Department of Defense Education Activity

Research Requests

NOTICE:

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is now accepting research requests or capstone project requests for review or approval. DoDEA will accept and process requests for research or capstone project approvals during the following months:

January 2023
April 2023

All requests must be submitted by midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of the submission month stated above before the submission will be reviewed.  

All submissions will be reviewed in the subsequent months after each submission window has closed.  There will be no exceptions granted to this deadline.

Capstone Projects:  If you would like to plan for the submission of a capstone project for approval, you will need to submit the following:

  1. A completed Research Study Request form 1 (below);
  2. A completed form 3, identifying the faculty member at your University who you are working closely with while completing your capstone project (below); 
  3. A completed form 4  for each school that will be involved in your project (below);
  4. copies of survey/interview/focus group questions you intend to ask participants (if applicable); 
  5. Copies of informed consent/assent forms (if applicable), and;
  6. a copy of your capstone guidance/ course syllabus/ project requirements that provides details about the requirements of your capstone project and indicates how the results of your project will be reported/used.
PLEASE NOTE:

Per DoDEA Administrative Instruction 1304.01, DoDEA will only accept and support research studies that meet the criteria for exempt human subjects research in accordance with Part 219 of Title 32, Code of Federal Regulations.

DoDEA AI 1304.01 – Research Request Program
This Issuance establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and provides directions for the approval and monitoring of research studies involving Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) personnel, facilities, students, sponsors, and/or data.

Research Request Application Checklist
This checklist lists all the documents that must be submitted as part of a complete research package. A completed, signed, checklist should also be submitted with the research package.
 
Research Request Application Form 1 (DoDEA Form 1304.01-F1)
Form use to explain how your research study (1) is aligned with the DODEA blueprint for continuous improvement and (2) will benefit DODEA.
 
Research Request Application Form 2 (DoDEA Form 1304.01-F2)
Research agreement. Provides guidelines for conducting research in DoDEA.
 
Research Request Application Form 3 (DoDEA Form 1304.01-F3)
Establish a research sponsor.
 
Research Request Application Form 4 (DoDEA Form 1304.01-F4)
Principals and Superintendents form to indicate consent that their school will participate in the research study.
 
Research Request Application Form 5
Outlines Researcher Responsibility
 
Researcher Responsibility Form (OSD Required)
The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering requires that all research investigators (principal investigators as well as associate investigators) engaged in research with one of its institutions explicitly acknowledge and accept responsibility for protecting the rights and welfare of human research subjects as stated therein.

Contact Information

DoDEA
Research Requests
Research, Accountability & Evaluation Division
4800 Mark Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22350-1400

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

DoDEA will only accept, review and support research studies that meet the criteria for exempt human subjects research per 32 CFR 219 and 45 CFR 46, as applicable.  Please work with your advisor and/or the IRB at your institution to ensure your research study will meet human research exemption criteria BEFORE submitting an application for review.

Capstone projects must also be submitted for review and a letter of determination indicating that the study is not research will be provided by DoDEA’s Human Research Protection Official (HRPO) upon review of required documentation. Data collection activities related to capstone, or non-research projects, may not begin until reviewed by the HRPO and a letter of determination indicating that the study is not research is provided. Please note that capstone projects must also meet the criteria for methodological rigor as specified in DoDEA AI 1304.01, 3.1.a.1.d. If your project is a capstone project or is non-research, please email to request information on the required documentation for review.

COMPLETE requests must be submitted by midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the last day of the submission month stated above before the submission will be reviewed. The length and type of review is dependent upon the research pathway your study is included under. Please see DoDEA AI 1304.02, Section 4 for more information on approval pathways and the review process. There will be no exceptions to this policy.

The length of the review process is dependent on the research pathway that your study is included under. Please see DoDEA AI 1304.01, Section 4.2, for more information on the length of the review process for each review pathway.

You will be informed, in writing, of the research committee’s decision to either approve your proposal as submitted, whether you will be asked to clarify or modify your proposal, or if your proposal will not be approved. If, upon review, the committee has determined that your research proposal cannot be approved, you will be provided details on the questions and/or concerns the committee has in order to provide a response and amend your research protocol.

Ensure your research proposal includes a sufficiently detailed methodology section that meets the criteria for methodological rigor as specified in DoDEA AI 1304.01, 3.1.a.1.d.

DoDEA AI 1304.01 3.1.f disallows for the identification of specific military installations, the names or locations of the schools, the names or locations of the districts, or the name of the school system (DoDEA, DoDEA-Americas, DoDEA-Europe, DoDEA-Pacific) or any language that specifically identifies DoDEA in any written materials generated in relationship to research studies or data collection activities. Ensure that all materials included in your research application and that will be used or produced as part of your research study meet these requirements. Instead of identifying DoDEA, many researchers will use “military-connected school district” or similar language.

Survey, interview and focus group research have additional criteria for submission and must be reviewed and approved by additional Department of Defense agencies. These reviews and approvals cannot take place until after your research study has been approved by DoDEA. Please review DoDEA AI 1304.01, Section 3.4 to ensure your research proposal meets the criteria for survey, interview and focus group protocols before submitting your research application for review.