Tackling racial equity in U.S. schools: A critical policy analysis of enacted state legislation (2020-2022)

Over the past few years (2020-present), the United States has experienced a period of racial unrest, which has led to heated debates about school curriculum and policy. Considering the current socio-political context, this critical policy analysis traces the trends in state -level education legislation related to race/ethnicity that was both introduced and enacted between 2020 and 2022. Informed by critical race theory, we analyzed 61 legislative documents spanning 33 states to determine 1) whether the policy promoted or inhibited progress toward racial equity; 2) area(s) of racial equity the policy addressed; and 3) how the policy aimed to address those areas. We observed five key areas of equity the legislation addressed: racial/ethnic knowledge, anti-racism and social justice, disparities, representation, and discrimination. Although the majority of policies (n = 44) promoted progress toward racial/ethnic equity, some of these policies may result in more symbolic action rather than meaningful change. Furthermore, larger structural issues that affect equity - such as segregation -were not addressed. This paper demonstrates the need for education policies to be grounded in research on racial inequity and to intentionally target systemic racism in order to improve educational opportunities. As debates around race and education are ongoing, we hope the findings can be used by both policymakers and leaders in education to help improve equity in education.