Conducting Research in Jeffco

During the school year, district and school employees may be approached about participation in a variety of surveys, interviews, or research studies. These activities, when not being conducted for the express purpose of district work and internal use (including for the purpose of obtaining a degree) fall under the district's external research policy IGB. 

Employee applicants can email JRER@jeffco.k12.co.us to obtain the full application materials.

In accordance with Jeffco Policy IGB:

The Board of Education recognizes the value of educational research, which brings valid and reliable information to assist teachers, administrators, and other staff members in making instructional decisions.

External research includes any collection or use of data from Jeffco students or staff for external purposes (i.e. any use outside of the school or district including but not limited to; research for publication or conferences, research for graduate degrees, survey and surveillance efforts, etc.).

The District is especially interested in research within the areas of:

• Student Achievement (e.g., studies that: identify ways to close the achievement gap for minority students; analyze the effectiveness of a year-round school calendar, summer school programs, character education, or prevention programs; explore student safety issues; identify barriers to student achievement; determine the effectiveness of Jeffco Schools ILPs.)
• School-to-Work (e.g., studies that: assess how well Jeffco Schools graduates are prepared to enter college or workforce; examine the changes in community college entrance requirements and effects on admission for Jeffco Schools graduates; assess if Jeffco Schools curriculum is aligned with employer needs and expectations.)
• Multi-Cultural Issues (e.g., studies that: examine/explain student achievement by racial, ethnic, or linguistic groups; assess Jeffco Schools' instructional programs for English Language Learners; analyze discipline, suspension, and dropout rates by racial, ethnic, or linguistic groups.)
• Changing Work Force Issues (e.g., studies that: examine comprehensive staff development; determine effective instructional coaching programs; examine the impact of new teachers and retaining teachers.)

Official written approval of the proposed study must be received from the Jeffco Review of External Research (JRER) Committee prior to contacting any student, school, or employee regarding the research. The Jeffco External Research review process contains multiple steps which are outlined below:  

Research Interest Form:

Due to the high volume of requests, a research interest form will need to be submitted prior to submitting a full application. A submission of an interest form is not in lieu of an application and does not guarantee application review or approval to conduct research. 

Current Jeffco employees wanting to conduct research in Jeffco schools should email Jeffco Review of External Research using the email address at the bottom of this page.

Research Application:

Read the Brief Summary of the Review Process. This is an overview of the application review process and explains each step as a study is reviewed. If the proposed research aligns with district interest and values (see list given above), the full application will be sent to you personally by a member of the JRER. This is only an application for research approval, not official approval to conduct research. No student, school, or employee may be contacted prior to receiving written approval. For external candidates, full application review will begin on Feb and June 1st and may take eight to twelve weeks to complete. For current Jeffco employees, applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis.  Official written approval of the proposed study must be received from the JRER Committee prior to contacting any student, school, or employee regarding the research.

If any organization or applicant attempts to contact students, schools, or employees prior to receiving Approval to Conduct Research, the district may prevent that individual or organization from conducting research in the future.

Review the full application requirements. This document lists and describes in a checklist format all of the required components of the application:

Policy IGB: Education Research Review