The Role of Education Policy in United States Campaigns and Elections

The system of public education in the United States has become intertwined with our principles of federalism and debated among our two major political parties. Based on the current state of American politics, education is also met with increasing polarization between the parties. The discussion of this policy area is highlighted in the context of campaigns where candidates utilize campaign ads to reach a broad audience while indicating preferences for certain policies. Studying campaign ads, I will examine how education is referenced in campaigns by party and level of government as well as attempt to when candidates for office are likely to mention education based on levels of polarization and school accountability data.