The field of educational change is currently grappling with significant challenges related to racial equity and organizational transformation. Recent attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts on college campuses, the banning of books by Black authors in primary and secondary schools, and policy actions by governors and school boards across America highlight the urgent need for a critical examination of how organizational hierarchies perpetuate racial inequities. Despite the recognition of diversity as a crucial element of academic excellence, the meaningful implementation of racial equity within educational organizations remains limited. Scholars have argued that transformative change requires multi-level, multi-stakeholder efforts, yet the focus often remains on individual learning rather than systemic organizational change. This research topic seeks to address these gaps by exploring how racial equity can be embedded within the organizational routines of K-12 schools and higher education institutions.

This research topic aims to advance our understanding of racism and organizational change within educational settings. Specifically, it seeks to challenge the current focus on individual learning and reflection as the primary drivers of change, advocating instead for a systemic approach rooted in organizational practices. By drawing on theoretical frameworks such as Victor Ray’s (2019) assertion that organizations are racialized and Ladson-Billings and Tate’s (1995) explanation of race in education, this research aims to spur more investigations into the necessity of starting racial equity efforts at the organizational level. The goal is to provide a comprehensive understanding of how racial equity functions across various educational organizations and to strategize ways to transform these institutions into racially just entities.

We invite submissions that cover various aspects, encompassing both theoretical conceptualizations and empirical studies, and perspectives. We encourage diverse methodologies and critical framing of the issue. We welcome high-quality Original Research articles, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Systematic Reviews, and more.

To gather further insights into the boundaries of this research topic, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Organizational Learning & Racial Equity/Anti-racism
- Organizational Transformation & Racial Equity/Anti-racism
- Understanding Tension and Conflicts & Racial Equity/Anti-racism
- District-Level Change
- System-Level Change
- Policy
- Leadership Efforts with a Focus on Organizational Change Efforts

By inviting diverse methodologies and critical framing of these issues, we aim to foster a rich dialogue that can lead to actionable strategies for achieving racial equity in educational organizations.

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Frontiers in Education

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