Jacob D. Alonso

 jalonso
Jacob D. Alonso
Doctoral Candidate and Research Assistant, Rossier School of Educaiton,
University of Southern California

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

Publications by Jacob D. Alonso
Leadership, Partnership, and Community
This study of seven California school districts during the COVID-19 pandemic shows how districts responded in real-time to the crisis and structural racism. Districts showed resourcefulness, collaboration, and commitment to serving students and…
Evidence from the 2021 PACE/USC Rossier Poll
The brief reports on California voters’ attitudes and engagement with local school district governance using data from the 2021 PACE/USC Rossier Poll. The findings show high support for school boards, but less satisfaction with their performance…