What Have They Done? An Analysis of Data Generation Methods Funded by the Institute of Education Sciences

On December 2, 2020, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) published a summary report from their technical working group titled “Increasing Diversity and Representation of IES-Funded Education Researchers.” A major barrier to diversifying funded researchers described was that many scholars did not believe the institute funded researchers “like them.” In this article, we sought to better understand this perception by analyzing funding patterns of IES between the years of 2008 and 2022. Specifically, we analyzed the data generation methods (e.g., quantitative, qualitative, or mixed) funded to better understand IES priorities accordingly. Interpreting our results through a lens of critical race theory, we show that knowledge generated through methods that include stories and narratives are marginalized by IES funding priorities.