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Norfolk schools approve participation in Amplify/Desmos math research; parents will be able to opt out
Summary
The school committee approved participation in a research partnership with Amplify (MClass and Boost) that provides benchmark and personalized‑learning resources at no cost in exchange for limited research participation; the district will use aliases and allow parental opt‑out, and staff said researchers will receive grade‑level (not race) data.
The Norfolk School Committee approved district participation in a research partnership with Amplify (the provider of the district’s new Amplify/Desmos math materials) at the June 10 meeting.
School staff said participation would provide the district access to MClass benchmark assessments and Boost personalized‑learning resources for free next year in exchange for the district taking part in two short research studies. Staff emphasized that student identifiers are replaced with aliases for the research and that the study cohort uses an opt‑out process so families may decline to have their child participate.
Committee members asked about the demographic data sent to researchers. The presenter told the committee researchers would receive grade‑level identifiers and baseline benchmark data but indicated they would not receive sensitive personal identifiers; staff said they would confirm details in writing to the committee.
Selection for the study would be limited to small numbers of students per grade in participating classes; teachers and math specialists who agree to the extra reporting and surveys would support the study sample. Staff framed the arrangement as an opportunity to retain assessment tools (MClass and Boost) that the district otherwise would have paid for, while meeting the district’s policies on research and parental notification.
The committee moved, seconded and approved participation under the district’s research policy, with the understanding that families will be notified and can opt out and that staff would report back on any outstanding data‑sharing questions.
