A Discourse Network Analysis of 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates’ Education Policy

This study aims to conduct a discourse network analysis of 2020 Democratic presidential candidates’ education policy proposals. Given the far-reaching influence of presidential election on education policy, this study applies discourses network analysis to uncover education policy coalitions of the 2020 presidential candidates. The results suggest Joe Biden had the highest degree centrality, meaning his education policies were the same with or similar to many other candidates. Moreover, the Democratic candidates’ proposed policies centered around school safety, universal pre-kindergarten programs, increased investment in school infrastructure, increased Title 1 funding, and free tuition and fees at 2- and 4-year public colleges. The findings provide timely insights into education policies over the 2020 presidential campaign.