After Your Data Request is Submitted

How ERDC reviews and approves data requests  

Redacted Aggregate Requests

ERDC will review your request to determine if it requires cross-sector data and can be fulfilled using currently available data. If ERDC determines that the request does not meet one of these requirements, then your request may be denied or ERDC will reach out for further information.  

If your request satisfies these requirements, then ERDC will review your request and the aggregate data table template to determine how best to fulfill the request. ERDC will consider what, if any, data might need to be redacted because of small cell sizes. ERDC will reach out to the data requester with any questions and provide an estimated time of delivery. 

Once the fulfillment plan is determined, ERDC staff will begin the process of fulfilling the data request and will provide the aggregate table(s) when completed. If the delivery will be delayed beyond the estimated time of delivery, ERDC will notify the requester. 

Individual-level and Unredacted Aggregate Requests

ERDC will review your request to determine if it requires cross-sector data, meets one of the exceptions under FERPA, and can be fulfilled using currently available data. If ERDC determines that the request does not meet one or more of these requirements, then your request may be denied or ERDC will reach out for further information.  

If your request satisfies these requirements, then ERDC will review the individual-level data table with the requested data elements to ensure that the request includes only the necessary data elements required to complete the proposed project to adhere to our data minimization principle. ERDC will also determine whether our data-share agreements with data contributors allow us to share the requested elements for the proposed project. If ERDC believes that the request includes more data elements than necessary or that our data-share agreements will not allow us to share certain elements, we will reach out to discuss this with you. Data requests are denied if they do not meet the necessary FERPA requirements and privacy considerations that guide ERDC’s data governance and security processes. Individual-level data requests and redacted aggregate data requests are denied if they only ask for data from a single education or workforce sector. 

Data requests that only include PCHEES data are an exception to the cross-sector criteria. ERDC does accept single-sector requests for PCHEES data. 

ERDC will submit the request to data contributors for authorization. Data contributors can authorize release of some or all the requested elements or they can deny any release of the data for the requested project. ERDC will inform the requestor about the outcome of this review.  

WSIRB review and approval process (Individual-level or unredacted aggregate data requests only) 

ERDC also reviews your request to assess whether it might require review by Washington’s Institutional Review Board (WSIRB). Depending on your research questions and design, your project may need to undergo a WSIRB review. Projects typically fall into one of three review categories: a full IRB review, an expedited review, or exempt review. Requesters may want to consult with ERDC or WSIRB ahead of time to learn more. If the project requires WSIRB review, then the data requester must submit their application and any required fees to WSIRB.  

Which Types of Projects Require WSIRB Review?

According to the WSIRB, “research” means a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. Activities that meet this definition constitute research, whether they are conducted or supported under a program which is considered research for other purposes.

Systematic investigation. A detailed or careful examination that has or involves a prospectively identified approach to the activity based on a system, method, or plan.

Generalizable knowledge. Information is expected to expand the knowledge base of a scientific discipline or other scholarly field of study and yield one or both of the following:

Results that are applicable to a larger population beyond the site of data collection or the specific subjects studied. Results that are intended to be used to develop, test, or support theories, principles, and statements of relationships, or to inform policy beyond the study.

 

According to the WSIRB, some activities resemble research but actually are not research as defined in the federal regulations and state agency policy. Program evaluation, surveillance, disease investigation, and quality assurance and/or quality improvement are activities that may or may not constitute research that requires WSIRB review. 

Important Instructions when Applying to WSIRB

• Do not submit your WSIRB application until your request has been approved. 
• As part of the WSIRB application, you must email a copy of your Appendix G and H directly to ERDC. 
• Share a copy of your IRB determination letter with ERDC. This is part of the authorization requirement if your project needs IRB review. 

Is WSIRB Required If Researcher Obtained Prior Authorization from a Different IRB?

The WSIRB has established multiple project IRB Authorization Agreements with the University of Washington, Eastern Washington University, Washington State University, other state agencies and other institutions. These Agreements allow one institution to rely on the IRB review of another institution. If you are affiliated with any of these institutions, review the relevant IRB Authorization Agreement and/or check with the IRB of your home institution to determine whether they will rely on the WSIRB for the review of your research.

Once approved by ERDC, data contributors, and WSIRB (if applicable), ERDC will begin the process of drafting data-share agreements and any other necessary contracts. You will be notified when your request is fully authorized by ERDC. Once all agreements and contracts are completed, ERDC staff will begin the process of fulfilling the data request.  

Note: Depending upon data request requirements, the order of activities ERDC carries out may vary. For example, ERDC may decide to move forward with authorization by data contributors before, during, or after a project is reviewed by IRB. This approach is determined on a case-by-case basis. 

Delivering your requested data 

Once ERDC staff has finished preparing your data files, you will be notified when they are ready for delivery.  

ERDC typically delivers redacted aggregate data as Excel files, SAS files, or text files via email to the data requester. Redacted aggregate data does not reveal personally identifiable information and does not require a data-share agreement. It does not need to be transmitted securely and can be delivered directly to the requester via email. 

ERDC delivers requested individual-level or unredacted aggregate data through one of two methods: the Education Data Enclave or the Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) site. How the data is delivered is part of your data sharing agreement. 

Resources for Data Requesters

In 2021, ERDC began to offer the Education Data Enclave, a secure virtual desktop environment that researchers can use to analyze their requested data remotely with software and data visualization tools that are otherwise expensive to purchase on their own. Requesters can complete their analyses and research reports, all within the enclave. Record-level data stays within the secured enclave environment, which helps ERDC ensure that personal information is protected. ERDC reviews each report or data product for FERPA compliance before the requester can export it from the Education Data Enclave. 

These resources provide information about how data requesters interact with ERDC’s Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) site and the Education Data Enclave. These resources are useful for requesters of individual-level data, unredacted aggregate data, and any data requesters who may provide ERDC with data for linking purposes.