A REVIEW OF CAUSAL IMPACT EVALUATIONS IN EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY: Which Studies Interrogate, Illuminate, and Reduce Racial Inequalities?

Using a QuantCrit framework, this review analyzes randomized controlled trials (RCTs) previously reviewed by the Institute of Educational Sciences (IES) to identify interventions that explicitly address and acknowledge the presence of race and racism and/or target racial/ethnic groups within educational psychology. Contrary to news headlines and the current political climate, the findings illustrate that quantitative evaluation research has not taken a race-conscious and asset-based lens to address systemic racism. Despite the significance of intervention-related research in educational psychology, only a small fraction explicitly name and consider systemic racism (n = 2). This review also examines how researchers collect and use racial data, emphasizing the importance of detailed racial/ethnic categorization and explicit discussion of race and racism in analyses. This work serves as both an introductory guide and a call to action for future research aimed at advancing racially equitable practices within causal research in educational psychology.