with employees and community to inform, engage, and ensure accountability.

( ) Foster community trust through timely and transparent communication.

( ) Engage community through regular dialogue and sustainable partnerships.

( ) Develop an internal communication plan that promotes a culture of pride and teamwork.



Section C: Proposed Study Information

Overview:

Write a brief summary of your research proposal, including the purpose of the research. (500 words or less)

Research Questions:

List research questions or hypothesis to be answered in bullet form. (No more than 5 questions.)

Research:

Summarize relevant theory and relevant research. Include references. 300 words or less




Beliefs:





We believe in safe,






Research Method:

Provide a brief summary of your research design and methods, including specific actions you will take to meet

the stated purpose of the study and answer the research questions.

Data Collection:

Describe data collection and analysis procedures.

Timeline:

Pending approval, enter approximate dates for each of the following events. Please Note: Research activities

must be scheduled at a time that is convenient and beneficial to all the participants involved in the study.

Therefore, consideration should be given to refrain from scheduling activities during periods of time such as:

the beginning/ending of the school year, end of the quarter, or statewide assessments.

Application Submitted to MCPSS

Data Request – Archival Time needed will vary, depending on the complexity of the request; at minimum, allow 3 business weeks.)

Data Collection - Survey (These must be administered electronically through the MCPSS division of Research, Assessments, Grants, and Accountability.)

Data Collection On-Site – observation, interviews, etc.

Report Writing

Final Report – Submitted to institution

Executive Summary Due to MCPSS (Email summary to [email protected])




Beliefs:





We believe in safe,




mailto:[email protected]



Reporting Out:

Describe how the results will be reported, including the purpose and audience for each type of publication

and presentation. Note: MCPSS requires an executive summary (500 words or less) within 30 calendar days

of the final report date. This summary should be emailed to [email protected] and will be used at the

discretion of the MCPSS.

Appendices

Appropriate required documentation should be submitted. Applications missing required and applicable

appendices will not be reviewed. Indicate appendices below:

( ) Informed Consent Letters ( ) Interview Protocol ( ) Administrator/Teacher/Staff ( ) Questionnaire/Survey/Test ( ) Parent ( ) Approval form from Institutional Review Board (IRB) ( ) Student ( ) Primary Researcher’s Resume or Vita

By submitting this application, the researcher agrees to comply with the research procedures stated in the

MCPSS Information and Instructions for Completing a Research Application, and provide a copy of the

executive summary within 30 days of completion of project.

___________________________________________________ _______________________

Applicant Signature Date




Beliefs:





We believe in safe,




mailto:[email protected]

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