About SanDERA

Overview

The San Diego Education Research Alliance (SanDERA) is an independent research entity based at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Established in May 2010 by the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) and the UCSD Department of Economics, SanDERA formalizes and focues the longstanding relationship between the district and the university. It informs and supports the work of SDUSD by identifying questions and issues of interest to the San Diego education community, conducting research studies that address those questions and issues, building and maintaining a longitudinal data archive to support ongoing research activities, and informing policy and practice by sharing research findings in San Diego and beyond.

Working with SDUSD leadership, SanDERA:

• identifies high-priority issues or problems on which to focus research,
• formalizes a research agenda with clear links to the district’s mission, goals, and strategic plan,
• makes its research agenda public and shares progress and findings with the SDUSD Board of Education, district leadership, and the education, business, research, and parent communities,
• informs wider audiences by publishing and presenting findings through its own website, academic journals, and outside organizations, and
• is open to collaborating with other districts and research entities to study issues of common interest.