Roses Talk Project Convening: Elevating Student Voice in San José Unified
The Roses Talk Project seeks to directly address persistent disparities in education by centering at-promise student voices in education policy and practice. In partnership with district leaders and school administrators, a multidisciplinary group of Stanford student researchers conduct interviews and focus groups with the most marginalized students in low-income high schools to learn about their experiences and ideas for change. Using this data, researchers develop policy recommendations that inform school and district decision making, particularly on how to engage and improve outcomes for at-promise students across the local region. The project is co-led by Dr. Subini Annamma, an Associate Professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, and Hoang Pham, Director of Education and Opportunity at the Stanford Center for Racial Justice.
The initiative launched in 2025 as a Stanford Law and Policy Lab (LAW 809X/EDUC 309X), collaborating with San José Unified School District (SJUSD) and Gunderson High School in South San José. District leaders and administrators at Gunderson identified a collective need to better understand how to support at-promise students—those who are least likely to graduate from high school yet have an exceptionally high potential to make a difference in the world. Supported by a 2025 Community Engagement Impact Fund award from the Stanford Office of Community Engagement and a Cardinal Course Grant from the Haas Center for Public Service, the project serves this community-identified need while offering a unique opportunity for Stanford students to participate in community-engaged learning and research, apply technical skills and academic knowledge to real-world challenges, and contribute to positive educational outcomes for underserved students. It embodies the principle that higher education institutions can and should play a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of K-12 public education for all students.
The research team is hosting an invite-only project convening that brings together stakeholders from across the education sector—including SJUSD and Gunderson leadership, Stanford faculty, staff and students, and community partners—for a day of reflection, dialogue, and collaboration. Attendees will engage in a series of interactive panels highlighting key recommendations from the project’s draft report, providing critical feedback and working collectively to problem-solve. The convening will also serve as an opportunity to celebrate the meaningful partnership between the Stanford Center for Racial Justice, SJUSD, and Gunderson High School, and to reaffirm a shared commitment to improving outcomes for at-promise students in San José and beyond. Breakfast and lunch will be served, with a reception to follow the day’s events.
