The purpose of this research was to study how researchers and practitioners from universities and school authorities in Alberta, Canada, lead eleven research partnership projects, shared work and learning responsibilities, as well as understood their common challenges. Project leaders (N = 38) revealed their perceptions of the research partnership through an online survey and semi-structured interviews. Practitioners indicated advantages to partnering such as access to research expertise and data analysis tools in addition to deepening their research skills for educational decision making. Researchers outlined three benefits to the partnership: having access to research sites, learning more about current issues in schools, and developing relationships with practitioners. The researchers explained that these relationships would facilitate their ability to complete future research and conduct knowledge mobilization activities that would reach professional and academic audiences. Both researchers and participants identified challenges, such as time, communications, reporting requirements, and unforeseen circumstances while engaging in these research partnerships.