About SCEPC
In response to a proposal submitted by EDLP faculty, the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education in 1987 established the SCEPC as a vehicle for focusing research on education policy issues pertaining to teaching, student learning, school organization, and student performance in the public schools. Through both federal and state contracts obtained during its 23-year history, the SCEPC has conducted studies and evaluations related to many issues including school improvement, school leadership, school finance, teacher leadership, technical assistance to low-performing schools, summer school, gifted education, the achievement gap, and school climate.
SCEPC contracts have enabled the SCEPC to provide salary relief and summer salary to faculty members involved in the projects, initiate a research grant program (with the Office of Program Evaluation), provide yearly graduate assistantships, upgrade the office’s technology, and maintain its operating budget. Current staff includes the Director, a senior research faculty member, a research associate, an administrative coordinator, and three graduate assistants.
The quality of SCEPC research is illustrated by our recent presentations and publications on the Reading First Initiative, Richland School District Two’s magnet program, and the research conducted in collaboration with the South Carolina Department of Education and the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee. To read more about these projects and to access SCEPC publications and presentations, visit our projects site.
SCEPC research is recognized and used by state education policymakers and disseminated nationally. Our study on the gifted and talented program in South Carolina became a “catalyst” for program change among program stakeholders and legislative staff. Other research has resulted in changes in state policy and legislation related to accountability and assistance to low-performing schools. On a national basis, data from the evaluation of the South Carolina Reading First program (in collaboration with the Office of Program Evaluation) was shared with a national audience at an invited American Educational Research Association (AERA) symposium in March of 2008, and we will be sharing the results of our climate study at the 2010 AERA meeting.