To access the appropriate application forms the district requires, please email Dalia M. Garcia, Associate Superintendent for Data Governance & Outcomes: Email Dalia Garcia  

After the application has been reviewed and processed, the applicant will receive notice of whether the research application has been approved or denied.

Who needs to submit an application?
Harlingen CISD received many requests for research and its capacity to accommodate all of them is limited.  Because research facilitation and administration requires a great deal of effort and resources, HCISD will use its discretion in determining which research activities will be approved.

HCISD will make all attempts to prioritize and support current HCISD staff with their educational research needs.  Notice: The district is committed to supporting our current employee’s graduate research requests, and will do so as much as our capacity allows.  All external research requests are reviewed by a consent review committee.  

You must submit an application if your research or evaluation project includes collecting or using individual-level data from or about HCISD students, staff, or parents (e.g., observations, surveys, tests, interviews, focus groups, filming, or other direct data-gathering methodologies). Active consent for student participation must be obtained from parents/guardians before data can be collected or any individually identifiable student information can be released. Individual students, staff, or schools may not be identified in any research or evaluation product. No data collection is allowed on testing days. Be sure to consult the district testing schedule.

HCISD expects to be furnished with copies of any final reports or relevant findings.

Review Process Information
Proposals are reviewed and submitted to our superintendent for final approval. Consideration is given that meet the criteria including but not limited to:

• Value of the research project to HCISD as a whole, HCISD campuses, and the field of education

• Relationship to the Strategic Plan, District Improvement Plan, or other key district initiatives

• Use of HCISD students' and staff's time; impact to instructional time

• Design of the study

• Documents and instrumentation

• Level of data extraction from central records

What documentation needs to be submitted?

• A completed Harlingen CISD application and :

  • Electronic copy must be submitted to Dalia M. Garcia.  The copy must include the scanned signatures of the researcher, faculty sponsor, and department chair. 

  • The application must include campuses that the researcher would like to approach for conducting research

• A copy of the approved research proposal by committee, if applicable

• Proof of all University approvals on the application, if applicable

• University IRB approval, if applicable

• A copy of all instruments (tests, questionnaires, interview protocols, observation forms, etc.)

• A copy of any letters to parents, teachers, administrators, and students (letters of consent, cover letters for study, etc).

• Informed consent letters are required. 

• Consent letters must include:

Purpose of the research and how the findings will be used What the subject's participation will involve by way of procedures, time, etc.  Possible benefits for the subject, district or others  Statement of risk  Statement of confidentiality  Statement indicating that the subject is free to withdraw from the research at any time without penalty How to contact the researcher

Once submissions are made, the primary researcher will receive a response to the email in which the request was submitted with a timeline for a response or further information being requested.