Last modified: August 29, 2024

7140 P1 Administration of Surveys and Data Collection

• Download Policy 7140 P1 Administration of Surveys and Data Collection

Surveys and Data Collection Procedure 1: Administration of Surveys and Data Collection

Overview:

Data collection and surveys include all paper-pencil and electronic forms of gathering data through a single question or multiple questions along with mining data from district-owned data sets. All data collection must be ethical and equitable, including versions in English and Spanish and other languages as needed; clearly benefit students; not require nor be perceived to require participation; adhere to the Utah Student Data Privacy Act and FERPA; and align with the District’s Strategic Plan.

• Utah Student Data Privacy Act
• FERPA Guidelines

Surveys are used by the state, district, and schools to understand multiple viewpoints and perceptions which are used to plan for better school and student programs. The Board encourages stakeholders to respond to state-, district-, and school-initiated surveys.

Procedure:

To ensure that state law is followed and that the district’s goals and requirements are met regarding surveys, the following procedures shall apply:

1. At annual student registration, the district will obtain prior written consent for the following:
   • Surveys related to an early warning system described in State Code 53F-4-207;
     • State Code 53F-4-207
   • Surveys that include social and emotional learning questions; and
   • The school climate survey as described in State Code 53G-8-802.
     • State Code 53G-8-802
2. The district or school may not use prior written consent obtained from a different school or District for a student who transfers after the beginning of the school year. For such students, a new prior written consent must be obtained.
3. The district or a school may not provide:
   • A reward for a student’s participation in any psychological or psychiatric examination, text, treatment, survey, analysis or evaluation; or
   • A consequence to a student for a student’s lack of participation in any psychological or psychiatric examination, text, treatment, survey, analysis or evaluation.

Surveys and Questionnaires:

The following categories of surveys must receive written approval. Routine questions of students and school staff conducted in the ordinary course of school business (i.e. coursework; preferred meeting times; meal preferences) fall outside the scope of surveys and questionnaires that require approval.

1. Surveys that are part of a program evaluation.

   • District Leadership may ask for surveys to be conducted to identify if a specific program is meeting its goals and the goals established in the District’s Strategic Plan. These surveys would be approved by the District Leadership Team and results would be shared with the Board of Education as they budget for specific priorities.

2. Surveys used by teachers for action research.

   • The sole focus of this type of survey is to support a teacher as they seek to improve their instructional practices provided that the data are not shared and the questions do not contain any sensitive topics that are listed in the policy. Provo City School District is supportive of student feedback as a method of improving student involvement in their learning. A simple set of questions focused on Core Standards or teaching practices can be an effective part of the instructional process. Listening to the perspectives of students is one way to build positive student-teacher relationships. Teachers should keep the survey anonymous and not ask students any background questions. These surveys must have principal approval.

3. Surveys used for Action Research that will be shared outside the school.

   • Permission from parents/guardians and students must be obtained to protect the privacy of students and their families. This proposed research must be approved by the District Leadership Team.

4. Surveys involving sensitive topics.

   • These surveys should be avoided. If any survey contains any sensitive topics, it must be approved ahead of time by the District Leadership Team and Assistant Superintendents over Secondary and/or Elementary Education and follow all requirements outlined in Policy 7140.

5. School survey.

   • All school-wide surveys initiated by administrators, school personnel, or students need approval from the principal and/or Assistant Superintendents over Secondary and Elementary Education. School surveys initiated by parent support groups (i.e. PTA) must also be approved by the principal and/or Assistant Superintendents over Secondary and Elementary Education.

     • Student government groups or student clubs may initiate surveys of the student body to determine preferences regarding student activities, student rewards, etc., provided that they have approval of the principal of the school. These types of surveys cannot ask any questions that are restricted in Policy 7140 needing parent approval.

     • If a survey is to be initiated across several schools, the principals will collaborate with the Assistant Superintendents over Secondary and Elementary Education to receive approval. 

6. Employee-initiated surveys.

   • Any survey initiated by an individual employee must be reviewed and approved by their immediate supervisor. Any survey that solicits information about the social and emotional well-being of a student or asks questions of a student that would be tied to an Early Warning System, must be approved by the District Leadership Team and follow all parent notification requirements. 

7. District department survey.

   1. All district department surveys must be reviewed and approved by the Department Director and their immediate supervisor. These surveys should also be approved by the District Leadership Team. 

Legal References:

• Utah Student Data Privacy Act
• FERPA
• Utah State Code 53F-4-207
• Utah State Code 53G-8-802

Policies and Forms:

• Policy No. 7140 Surveys and Data Collection