John Jacobs

Overview

John Jacobs is a senior technical assistance specialist with WestEd’s Culturally Responsive Systems team. John is a skilled facilitator in the areas related to culture and identity (e.g., race, ability, gender, social class) and delivers professional learning, technical assistance, and coaching to support state and local educational agencies and schools in creating culturally responsive and equitable systems, practices, dispositions, and environments. 

His work has included facilitating collaborative equity audits of school districts to identify and address inequitable outcomes and experiences, supporting the creation and launch of school-based equity teams, supporting state educational agencies in implementing culturally responsive teacher preparation standards throughout institutes of higher education, and other similar initiatives. Through all of his work, John works in collaboration with local leaders and educators to create professional learning, tools, and action plans that are responsive to the local context, centering the experiences and knowledge of those most impacted by inequities and familiar with the educational community.  

Before joining WestEd, John provided technical assistance in partnership with the New York State Education Department’s Office of Special Education, spending time with New York University’s Metropolitan Center on Research and the Transformation of Schools and Bank Street College’s Center for Culture, Race, and Equity. John has also served as a member of Fairfax County (VA) Public School’s inaugural Equity and Cultural Responsiveness team and is a former middle school and young adult literacy teacher. 

Education

• MA, educational leadership, politics, and advocacy, New York University 
• BA, secondary education, social studies ages 5–adult, Marshall University 

Select Publications

Jacobs, J., Nabors, A., & Lopez, D. (2024). Systemic equity review: Policy review protocol. WestEd.  

Jacobs, J., & Lopez, D. (2023). Reimagining approaches to dismantling disproportionality in special education and beyond. Western Educational Equity Assistance Center at WestEd. https://www.wested.org/resources/weeac-reimagining-dismantling-disproportionality-in-special-education/ 

Lopez, D., Nabors, A., & Jacobs, J. (2023). Using quantitative data to identify and address inequities: An introduction for practitioners. WestEd. https://www.wested.org/resource/quantitative-data-to-address-inequities/

Neri, R. C., Sandoval, C., Moore, E., Cunningham, J., Jacobs, J., & Allen, Y. (2022). A research agenda for culturally responsive and sustaining education in mathematics: Essential directions, methodological approaches, and guiding principles. WestEd. https://www.wested.org/resources/a-research-agenda-for-culturally-responsive-and-sustaining-education-in-mathematics/ 

Powell, K., Jacobs, J., & Lopez, D. (2024). Designing equitable systems through youth partnership. WestEd https://www.wested.org/resources/equitable-systems-through-youth-partnership/ 

Rosario, R. J., Harris-Minton, P., Jacobs, J., & Lopez, D. (2024). Culturally responsive and sustaining school building walkthrough tool. WestEd. 

Sandoval, C., Cunningham, J., Jacobs, J., & Warner, S. (2023). Research and evidence-based best practices for preparing educators for culturally responsive teaching and leading. WestEd. https://www.wested.org/resources/research-and-evidence-based-best-practices-for-preparing-educators-for-culturally-responsive-teaching-and-leading/ 

Voulgarides, C. K., Jacobs, J., Lopez, D., & Barrio, B. L. (2024). Moving beyond compliance and toward equity to address racial disproportionality. Intervention in School and Clinic. https://doi.org/10.1177/10534512241258721 

Warner, S., Jacobs, J., & Neri, R. (2023). Essential characteristics of math curriculum materials that advance culturally responsive and sustaining education. WestEd. https://www.wested.org/resources/essential-characteristics-of-math-curriculum-materials-that-advance-culturally-responsive-and-sustaining-education/ 

Honors, Awards, and Affiliations

Library of Congress Literacy Awards Committee Member, 2021–Present