Jacob D. Alonso

Jacob D. Alonso is a doctoral student in urban education policy and a research assistant in the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California. He has been a research assistant at Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), the USC Center for Education Policy, Equity, and Governance (CEPEG) and the National Center for Research on Education Access and Choice (REACH). He previously served as an executive program evaluator for the San Antonio Independent School District and was a policy fellow with Leadership for Educational Equity. He uses mixed methods to study education policy and policy implementation in schools, employing interviews, surveys, and GIS analyses. His current research focuses on the geospatial distribution of equity in school choice, district community engagement practices, and democratic deliberation in school board decision-making. His interests are guided by his experience in the classroom, a career in education leadership, and a deep belief in the transformative capacity of education. Alonso earned his MA in education policy from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
updated 2025