External Researchers: Instructional Review Board (IRB) 

Beginning in July 2018, external research applications will no longer be accepted electronically.  

Application to Conduct Research in Pasco Country Schools can be submitted yearlong however, the reviews will be held at the times listed below: 

 

IRB	IRB Submission Due Date	Projected Provisional Response	Projected Final Approval**
Spring	March 1	April 15	October 15
Summer	May 15	July 1	January 1, following year
Fall	September 1	October 15	April 15, following year
Winter	December 1	January 15	June 15

 

* While the District will strive to communicate an application decision by the dates listed above, there may be delays due to unforeseen circumstances. Data requests that take more than one hour to fulfill are charged an hourly rate of $125.

** Please note that this is a projected date and not the actual final approval date.

The IRB Process include the following steps:

1. The applicant reviews the Instructions for Conducting Research in Pasco County Schools.
2. The applicant completes and submits the PCS_Application to Conduct Research and the PCS_Instructions for Conducting Research with PCS and IRB Applicant Agreement, and all attachments listed on the PCS_Application to Conduct Research.
3. Internal District Reviewers and the IRB Committee will formally review the request.
4. The applicant receives an email indicating the provisional decision to approve or approve with conditions pending the execution of additional documentation such as data agreements and consent forms). If the application is denied the applicant receives a formal communication indicating this decision.
5. The approval or approval with conditions will be pending the execution of the district data agreement (and other agreements), and the complete review of consent forms.
6. The legal review of the additional documentation (district data agreements, consent forms, etc.) can take 3-6 months.
7. The district’s data use agreement is valid for the duration listed in the IRB approval letter received by the IRB applicant (i.e., 1 year).
8. No research activities are allowed until the data use agreement is executed.
9. Once the execution of additional documentation (e.g. data agreements) is finalized, the research applicant will receive an official communication indicating that the final approval has been granted and the applicant can commence research activities.
10. At the end of the study, a summary of the findings must be submitted to the ARM department.

The Instructional Review Board (IRB) for approved research applications will be valid for 1 year. Researchers seeking IRB extensions must submit an PCS_Instructional Review Board Extension Application.

Please contact the Office for Accountability, Research, and Measurement at 813-794-2343 with any questions about the external application processes.

Pasco County Schools: Student Research 

Pasco County Schools student researchers should contact their school for more information about school level Student Instructional Board Review (S-IRB) process. 

Guidelines for Conducting Research in Pasco County Schools 

We support the pursuit of scholarly research on methods and practices that contribute to a rich teaching and learning environment in Pasco County Schools. We are particularly supportive of research projects undertaken by teachers and administrators in Pasco County Schools who are completing courses, masters’ theses, and dissertations as part of advanced programs of study.  In order to protect the privacy of students and the primacy of instructional time in our schools, we require individuals wishing to carry out external research projects to complete the Application to Conduct Research and obtain approval from the Office for Accountability, Research, and Measurement before proceeding.  

What Qualifies as an External Research Study? 

Schools and departments within Pasco County Schools often gather data and information for internal purposes - to do needs assessments for school improvement or department planning, to satisfy audit or accountability requirements, to improve the quality of programs, and to evaluate the effectiveness of programs. These forms of internal research carried out by employees or staff members in the commission of their duties do not require special permission. External research studies are initiated by individuals acting on their own, or under the sponsorship of independent agencies or institutions outside of the scope of the Pasco County School Board. These external forms of research studies must be approved individually, based on the study’s value to the school district, its alignment with the district’s educational goals and philosophies, and the quality of the proposed research design. These external research studies are those which require approval by the Office for Accountability, Research, and Measurement. 

  

What Role Does the Pasco County Schools Contact Person Serve? 

The Application to Conduct Research includes spaces for the name(s) of Pasco County Schools Contact Person(s). If the applicant requests that a study be carried out at a particular school (or schools), the principal of each school involved will have to agree to serve as a contact person. If university faculty or graduate students serving in internships or externships for specialty areas are working in conjunction with a specific department, then their supervisor or the director of that department will likely serve as one of the Pasco County Schools Contact Persons, along with any principals at which the actual research is being carried out. In cases where the study will include multiple student or teacher groups from a number of school sites, the sponsoring department will serve as the first Pasco County Schools Contact. The sponsoring department will then be responsible for obtaining volunteers or the agreement to participate by individual principals as needed. If all schools are involved, or all schools at a given level are involved, then the Chief Academic Officer will be contacted for approval. Please note that participation is voluntary for the principal as well as individual participants. 

If the applicant is unsure about what level of approval is needed, or who needs to be involved as contact persons, they should contact the Office for Accountability, Research, and Measurement to discuss the project. 

Pasco County Schools: Student Research 

Pasco County Schools student researchers should contact their school for more information about school level Student Instructional Board Review (S-IRB) process. 

For questions, contact the Office for Accountability, Research, and Measurement at 813-794-2343.