Research Research Requests
The Department of Research & Evaluation reviews and approves all requests for research conducted in Round Rock ISD.
Research requests typically fall into one of three categories: Action Research, External Research, and Letters of Support. More information on these kinds of research is found below.
All researchers and evaluators, including graduate students and Round Rock ISD employees, must submit a completed application and follow all required procedures and timelines. Please note that no research activities can begin until approved.
Applications for research are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Action Research
Action Research is conducted by Round Rock ISD staff and may be approved directly by campus principals or department managers. Please review this document to determine if your project is considered Action Research.
If a research request is approved by a campus principal or department manager, the principal or supervisor should sign and locally file the completed Round Rock ISD Application for Research Study (.DOCX).
External Research
According to Round Rock ISD Board Policy, all external research activities in Round Rock ISD must be approved by the Department of Research and Evaluation.
External research includes research conducted for master’s theses and doctoral dissertations. This type of research also includes research or evaluations conducted by external organizations, such as for- or non-profit organizations and university faculty.
Round Rock ISD defines “research activities” as any activities where data (qualitative or quantitative) are collected from Round Rock ISD students or staff for analysis or publication. This includes design research, user experience research, and the collection of extant data sets, along with interviews, focus groups, surveys, and assessments.
External research projects involving one adult participant (e.g., interview of one campus principal, survey of one department head) do not require approval of the Department of Research and Evaluation.
Please reach out to us if you would like to better understand if your project requires approval. We outline the process for acquiring approval for your research below.
External Research Application Process
- Submit a completed application (Round Rock ISD Application for Research Study; .DOCX) and all supporting documentation via email to the email address on the final page of the application (If you are unable to apply an electronic signature, print and scan the signature page).
- Mail the application fee to the address on the final page of the application. The required fee is $100 for universities, non-profits, and other organizations. The fee is waived for graduate students and Round Rock ISD employees.
- The External Research Committee will review the application and seek additional campus and departmental approval as appropriate. The committee reviews applications on a rolling basis; please allow 30 days for this process. Due to the volume of requests, we cannot re-review denied requests until the following school year. There is no appeal process.
- Seek campus principal permission. Campus principals must acknowledge permission to conduct research at their campus by signing a Principal Agreement to Participate Form. Committee approval does not guarantee campus participation. All research conducted in the district must be voluntary.
After district approval and campus permission are acquired, please note:
- Researchers should complete Round Rock ISD volunteer applications if research involves multiple campus visits.
- Researchers should securely provide a digital copy of all signed consent forms.
- For research requests that require data extraction, Round Rock ISD may charge a fee for staff time.
Letters of Support
Researchers can use letters of support from school districts such as Round Rock ISD when applying for external funding such as grants. Letters of support can indicate the District’s support for a research idea or topic.
We use an expedited process to review applications for letters of support. Please complete and submit the Round Rock ISD Application for Research Study (.DOCX); no application fee is required. Please explicitly note in the application that you are applying for a letter of support. When the project receives funding, you will need to reapply to conduct the research.
Further Information
For further information about application requirements and for updates regarding proposals that are currently under review or that have been approved, please contact Crystal Wang of Research & Evaluation.