SECTION:  INSTRUCTION 

RESEARCH 

The West Milford Board of Education recognizes that educational research can be a valuable tool in identifying and applying strategies to enhance student achievement and in identifying factors that could prevent students from becoming contributory members of society.  Surveys among student populations can be an important part of this research. 

Students and parents/guardians retain certain rights, however, in the administration of surveys.  The Board of Education shall ensure that prior written consent is obtained from parents/guardians or emancipated students before any survey is administered that is funded in whole or in part by any program administered by the United States Department of Education if the survey (analysis or evaluation) is designed to reveal information on any of the following: 

A.        Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student=s parents/guardians. 

B.         Mental and psychological problems of the student or the student=s family. 

C.        Behavior or attitudes of a sexual or personal nature. 

D.        Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior. 

E.         Critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships. 

F.         Legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, or ministers.  

G.        Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or the student=s parents/guardians. 

H.        Income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program). 

Written informed consent shall also be obtained from parents/guardians or emancipated students prior to the administration of any academic or non-academic survey, assessment, analysis, or evaluation that would reveal the student=s social security number. 

Parents/guardians shall be given the opportunity to inspect any survey, analysis, or evaluation that solicits information in any of the above areas.  If parents/guardians object to their child(ren)=s participation in the survey, the child(ren) shall be allowed to opt out. 

Prior approval of the Superintendent of Schools (or designee) is required for all other surveys on topics not listed.  Anyone seeking approval of a proposed survey must provide the Superintendent (or designee) with details of the survey methodology, its specific educational purpose, and a description of how results will be disseminated and applied. 

For all surveys, the identity of the respondent shall remain confidential. 

The Superintendent of Schools shall develop regulations to implement this policy that include reasonable time lines for parents/guardians to access and review surveys as prescribed by law and arrangements to protect student privacy in the administration of a survey. 

This policy and the regulations shall be made available to the public at least annually at the beginning of the school year, especially to parents/guardians and to district staff.  The public shall be informed within a reasonable period of time if substantive change is made to policy and regulations.  The public shall also be informed of specific or approximate dates, if known, when the surveys may be administered.  

First Reading: May 25, 2004
Adopted:          June 29, 2004