The Liberty University Institutional Review Board has approved
this document for use from 8/25/2017 to 8/24/2018 Protocol # 2967.082517
THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS, AND SCHOOL CLIMATE ON STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF SCHOOL CONNECTEDNESS
AT A FRESHMAN ACADEMY ON A MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS
La’Keisha Newsome Liberty University School of Education
Your child/student has been invited to participate in a research study that targets experiences of students at the freshman academy. He or she was selected as a possible participant because he or she can provide valuable information about his or her experience in the middle school freshman academy. I ask that you read this form and ask any questions you may have before agreeing to allow him or her to be in the study.
La’Keisha Newsome, a doctoral candidate in the School of Education at Liberty University, is conducting this study.
Background Information: The purpose of this qualitative case study is to understand how school leadership, teacher-student relationships, and school climate impact students’ perceptions of school connectedness at a freshman academy located on a middle school campus in southeast Alabama.
Procedures: If you agree to allow your child/student to be in this study, I would ask him or her to do the following things:
1.) Individual interview. I will conduct individual interviews with students that will last approximately 30-45 minutes. I will record the interview to transcribe verbal responses into
written responses. After the transcription of the interviews, students will have an opportunity to review the information to ensure that the data is accurate according to their perspective.
2.) School Connectedness Survey. Students will be asked to complete a school connectedness survey. No identifying markers will be completed on the survey. It will take the students approximately 15-30 minutes to complete the survey.
3.) Focus Group Interview. Students will be asked to participate in a focus group interview. The students will come together in one location to answer questions in a group setting. The setting will be much like the individual interview; however, it will be in a group setting. The focus group interview will last approximately 45minutes.
Risks and Benefits of being in the Study: The risks involved in this study are no more than the participant would encounter in everyday life. The benefits of participation are that the data obtained through the case study will add empirical evidence to the education community in addressing the needs of students. The data will assist stakeholders in the education community in understanding the value of students’ perceptions of connectedness in a school environment. Compensation: Your child/student will receive a $10.00 gift card for taking part in this study. Confidentiality: The records of this study will be kept private. In any report, I might publish, I will not include any information that will make it possible to identify a subject. Data resulting from the study will not contain students' names; names will be replaced with pseudonyms. Research records will be stored securely, and only the researcher will have access to the records. Voluntary Nature of the Study: Participation in this study is voluntary. Your decision whether or not to allow your child/student to participate will not affect his or her current or future
relations with Liberty University. If you decide to allow your child/student to participate, he or she is free to refuse to answer any question or withdraw at any time without affecting those relationships.
How to Withdraw from the Study: If your child/student chooses to withdraw from the study, you or he/she should contact the researcher at the email address/phone number included in the
next paragraph. Should your child/student choose to withdraw, data collected from him or her, apart from focus group data, will be destroyed immediately and will not be included in this study. Focus group data will not be destroyed, but his or her contributions to the focus group will not be included in the study if he or she chooses to withdraw.
Contacts and Questions: The researcher conducting this study is La’Keisha Newsome. You may ask any questions you have now. If you have questions later, you are encouraged to contact her at [email protected]/334-798-5535. You may also contact the research’s faculty advisor, Dr. Vivan O. Jones, at [email protected].
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this study and would like to talk to someone other than the researcher, you are encouraged to contact the Institutional Review Board, 1971 University Blvd, Green Hall Suite 1887, Lynchburg, VA 24515 or email at [email protected]
(NOTE: DO NOT AGREE TO ALLOW YOUR CHILD/STUDENT TO PARTICIPATE UNLESS IRB APPROVAL INFORMATION WITH CURRENT DATES HAS BEEN ADDED
TO THIS DOCUMENT.)
The researcher has my permission to audio-record my child/student as part of his or her participation in this study.
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Signature of Minor Date
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Signature of Parent/Guardian Date
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APPENDIX C: LETTER TO SUPERINTENDENT