The Survey and Research Review Committee shall review all research proposals regarding sensitive topics consistent with federal and state FERPA guidelines:   

1. Prior written consent from parents or legal guardians is required in all grades, kindergarten through grade twelve, and must be obtained before students are asked to complete written assignments, answer questions, complete questionnaires or surveys, or take psychological or psychiatric examinations, tests, or treatments which reveal any of the following information about the student or the student’s family members, whether such information is personally identifiable or not:
   1. political affiliations or, except as provided for in state law, political philosophies;
   2. mental or psychological problems;
   3. sexual behavior, orientation, gender identity, or attitudes;
   4. illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
   5. critical appraisal of individuals with whom the student or family member has close family relationships;
   6. religious affiliations or beliefs;
   7. legally recognized privileged and analogous relationships, such as those with lawyers, medical personnel, or ministers;
   8. or income, except as required by law. (See, §53E-9-203 (1)).
2. Written parental consent is valid only if parent has been first given written notice, including notice that a copy of the educational or student survey questions to be asked of the student in obtaining the desired information is made available at the school, and a reasonable opportunity to obtain information concerning:
   1. Records or information, including information about relationships, that may be examined or requested;
   2. Means by which the records or information shall be examined or reviewed;
   3. The means by which the information is to obtained;
   4. The purposes for which the records or information are needed;
   5. The entities or persons, regardless of affiliation, who will have access to the personally identifiable information; and
   6. a method by which parent or student can grant permission to access or examine the personally identifiable information.
3. In order for the prior written consent to be valid, parents/legal guardians must be given notification at least two (2) weeks before any sensitive information is solicited.
4. The written notice must includes:
   1. The survey the District will administer to the parent’s student;
   2. The intended purposes and uses of the data collected;
   3. The types of persons or governmental entities that
      1. share the collected data, including a list of recipients who will receive the student-level data; 
      2. receive the data collected from a governmental entity on a regular or contractual basis and 
   4. the record series as defined in GRAMA (See, Section 63G-2-103) in which the data is or will be included, if applicable. 
   5. Following consideration by the Research Review Committee, formal notice of approval or disapproval shall be given to the applicant by the Committee chairperson.
   6. Administrators and department directors shall have the responsibility to coordinate approved research projects within their areas or departments in consultation with the Research Review Committee.
   7. Upon completion of a research project, whether or not the District participates in the funding, a copy of the findings, thesis, dissertation or other written report shall be submitted to Research and Assessment. The results of significant projects shall be reported to the Administrative Cabinet by the chairperson of the Research Review Committee.