TEACHERS

If you are seeking to conduct research with WPS TEACHERS (not students), follow these steps:

SCHOOL/CLASSROOM VISITS REQUIRE CORI CHECK

If you will be doing classroom 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

Research Application Process to Conduct Research with TEACHERS

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

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 IRB Approval Process

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 at WPI, contact irb@wpi.edu

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)

STEP 3: WORCESTER PUBLIC SCHOOL RESEARCH APPLICATION

Research Application LINK

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.
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/your universityxf have custody over the data collected?
  1. - 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 and consent forms must be included as part of the application if applicable (see examples below).

If approved by Worcester Public School's Office of Research and Accountability (ORA), move onto the next steps:

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), you must first identify the school principals who are open to research being conducted in their schools.

You may already have an interested Principal(s) from your outreach in Step 1. However, you can now cast a wider net should you want to include more schools.

DIRECTIONS

Create a half-page research announcement for 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

The ORA will distribute this announcement district-wide via a weekly communication (per 2025-26 superintendent transparency initiatives these communications are weekly).

KEY CONTACTS

Email your research announcement to Worcester Office of Research and Accountability:

research@worcesterschools.net

Marco Andrade, Ph.D.

Director of Research and Accountability

Andrew Lampi, PhD

Research and Evaluation Specialist

STEP 5: RECRUIT INTERESTED TEACHERS

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 corresponding curriculum specialist within WPS. Your subject-area curriculum specialist will distribute recruitment fliers to target teachers in approved schools (e.g., middle school math teachers)