Muniz

Raquel Muñiz

Associate Professor of Education Law and Policy, Boston College
Chapter Member: Boston SSN
Areas of Expertise:

About Raquel

Muñiz's research focuses on students who have experienced substantial adversity, specifically examining the conditions, strategies, and mechanisms that shape the creation and implementation of law and policy. Overarching themes in Muñiz's current writings include a focus on how the use of research evidence can serve as a strategy for legal actors and others in the legal system, aiding their decision-making and potentially leading to more equitable laws and policies. Muñiz serves as a consultant on education policy issues in practice, with a focus on educational equity.

Contributions

In the News

Interviewed in "Best Colleges Ranking (2026)," WalletHub, October 13, 2025.
Interviewed in "Best & Worst Community Colleges (2026)," WalletHub, August 12, 2025.
Opinion: "Loper Ruling Reshapes Balance of Power in Education," Raquel Muñiz (with Rebecca S. Natow), Brookings , July 28, 2025.
Guest on CBS News Boston, July 21, 2025.
Opinion: "Using Race in University Admissions: We Still Have Options," Raquel Muñiz (with Andrés Castro Samayoa), University World News, February 3, 2024.
Quoted by Liann Herder in "New Study Directly Connects Student Belonging with Academic Wellness," The EDU Ledger, July 13, 2022.

Publications

"Brokering Knowledge With Tempered Criticality: A Network Analysis of Amici in DACA Policy Discourse" (with Maria M. Lewis and Nathan Hutcherson). Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis 48, no. 2 (2026): 703-733.

Analyzes how organizations and experts contribute knowledge and shape public discourse surrounding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. Demonstrates that participants in these debates often balance advocacy with credibility, helping influence policy discussions by presenting information in ways that are persuasive while remaining broadly acceptable across different audiences.

"Diminished Administrative Power Post-Loper: Implications for Education Research and Policy" (with Rebecca S. Natow). Educational Researcher 54, no. 5 (2025): 293-297.

Examines how reduced administrative authority following the Loper decision may affect the development and implementation of education policy. Suggests that limiting the power of federal agencies could create greater uncertainty in educational policymaking and increase the influence of courts in shaping education policy outcomes.

"A Critical Knowledge Praxis Framework for Educational Policymakers and Practitioners" (with Wilson Kwamogi Okello, Maria M. Lewis, Gabriella Achampong, Antonio Mata, and Serena Meyers). Educational Researcher 54, no. 6 (2025): 348-357.

Explores how educational policymakers and practitioners can use knowledge to address inequities and better serve diverse communities. Argues that effective educational decision-making requires not only using evidence but also critically considering whose perspectives are represented and how policies affect marginalized groups.

"The Need for Educational Research Engagement With Courts, Public Policy, and Practice in a Post-Dobbs Era" Educational Researcher 53, no. 1 (2024): 59-65.

Considers how the legal and policy changes following the Dobbs decision may affect education and the work of educational researchers. Emphasizes that stronger engagement between educational research, the courts, and policymakers is necessary to ensure that evidence informs decisions with significant consequences for students and communities.

"Education Law and Policy in the Time of COVID-19: Using a Legal Framework to Expose Educational Inequity" AERA Open 7, no. 1 (2021).

Investigates how education laws and policies during the COVID-19 pandemic affected students' access to educational opportunities. Demonstrates that the pandemic exposed and intensified existing educational inequities, with vulnerable student populations facing greater barriers to learning and support.