Guidelines for Schools

The following is an abbreviated list showing the major guidelines that all of the schools in the SRHS program follow. A detailed list and explanation of these guidelines is available for download here.

For the Student

• Attend all regularly scheduled classes.
• Participate in the school's annual symposium.
• Commit to 240 or more hours per school year (September to June) for their research work (this includes class time, assessment meetings, and all out of class time spent on the research). Summer research carries a commitment of a minimum 90 hours plus assessment time.
• Maintain a laboratory notebook of all research work.
• Maintain a comprehensive portfolio of all research work.
• Present research at all stages of the work, at all available venues and competitions.
• Maintain regular, demonstrable contact with a mentor once one is obtained.

For the Teacher

• Receive appropriate training, stay up to date on program changes, and take part in the support group of teachers in the program.
• Conduct a local symposium near the end of each school year.
• Conduct regular (bi-weekly) student assessments.
• Determine available venues for students to present their work and require participation.
• Notify the SRHS Program staff of the local symposium date as soon as it is determined (at the latest by end of January each year).
• Maintain regular contact with student mentors.
• Become an adjunct instructor in the University in the High School program at the University at Albany. Offer the opportunity for college credit to Juniors and Seniors in the SRHS course.
• Form a local SRC/IRB for the purpose of reviewing projects before any work begins (New in 2008).
• Have the local SRC/IRB review all student projects before work begins (New in 2008).

For the School District

• Provide classroom space as needed to successfully conduct a science research course.
• Provide the necessary time for the teacher to meet with each student, one-to-one, for a full class period, once every two weeks.
• Provide regularly scheduled time for the science research class to meet, within the school day. (This may be flexible but must amount to the equivalent of 90 class periods of 45 minutes or more per year).
• Provide appropriate facilities for the end of year symposium.
• Provide necessary equipment and materials to conduct a science research course (computers, internet access, fax machine access, presentation software and equipment, telephone access,
  e-mail access).
• Provide for the costs of teacher training.
• Provide a place and time for the local SRC/IRB to meet as needed. (New in 2008).