Disseminating Research Results Externally
When a research project is completed, the district must decide with whom to share the findings,
and how. To determine the breadth and depth of external dissemination efforts, district
administration should consider the following:
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Did the district request the research project?
Do the research findings have implications for district policy or programs?
Did the district fund or expend financial or staff resources on the project?
Were district staff/students involved with the project and, if so, how many?
Does the research project address a high-profile issue in the district (e.g., student safety,
teacher effectiveness, academic outcomes, racial or gender achievement gaps)?
Has there been media coverage of the research project?
Does the external researcher plan to publish the project’s findings? If so, will the district’s
involvement be publicly identified?
Transparency
As taxpayer-funded institutions, public school districts strive to be transparent about everything
they do and how they expend public funds. While districts may not be legally required to broadcast
details about research studies with which they are involved, they should not hide their involvement
or findings. This is particularly important if the findings show problems with or deficiencies in the
district’s operations, student achievement, or staff performance. Any impression of secrecy or
stonewalling can create negative publicity for a district. One method for dealing with research
findings that may reflect poorly on the district is to form a plan to rectify the problems highlighted
in the research and to announce those reforms in conjunction with the research findings. See the
section below for more information on public dissemination strategies.
Who Initiated the Research Project?
If a district agrees to provide data for an externally initiated project that requires little staff time
and has minimal relevance for district decision-making, a district can choose minimal
dissemination. A report to the school committee on the data request, the data pull, and the project’s
completion may be sufficient. If the school committee requests a report on the findings, the
superintendent or research director can request the external researcher produce a research brief.
The researcher also should provide the district with a copy of the final report, which can be shared
with community members upon request.
See Appendix A for a list of website links to sample research briefs that summarize research
findings and projects for a general audience.
If the district initiated, requested, or funded the research project, or the project is part of a districtapproved research agenda, the superintendent and research director should typically report to the
school committee on the project’s progress, completion, and findings. The amount of time and effort
the superintendent and research director spend on additional dissemination activities to the
community relies on their professional judgment and will depend on the size and cost of the
research project, the implications of the findings for the district’s strategic priorities, the level of
public interest in the research project, and the district resources available for dissemination.
Student data confidentiality must be maintained in all external dissemination activities.
External Dissemination
External dissemination occurs when a school district shares research findings with the public.
External dissemination can range from a short presentation at a school committee meeting to the
submission of a lengthy article about the findings to a local media outlet. In all cases of external
dissemination, the research findings become available to people outside the district and, as a result,
can be utilized and interpreted by them as they see fit. Therefore, district leaders should consider
how they want to “message” research findings before they release them. District administrators
must always be transparent, honest, and straightforward when sharing research results. Still, they
may provide context and their own interpretation of the research’s relevance so that external
persons do not take findings and “run with them” to advance their own educational or political
agenda.
Methods for sharing research findings externally:
1. Research director/superintendent shares findings with school committee
Sharing research findings with the school committee is critical, particularly if the committee
requested or approved the study. The superintendent or research director can share findings
with the committee via written or face-to-face communication, or both. The most effective way
to generate a productive dialogue about the findings may be to submit a written memo to
committee members, followed by a discussion of the findings and their implications at a
subsequent scheduled meeting. Community members and local media representatives may be
present at the committee meeting.
2. Superintendent/district leaders share findings with parents
Once the school committee has been informed about the research findings, the superintendent
may choose to directly share the findings with parents of students enrolled in the district. This
may be important if the findings have direct implications for classroom instruction and student
learning, particularly if they will impact how students experience school. Parents can react
suspiciously to changes in how a district conducts its business, and a district should utilize
research findings as a rationale for proposed changes. Districts can communicate research
findings to parents through public presentations at schools, detailed memos or letters sent
home with students, or articles inserted into regular school-family communications vehicles
(e.g., monthly newsletter, weekly email correspondence).
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3. Superintendent/district leaders share findings with local media and general public
A Superintendent may choose to proactively share research findings with local media and the
general public. This allows the superintendent or research director to share the findings in
his/her “own words.” This can be accomplished several ways, including:
a. Formal press release submitted to local media
b. Personal outreach to local education reporter; if the Superintendent has a good working
relationship with the local newspaper editor, this is a good time to use it
c. Public webinar on the findings (cost may be an issue if district doesn’t already have
technology infrastructure to support webinars)
d. Local newspaper column submission
e. Posting research report/findings summary on district website
f. Research director/external researcher participate in joint interview with local access
cable station or public radio station
4. Superintendent/research director/district leaders share findings with educational
colleagues
District leaders may wish to share research findings with their peers and colleagues, both to
advance knowledge in the field and to generate possible future collaboration on research
studies. Such sharing can occur informally, through conversations and personal interactions, or
formally. Again, student confidentiality must be maintained at all times. Superintendents or
research directors may choose one or more of the following activities to disseminate findings
among their peers:
a. Presentation or poster at a professional association conference
b. Article submission to professional association newsletter or website
c. Presentation at regional or statewide professional association meetings
d. Joint presentation with external researcher at education research conference
e. Submit research report/summary to relevant office at state education agency; schedule
a meeting with SEA official to discuss findings and ways the SEA can support future
research
5. External researcher submits study paper to professional journal for publication
External researchers often submit study findings for publication by professional journals.
External researchers are bound by FERPA and their data-sharing agreements with districts to
maintain confidentiality of personally identifiable information at all times, and this is
imperative in publication. Publication of findings may be advantageous to a district, particularly
if district leaders seek to use the research findings to push for policy and practice changes. The
research director can request prior editorial review and approval of journal submissions. He or
she also can request co-authorship of the submission if he or she was actively involved in the
research project. Important considerations include:
a. The external researcher has his/her own agenda and reason for publishing the findings,
and they may not be in alignment with the district’s priorities
b. Is the district kept confidential in final publication? Does the district want to remain
confidential? Is the district required to be confidential to protect students’ confidential
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personally identifiable information? (Clearly, a district does not remain confidential if
the research director is a co-author on the study.)
Sharing Findings with the Media
Districts that wish to share research findings with the media can reach out via direct email or phone
contact to a reporter, editor, or producer, or by submitting a press release to a newsroom via email
or fax. Press releases allow a district to present research findings in its “own words” and with the
appropriate context. If a reporter or editor decides to write about the study, be prepared to
participate in a follow-up phone or video interview. Local cable access stations and radio stations
sometimes offer local public affairs programming, and may seek a recorded interview with the
district superintendent, research director, or both.
Some media outlets also accept article or column submissions written by district superintendents.
These typically are longer than press releases and can be written in the first person point of view.
Such articles should range from 500 to 800 words. District officials should be prepared to have
their submissions line edited before publication.
Newsroom email addresses and fax numbers can be found on media company websites.
See Appendix B for tips for media interviews.
Writing and Submitting Press Releases
Press releases are an effective way to promote study findings to the media. They should be concise
and provide a brief overview of the study and findings, and their implications. The release should
clearly state who or what institution conducted the research. Press releases should be no more than
two pages and include a media contact name, email, and phone number. They should be emailed or
faxed to local media outlets. They can include an embargo date, which indicates when the
information can go public.
See Appendix C for a sample press release.
Talking About Research with Parents
Most parents care little about the technical details of a research study but are acutely interested in
the implications of the findings: What does it mean for my child? Her school? Her teachers? Will
this research affect instruction? My child’s learning? His social or emotional growth? Will this
research help the district better serve my child?
When communicating with parents about research, whether verbally or in writing, district leaders
should focus on key findings and what the district has learned from them. Technical details about
the study’s methodology might be briefly described or provided in follow-up materials, but
dissemination to parents should emphasize the implications of the study for district operations and
for student learning. It should also emphasize how the findings will inform future district decisionmaking.
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For example, if a project finds that district dropout rates are remaining steady, despite increased
expenditures on dropout-prevention programs, the district should communicate how the findings
will inform future funding of dropout-prevention programs. Will the current, seemingly ineffective
programs be replaced? How will the district select better prevention programs?
District leaders should communicate to parents in clear, straightforward language and avoid
education jargon used in the field but little understood by non-educators. The district should also
make reasonable efforts to share research findings in parents’ native languages, for those who do
not speak English. This is particularly important in districts with large populations of students and
families for whom English is not their native language.
To reach as many parents as possible, districts should disseminate research findings through
multiple channels. These include well-publicized public meetings (in the evening and during the
day to accommodate diverse parent work schedules), email communication, printed documents
sent home with children, printed documents posted on school-based bulletin boards, and the
district website.
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Appendix A: Sample Research Briefs
1. U.S. Department of Education. (November 2011). Characteristics of GED Recipients in High
School: 2002–06. Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, Issues
Brief (NCES 2012–025).
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012025.pdf
2. Sartain, L., Stoelinga, S. R., and Krone, E. (June 2010). Rethinking Teacher Evaluation: Findings
from the First Year of the Excellence in Teaching Project in Chicago Public Schools. Consortium on
Chicago School Research. Policy Brief.
http://ccsr.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/publications/Teacher%20Eval%20Final.pdf
3. Durwood, C., Krone, E., and Mazzeo, C. (August 2010). Are Two Algebra Classes Better Than One?
The Effects of Double-Dose Instruction in Chicago. Consortium on Chicago School Research.
Policy Brief.
http://ccsr.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/publications/Double%20Dose7%20Final%20082610.pdf
4. Hough, H. J. (September 2012). Salary Incentives and Teacher Quality: The Effect of a DistrictLevel Salary Increase on Teacher Recruitment. Stanford University Center for Education Policy
Analysis. Research Brief.
http://cepa.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/QTEA_Rec_Research%20brief_20120912.pdf
5. Sanchez, M. (April 2012). Truancy and Chronic Absence in Redwood City. John W. Gardner Center
for Youth and Their Communities at Stanford University. Youth Data Archive Issue Brief.
http://jgc.stanford.edu/resources/publications/Absence_IB_final.pdf
6. Durham, R. E. and Westlund, E. (August 2011). A Descriptive Look at College Enrollment and
Degree Completion of Baltimore City Graduates. Baltimore Education Research Consortium.
Policy Brief.
http://baltimore-berc.org/pdfs/CollegeEnrollmentBrief.pdf
7. Mac Iver, M. A. (April 2011). Moving Forward to Increase Graduation Rates in Baltimore City.
Baltimore Education Research Consortium. Policy Brief.
http://baltimore-berc.org/pdfs/Moving%20Forward.pdf
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Appendix B: Tips for Media Interviews
1. Give yourself time to get ready. If you get an unexpected call from the media, find out the
reporter’s deadline and ask if you can call back. Complete the task you were doing, collect
your thoughts and materials regarding the reporter’s query, and then call the reporter back.
2. Ask about the nature of the story and what the reporter is most interested in. Use that
information to guide your preparations.
3. Prepare talking points. Write down on index cards two or three points you want to be sure
to make. Practice speaking them aloud.
4. Return media calls promptly. Reporters typically operate on deadline, and it is important to
call them back quickly if you want your perspective included in the story.
5. Find out when the story/broadcast is expected to appear.
6. Stay away from jargon. The reporter and your audience may not be familiar with acronyms,
technical terms, or key issues in education. Use language that is easily understood by a
general audience. When discussing research studies and findings, stay away from technical
details about methodology or statistical analyses. Share findings in layman’s terms and
emphasize the implications of the research for district students.
7. Be flexible. Don’t feel that you must only answer a reporter’s specific questions. If the
reporter asks if you have anything additional to say, take the opportunity to mention or
reiterate one of your talking points.
8. Refer the reporter to your district’s website for more information, if applicable.
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Appendix C: Sample Press Release
[District Logo and Address or Letterhead]
For Immediate Release [or Embargoed Until]
Date:
01/01/2012
Contact:
Your Name
Your Email
Your Phone Number
Put date and media
contact information at top
of release
Headline should be
brief, to the point,
and utilize
keywords; a
‘subhead’ is optional
Headline:
Make sure your body text
Subhead
answers the “5 Ws” and the H:
Who? What? When? Where?
Why? How?
Your City, State — A new research study conducted in America School District finds that fifth- and
eighth-grade English language learners’ (ELLs) scores in reading and writing on an Englishlanguage proficiency exam predict their performance on state assessments of reading, writing, and
math. The findings suggest that English literacy appears to be a stronger predictor than English
listening and speaking skills of ELLs’ performance on state-level subject matter tests.
The study was undertaken by researchers at the Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and
Islands (REL-NEI) at the request of the America School Committee. A strategic goal of the district is
to improve ELL students’ learning and achievement. The study analyzed the scores of fifth- and
eighth-grade ELLs on the 2006 ACCESS for ELLs proficiency exam and the 2006 MCAS
(Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System). ELLs consistently score lower on the MCAS
than do students for whom English is their first language.
ACCESS for ELLs measures students’ English proficiency in the four language domains: reading and
writing (literacy skills) and listening and speaking (oral skills). After accounting for student and
school characteristics, the study found:
 MCAS reading, writing, and mathematics scores in fifth and eighth grades were significantly
and positively predicted by ACCESS reading and writing scores
 ACCESS reading and writing scores were stronger predictors of MCAS reading, writing, and
mathematics scores in the fifth and eighth grades than were ACCESS speaking and listening
scores.
“These findings show us the ACCESS exam is a useful measure for predicting ELL students’ later
performance on the MCAS,” said America Schools Superintendent Jane Doe. “This research will
inform future district decisions regarding the use of formative and summative assessments for
measuring learning among ELL students.”
For more information or to receive a four-page research brief on the study, contact the America
School District Office of Research at research@americaschools.edu or 123-456-7890.
About America School District: [Put district mission statement here.]
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