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Engaged scholarship, translational science, integrated research, and interventionist research, all involve bringing research into a practical context. These usually require working with communities and institutions, and often involve community based participatory research. The article offers practical guidance for engaged research. The authors have experience in doing medical research with schools. There are very few guiding principles or literature to assist the school-based researcher, especially outside of educational research. Practical guidance for all community investigators is in short supply. The dual purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive framework for conducting school based research and to offer broad-based guidance, and a set of heuristics, for engaged researchers.

Schools are valuable venues for research institutions. Research can also be beneficial to public schools. School administrators should be proactive in identifying research topics and establishing standards and expectations for the university researchers. This article describes the partnership between a university researcher and a K-12 director of curriculum and instruction over a six year period.

Lack of trust is an issue in doing research with schools. A School-Based Research and Practice Network was established by the University of Pittsburgh to create a regional research agenda. Over the past two years, Network staff held meetings with school staff in 43 districts to determine specific research needs, interests, and concerns. The most commonly expressed interests were wellness, mental health, obesity, parental involvement, and technology. All schools had concerns about improving students' academic performance and decreasing social maladies. School staff members expressed curiosity about how research can help their students. Most school districts have little research being conducted, which suggests that there are many opportunities to work with schools. (Contains 1 table.)