Both the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) and Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) support and encourage research that contributes to knowledge in the field of education and have facilitated University of Waterloo research projects since 1971.
The school board must review and approve all research projects when:
- Conducting research with students, families and/or staff in schools under their jurisdiction.
- Recruiting students, staff and families as research participants for studies that take place off school property (e.g., recruiting for a study taking place online or at Waterloo by distributing a flyer or letter to students, parents, or teachers).
- Requesting student or staff data (i.e., administrative information about students/staff to be used as research data).
Note: The school boards’ ability to support external research activities may change due to various external factors. Researchers are advised to check with the school board early in the research process to ensure they are accepting research applications.
Review process
Both Waterloo Region school boards have a research committee that reviews studies. At Waterloo, when researchers want to conduct studies within the school board:
- Researchers must first obtain ethics clearance through the Waterloo Research Ethics Board, then,
- Submit a research application to the WRDSB and/or the WCDSB for review.
The school board considers the following questions in reviewing each research application:
- Does the proposed research adhere to the ethical guidelines of The Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2, 2022) and Board policies and procedures?
- What is the impact of each research project on the school system and its resources (i.e., degree of involvement and potential burden on students, teachers and administration)?
- Does the study align with the school board’s strategic priorities and goals?
- What is the educational value for participants, and is the study appropriate for a school and/or the context?
Note: Approval from the school board research review committee does not guarantee that a specific school will agree to participate in the study. It is the school principal who will ultimately decide whether to facilitate a study at their school.
Timelines
Researchers should be aware of important application deadlines throughout the year (i.e., on or around August 31, October 31, January 15 and March 31) for WRDSB and WCDSB review.
The school board review process takes at least six weeks from the application deadline. Researchers should plan ample time not only for the review, but also for revisions.
The school boards' research review committees may approve the project as proposed, provide feedback to researchers and invite them to submit revisions or disapprove the project. This decision is sent to the researcher by email.
Time constraints may limit the feasibility of conducting certain types of research within schools. Faculty supervisors must carefully consider review timelines of the Office of Research Ethics (ORE), WRDSB/WCDSB and student program deadlines in their planning. Course projects should typically be avoided as they have shorter timelines that may not accommodate school board review times.
Researchers may contact school principals only once the project has received school board approval.
Tips for submitting an application
Outline how the research is relevant to education
The school board’s priority is to provide high-quality education to students. As such, researchers should consider:
- How is their project relevant to education, as the research should aim to benefit both the researcher and the school system?
- How does the research align with the school board's strategic goals or annual focus?
- Highlighting the study's educational benefits, practical value or broader educational value for students and/or staff.
- The time commitment and potential disruption the research may cause.
Obtain a police record check
Any researcher working directly with students under the jurisdiction of either the local school board must have undergone a Vulnerable Sector Check through the Waterloo Regional Police Service within the six-month period prior to in-person research activities. Verification of this check must be provided to the school board.
Plan how feedback and study results will be shared with schools
By choosing to conduct research at a school in Waterloo Region, researchers must provide feedback on the study’s findings. This includes providing the school principal/administration and superintendent with a summary of the results when the research is completed.
When conducting research within the school board, privacy and confidentiality are of the utmost importance. Individuals and participating schools must not be identifiable in the reporting of research findings unless agreed to.
Use plain language and an appropriate reading level in study materials
Study materials must be grammatically correct, jargon free, and written at a reading level appropriate for the students who will be involved in the study. Consider that there can be a large variability of reading levels among students in the same grade. Please see the Guideline on Using Plain Language in Participant Materials for more information. The study tasks and difficulty must be appropriate for the students' age and/or grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
What should I include in the parent information and consent form?
- An active consent process in which parents/guardians provide explicit consent for their child to participate is preferred by the WRDSB and the WCDSB. Researchers must seek consent from the parent or legal guardian of any student under the age of 18.
- Parent information letters should clearly explain all aspects of the project, including the amount of out-of-class time if applicable, purpose, risks, voluntariness, confidentiality, etc.
- If the research methodology includes audio-taping, videotaping, or photographing participants, it is necessary to obtain a separate consent for this, beyond the initial agreement to participate. Information consent letters for parents should be written at an appropriate reading level for the public (approximately grade 8).
See Information-consent samples for help in developing your materials.
What information should I include in the school board research application?
The requirements of the research must be described concisely in terms of:
- The number of children, teachers and/or parents,
- Grade levels,
- Amount of group and/or individual time (including out-of-class time),
- Type of tests/scales/tasks to be administered (individual or group),
- Location of study session (within a classroom setting or in a separate room or online), and
- Any special observational or recording techniques to be used (video or audio).
Researchers must outline how their proposed research fits within the values, strategic priorities and goals of the school board.
How do I provide remuneration to schools?
Researchers may wish to provide remuneration to schools as a thank you for their time and efforts. This is optional and is not a factor in determining whether the research proposal is accepted by the school boards.
Remuneration should not single out individual students. Therefore, remuneration is not to be provided directly to student participants. Also, remuneration cannot be based on student participation rates.
At the WRDSB, remuneration is provided through the Waterloo Education Foundation Inc. The WCSDB recommends that researchers provide gift cards to participating schools to show their appreciation for participation.
Contact information
Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB)
To access the application to conduct research with the WRDSB, please see Information for Researchers and WRDSB requirements. Contact Julie Scott at julie_scott@wrdsb.ca if you have questions about this process.
Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB)
Applications for the WCDSB are submitted through the Research Application, an online request form (APC031-03F).
The AP Memo APC031 outlines the procedures for conducting research within the WCDSB.
Research Ethics
Waterloo researchers seeking guidance regarding the application process should contact Joanna Eidse in Research Ethics.
Updated October 2024