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CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Procedures for Conducting Research in the Schools
The Charleston County School District welcomes and encourages outside organizations and individuals to
conduct school based research that is designed to contribute to improving the educational process.
School district policy requires that all requests to conduct research be submitted in writing to the district's
Research Review Committee prior to the semester when the research is to be conducted. District policy
maintains that research activities shall not interfere, more than minimally, with the instructional program and
that the activity must contribute to or be related to the instructional program. Therefore, the Research Review
Committee evaluates a research proposal on the basis of merit, i.e.,' the extent to which it contributes to the
improvement of the educational process, in general, or to the participants' instructional program, and on the
extent to which participation by students or school staff interferes with the ongoing instructional program.
Approval of the research request obligates no school or student to participate. School and student participation
must remain voluntary, and pressure shall not be applied to promote participation.
To initiate the proposal review process, the researcher must first submit four copies of a proposal along with a
cover letter, to the Director of the Department of Student Assessment, Program Evaluation and Data
Management, who serves as the chair of the Research Review Committee. These materials must be received
at least three months prior to the semester during which the research is to be conducted. The Committee Chair
sends a copy of the cover letter and proposal to each member of the Research Review Committee. Committee
members have four weeks to respond to the proposal. Individual committee members either approve or
disapprove the proposal, with reasons for disapproval stated. If two or more committee members do not
approve the research proposal, the proposal is rejected. The Committee Chair notifies the researcher, in
writing, whether the research request has been approved or not. The researcher may contest disapproval by
requesting that the proposal be reviewed by the Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction who
will then make the final decision.
Composition of the Research Review Committee. The Research Review Committee is composed of the
Director of The Department of Student Assessment and Data Management, three school principals (one
elementary, one middle and one high school), and any other CCSD staff, selected by the Committee Chair,
who has knowledge or information specific to the area covered by the research.
Cover letter. The cover letter should include the name of the institution for which the research is being
conducted, the nature of the research effort, i.e., whether it is a dissertation requirement, a grant, etc.,
qualifications of the researcher, and any other pertinent information related to the study.
Format of the proposal. The proposal should be brief and clearly written. It should include the following
sections: (a) an introduction which gives the purpose of the study and describes its practical and theoretical
rationale; (b) a description of the methodology, i.e., the subjects needed, specific procedures and activities,
timeline, and amount of time required of students, teachers and any other staff members, including any loss of
instructional time; and (c) a discussion of the educational importance of the study and benefits to the school's
instructional program or students.
All research proposals and inquires should be directed to:
Janet Rose-Baele, Ph.D.
Director, Department of Student Assessment,
Program Evaluation and Data Management
Charleston County School District
75 Calhoun Street
Charleston, South Carolina 29401
(843) 937-6430
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