Benjamin Brumley
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Dr. Brumley’s research examines the prevalence of assessor variance in educational assessments and the biases that often accompany it. His work emphasizes child‑centered, culturally responsive, and equitable approaches to educational measurement, particularly for children growing up in poverty.
Theoretically, Dr. Brumley situates his critical psychometric work within a critical quantitative methods tradition. He is currently developing scholarly work on the historical intersections of eugenics, normality, and standardized testing by tracing these ideas through figures such as Americans Henry Goddard, Edward Thorndike, James Cattell, Carl Brigham, Henry Chauncey, and James Bryant Conant, as well as British statisticians including Francis Galton and Karl Pearson.
In addition, Dr. Brumley collaborates with faculty in Psychology to expand faculty and student use of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health dataset (Add Health). Add Health follows a nationally representative sample of more than 20,000 adolescents first surveyed in 1994–95 and tracked across six waves into adulthood (most recently 2022–25). Utilizing large, longitudinal datasets such as Add Health enables researchers to make robust inferences from nationally representative data, explore developmental change across the lifespan, and do so cost‑effectively. This work provides rich opportunities for WCU graduate students to engage in data‑driven research, formulate original questions, and contribute to broader scientific understanding. Previously, Dr. Brumley collaborated with social work faculty on the NPSAS federal dataset.
AREA OF INSTRUCTION
Dr. Brumley teaches undergraduate courses in Educational Foundations and Policy Studies, with a focus on educational assessment and research. He has also taught Mixed Methods for Educational Researchers in the Doctorate of Education in Policy, Planning, and Administration program at West Chester University, as well as various research methods courses at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education and West Chester University.
Previously taught courses include:
EDD 724: Mixed Methods for Educational Researchers
EDUC 699: Research Methods in Education
EDTF 620: Research Seminar
EDTF 619: Research Seminar
EDU 599: Workshop in Urban Education
ERM 500: Research Methods in Education
ERM 353: Ethical and Effective Assessment for Learning – Early Grades
ERM 354: Ethical and Effective Assessment for Learning – Middle Grades
EDP 353/553: Assessment for Learning – Early Grades
EDP 354/554: Assessment for Learning – Middle Grades
EDP 355: Assessment for Learning – Grades 7–12
FYE 100: First Year Experience
PUBLICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Dr. Brumley’s research has been published in peer‑reviewed journals, including Critical Questions in Education, Child Abuse and Neglect, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Children and Youth Services Review, Applied Cognitive Psychology, Advances in Social Work, and Early Education and Development.
His work has received financial support from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Faculty Professional Development Council, the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Dr. Brumley currently collaborates with faculty at the University of San Francisco and Washington State University to host a free and open‑access Critical Quantitative Methods Work Week scheduled for July 2026.
Link to Dr. Brumley’s Google Scholar page.