Sarah Asson

(she, her, hers)

Researcher, Applied Research & Equitable Evaluation

Sarah is drawn to education research by a desire to ensure that every learner has the educational opportunities and resources they need to thrive. She has expertise in using mixed methods to evaluate the extent to which education policies and programs ensure equitable access. Much of her work to date has focused on studying how students of different racial, economic, and linguistic backgrounds access specific schools and programs. She is especially interested in geographic patterns of access and the intersections between place and education.

Prior to joining Education Northwest, Sarah completed her doctorate in Education Policy Studies at Penn State University, where she worked on a diverse array of projects addressing school attendance zones, dual language immersion programs, and the enforcement of federal civil rights in education. Prior to graduate school, Sarah conducted research with the Houston Education Research Consortium and with a Regional Educational Laboratory, where she developed her passion for partnering with community members and translating research into practice.

Education

  • B.A., Sociology, Washington State University
  • B.A., Social Policy Analysis, Rice University
  • Ph.D., Education Policy Studies, Penn State University

A cause I'm passionate about is...

Protecting wilderness

My favorite animal is... (and why) .

Dolphins (I got to swim with a wild pod in New Zealand and I was enchanted!) A

My favorite subject in school was...

Geometry

My kryptonite is...

Book stores

Sarah Asson

Areas of Expertise

  • Policy evaluation
  • Mixed methods
  • Educational equity
  • Geospatial analysis