Human subjects research is eligible for Exempt Review if it meets conditions described in 1-4 below. Note exceptions a-d.

1. Research conducted in established or commonly-accepted educational settings, involving normal educational practices, such as (1) research on regular and special educational instructional strategies, or (2) research on the effectiveness of, or the comparison among instructional techniques, curricula, or classroom management methods.

2. Research involving the use of educational tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude, achievement), if information taken from these sources is recorded in such a manner that subjects cannot be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects.

3. Research involving the collection or study of existing data, documents, records, pathological specimens, or diagnostic specimens, if these sources are publicly available or if the information is recorded by the investigator in such a manner that subjects cannot be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects.

4. Research involving survey or interview procedures and research involving the observation of public behavior (including observation by an investigator who is also a participant in such behavior). Exceptions are noted below. (All research involving survey or interview procedures is exempt without exception, when the respondents are elected or appointed public officials or candidates for public office.)

Exceptions: Research described in section 4, above, shall NOT be eligible for inclusion in the exempt review category in situations where the following conditions exist:

a. Responses are recorded in such a manner that the human subjects can be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects, and the subjects' responses, if they became known outside the research, could reasonably place subjects at risk of criminal or civil liability, or be damaging to the subjects' financial standing or employability.

b. Responses are recorded in such a manner that the human subjects can be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects, and the research deals with sensitive aspects of the subjects' own behavior, such as illegal conduct, drug abuse, sexual behavior, or use of alcohol.

c. Respondents involved in survey or interview procedures (other than those associated with research described in section 1, above) are minors.

d. Investigator doing observation of public behavior of minors is also a participant in activities being observed.