STUDENTS
If you are seeking to conduct research with WPS students, follow these steps:
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ALL SCHOOL/CLASSROOM VISITS REQUIRE A CORI CHECK
ALL SCHOOL/CLASSROOM VISITS REQUIRE A CORI CHECK
If you will be doing classroom or school visits as a part of the research study, you will need to have a completed CORI with the school PRIOR to your visit. Please complete the CORI form and return to:
Assistant Superintendent of Personnel, Engagement & Equity
Worcester Public Schools
20 Irving Street Worcester, MA 01609
You are not allowed to enter any WPS Schools until your CORI is cleared.
Research Application Process to Conduct Research with STUDENTS within WPS
STEP 1: Develop Mutually Beneficial Research Focus
STEP 1: Develop Mutually Beneficial Research Focus
The mission of the ERC is to unite school communities and researchers as equal partners to make first step smoother.
CONTACT PRINCIPALS
CONTACT PRINCIPALS
Reach out directly to WPS Principals with information about the proposed project to determine interest and availability.
On the homepage of every WPS school, you can find the Principal's name, email, and phone number.
STEP 2: Begin Process to Obtain IRB Approval
STEP 2: Begin Process to Obtain IRB Approval
Follow your institution's IRB processes. The ones below are for WPI. The processes may vary by institution.
Visit WPI IRB Website
Start an IRB Application in WPI's InfoEd Portal
Select the type of application (exempt or full review)
Complete all the questions in the Application and attach all required documents including Methods, Procedures, Recruitment, CITI certificates, and Consent Forms
All participating researchers MUST complete the CITI Program Training and have a current certificacte of completion. Upload certificates to InfoEd for each researcher.
If you have any questions regarding the IRB process, contact your IRB contact.
DETERMINE TYPE OF APPLICATION
DETERMINE TYPE OF APPLICATION
WPI IRB Application for Exemption from IRB Review for Survey or Interview Research involving Minimal or No Risk
WPI IRB Application for Exemption for Human Subjects Research (see examples from 45 CFR Part 46)
WPI Full Application
IRB APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS (Required regardless of type of application)
IRB APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS (Required regardless of type of application)
STEP 3: COMPLETE WORCESTER PUBLIC SCHOOL RESEARCH APPLICATION
STEP 3: COMPLETE WORCESTER PUBLIC SCHOOL RESEARCH APPLICATION
Click the link above to submit your application. Fill out all fields and attach the documents requested.
Questions? Contact the Office of Research and Accountability research@worcesterschools.net or call 508-799-3061 X62043
Your Research Project/Data Collection Application Needs to Include:
IRB documentation/approval – If you are conducting research to satisfy degree requirements, IRB documentation may be submitted as part of the Research Project/Data Collection Application to describe the research effort, design, and methodology that will be used. Attach evidence that you have begun the application process at your institution. If you have submitted a complete application to IRB, you can include it in your application (must include everything listed below).
Data collection instruments* – Copies of all assessments, surveys, interview protocols, or any other data gathering templates must be submitted as part of the application.
Will student data be maintained by you and will WPI have custody over the data collected?
If Yes → no issue.
If you are using a third party platform, ORA needs to ensure their platform is approved for student data privacy.
Study sample recruitment letters or fliers* – If applicable, these must be included as part of the application.
Parent Consent and Student Assent Forms* – Since your research is with students, provide a copy of both forms and indicate which languages the form will be translated into. See samples and templates in Steps 5-8 below.
*These forms and descriptions should be IDENTICAL to what you attach to your IRB application for consistency. It's ideal to download your IRB application for the institution and attach that to your WPS application. It must have all the required information.
If approved by Worcester Public School's Office of Research and Accountability (ORA), move onto the next steps:
STEP 4: GATHER PRINCIPAL INTEREST APPROVAL
STEP 4: GATHER PRINCIPAL INTEREST APPROVAL
Since you are seeking to conduct research in a classroom(s) within a WPS school(s) and with classroom teacher(s) or students, you must first identify the school principals who are open to research being conducted in their schools.
DIRECTIONS
DIRECTIONS
Create a half-page research announcement and email it to the Worcester ORA that:
Outlines big-picture information of the research study, study goals, and connections to WPS strategic initiatives
Notifies district of approved WPS-WPI collaboration
Includes interest form/QR code for principals
Once your research application is approved by the ORA, they will distribute your announcement to appropriate contacts.
KEY CONTACTS
KEY CONTACTS
Email your research announcement to Worcester Office of Research and Accountability:
Marco Andrade, Ph.D.
Director of Research and Accountability
Andrew Lampi, PhD
Research and Evaluation Specialist
STEP 5: RECRUIT INTERESTED TEACHERS THROUGH A FLIER AND INTEREST FORM
STEP 5: RECRUIT INTERESTED TEACHERS THROUGH A FLIER AND INTEREST FORM
Once there are principal(s) who have agreed to have research occur in their school(s):
Create a Flier to be sent to the teachers in approved schools with study overview, participant expectations, and interest form access via link/QR code
Share Flier with teachers within your networks or through corresponding curriculum specialist within WPS:
Subject-area curriculum specialist will distribute recruitment fliers to target teachers in approved schools (e.g., middle school math teachers)
Interested teachers will complete an interest form to provide their school emails to you. Researchers may only work with teachers once they have provided their emails to you, expressed interest, and completed teacher consent forms.
UTILIZE YOUR NETWORKS OR CURRICULUM SPECIALISTS
UTILIZE YOUR NETWORKS OR CURRICULUM SPECIALISTS
Email Worcester's ORA (research@worcesterschools.net) to obtain the contact information for your corresponding curriculum specialist:
ART Curriculum Specialist
ENGLISH Curriculum Specialist
ELEMENTARY Curriculum Specialist
FOREIGN LANGUAGE Curriculum Specialist
MATH Curriculum Specialist
MUSIC Curriculum Specialist
PHYSICAL EDUCATION Curriculum Specialist
SCIENCE Curriculum Specialist
SOCIAL STUDIES Curriculum Specialist
STEP 7: PARENT/GUARDIAN CONSENT
STEP 7: PARENT/GUARDIAN CONSENT
Provide participating teachers the Qualtrics link for the parent letter. Teachers will then send out the link to the parent communication app, Parent Square.
ParentSquare is the district's two-way communications platform with instant translations in 100+ languages, used for newsletters, group chats, calendars, report cards, volunteer sign-ups, and announcements.
This parent/guardian consent form has specific language related to conducting work with teachers in WPS. If you are proposing to work with students in classrooms, the parent consent form MUST contain the following:
"Your child will participate in this project in their math class if you provide permission. If you do not give permission, they will receive alternative math assignments determined by their classroom teacher and no data will be recorded from our team. Your child(ren) will continue to receive all services entitled to you through the Worcester Public Schools. Your refusal to allow your child to participate will not result in any penalty or any loss of benefits to which you and your child may otherwise be entitled. Your child may decide to stop participating in the research at any time without penalty. The project investigators retain the right to cancel or postpone the study at any time."
STEP 8: STUDENT ASSENT
STEP 8: STUDENT ASSENT
Provide teachers with a link to share study information with their students.
Before starting the study, all students must complete an Assent form electronically or on paper. If students do not assent to the study, their data cannot be used for research.
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