Framing Neoliberalism - A Content Analysis of Ley de Reforma Educativa de Puerto Rico

Oct 15, 2026

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The American educational policy agenda has been shaped by neoliberal laws emphasizing educational improvement and innovation. Neoliberalism assumes market competition can generate excellence in educational opportunities while reducing the education debt in marginalized communities. For urban systemic education reforms, researchers must examine how marginalized communities express concerns or support through media coverage. This study uses content analysis of articles from Puerto Rico’s four most popular newspapers to analyze framing of Ley de Reforma Educativa de Puerto Rico (LREPR).

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Keywords

Framing and Research Purpose

Content Analysis Approach

Central Media Frames

Free Selection of Schools Voucher Rhetoric

School Closures and Municipal Effects

Alianza Schools Charter Initiative Rhetoric

Conclusion

| education policy analysis archives
A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal | | | --- | --- | | Arizona State University | | | Volume 31 Number 61 May 30 , 2023 ISSN 1068-2341 | | Framing Neoliberalism: A Content Analysis of Ley de Reforma Educativa de Puerto Rico Patricia M. Virella Montclair State University United States Citation: Virella, P. M. (2023). Framing neoliberalism: A content analysis of Ley de Reforma Educativade Puerto Rico. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 31(61). [https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.31.7494](https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.31.7494) [Abstract:](Abstract: The American educational policy agenda has been fraught with neoliberal laws that center)[ The American educational policy agenda has been fraught with neoliberal laws that center](Abstract: The American educational policy agenda has been fraught with neoliberal laws that center)[ ](Abstract: The American educational policy agenda has been fraught with neoliberal laws that center)[educational improvement and innovation](educational improvement and innovation) ([Barros](Barros), [2012](2012)) . Neoliberalism operates on the premise that market competition will spur excellence in educational opportunities and decrease the education debt in marginalized communities (Fejes & Salling Olesen, 2016) . Moreover, in the case of urban education systemic reforms, researchers need to endeavor how marginalized communities relay their concerns or endorsements in the media. News articles are one appropriate unit of analysis for investigating this problem. In this paper, I examine how an education reform law in Puerto Rico, Ley de Reforma Educativa de Puerto Rico (LREPR), was reported on in the four most popular newspapers on the Island. Conducting content analysis of newspaper articles produced findings that contribute to the policy literature by describing three central frames found in the media coverage of LREPR: (a) rhetoric on the “Free Selection of Schools” school voucher program, (b) the effects of mass school closures on municipalities, and (c) rhetoric on Alianza Schools—Puerto Rico’s Charter Schools Initiative. I close with how the frames depart from the Republican-leaning political affiliation of the newspapers and present a collective resistance to the neoliberal education reform policy. Keywords: education policy; neoliberalism; content analysis Enmarcando el neoliberalismo: Un análisis de contenido de Ley de Reforma Educativa de Puerto Rico Resumen: La agenda política educativa estadounidense ha estado plagada de leyes neoliberalesque centran la mejora y la innovación educativas (Barros, 2012) . El neoliberalismo opera bajo la premisa de que la competencia del mercado impulsará la excelencia en las oportunidadeseducativas y disminuirá la deuda educativa en las comunidades marginadas (Fejes & Salling Olesen, 2016). Además, en el caso de las reformas sistémicas de la educación urbana, los investigadores deben investigar cómo las comunidades marginadas transmiten sus preocupacioneso respaldos en los medios. Los artículos de noticias son una unidad de análisis apropiada para investigar este problema. En este artículo, examino cómo una ley de reforma educativa en Puerto Rico, la Ley de Reforma Educativa de Puerto Rico (LREPR), fue reportada en los cuatro periódicos más populares de la Isla. La realización de análisis de contenido de artículos periodísticos produjo hallazgos que contribuyen a la literatura de políticas al describir tres marcos centrales que se encuentran en la cobertura mediática de LREPR: (a) la retórica sobre el programade vales escolares “Libre Selección de Escuelas”, (b) los efectos de la cierre de escuelas en municipios, y (c) retórica sobre Alianza Schools—Iniciativa de Escuelas Chárter de Puerto Rico. Cierro con cómo los marcos se apartan de la afiliación política de tendencia republicana de los periódicos y presentan una resistencia colectiva a la política de reforma educativa neolibe

FAQs

What is the document’s main research focus?

It examines how a Puerto Rico education reform law, Ley de Reforma Educativa de Puerto Rico (LREPR), was framed in news coverage.

How does the author analyze newspaper reporting?

The study applies content analysis to articles published in the four most popular newspapers on the island.

What three central frames does the media coverage present?

The coverage includes: (a) rhetoric about the “Free Selection of Schools” school voucher program, (b) effects of mass school closures on municipalities, and (c) rhetoric about Alianza Schools, Puerto Rico’s charter school initiative.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by acoobca