Alex Jacobson is a Senior Research Associate with the Comprehensive School Assistance Program at WestEd. In this role, he serves on research projects related to education finance, strategic resource allocation, and cost modeling. Jacobson has designed and implemented comprehensive education finance studies and policy analyses, supporting all stages of the analysis process. His research projects at WestEd have included several state adequacy studies employing cost function analysis, a replication study of returns to teacher experience, and policy analysis of state funding formulas in several states.
Jacobson also provides collaborative, research-based capacity building to education practitioners, including direct organizational improvement assistance and facilitating stakeholder engagements. This includes supporting state education agencies across the U.S. through Regional Comprehensive Centers at WestEd.
Prior to joining WestEd, Jacobson worked as a researcher and technical assistance provider for the American Institutes for Research (AIR). During his tenure at AIR, he contributed to the work of the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders, the Midwest Comprehensive Center, the Great Lakes Comprehensive Center, and the Southeast Comprehensive Center. Through these engagements, he provided direct support to state education agencies to improve with respect to educator quality and equitable access to excellent educators. In this role, he also co-authored research reports including two educator supply and demand studies and a comprehensive cost study.
Jacobson has a Masters of Public Policy from Georgetown University and has experience working in a variety of public policy settings, including the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent, the U.S. Department of Education, and in a congressional office.