Leveraging QuantCrit to expose and challenge systemic racism in educational psychology

In this paper, we examine the pervasive issue of systemic racism within the field of educational psychology and the limitations of traditional research methodologies in addressing racial inequities. Despite the recent reckoning and public apologies from key psychological associations, there has been a broad lack of urgency and slow progress in addressing racial justice issues from the educational psychology discipline. The field remains overshadowed by quantitative methodologies that often claim objectivity and neutrality, (in)advertently perpetuating color-evasive narratives and failing to adequately address the complex layers and institutions of systemic racism in education. To mitigate and counter these shortcomings, we introduce the application of Quantitative Critical Race Theory (QuantCrit) as one possible framework for reimagining research in educational psychology. The current paper explores the five QuantCrit tenets with the interconnected goals of (a) exposing and challenging the racist underpinnings of traditional quantitative methodologies used in educational psychology and (b) empowering educational psychologists to use data to advance social justice and equity.