Mapping policy influence in a contemporary education ecosystem: A conceptual study utilizing social network analysis to visualize relationships between the Florida Empowerment Scholarship Program (FESP) and sources of capital

Abstract

This study utilizes social network analysis (SNA) to trace the flow of influence and capital within Florida’s evolving public-private education marketplace. Drawing from theories in communications, organizational behavior, and policy analysis, we examine the development and legislative passage of Florida’s Empowerment Scholarship Program (FESP), one of the most expansive ESA initiatives in the United States. Using a multi-tiered SNA framework, we analyze the political sponsorship, lobbying engagement, and financial contributions tied to 19 FESP-related bills introduced between 2017 and 2023. Our analysis is structured around three network layers: Primary (direct political and lobbying tiers), Secondary (financial contributions to policymakers), and Tertiary (indirect affiliations such as shared organizational leadership). Findings reveal a tightly connected network of recurring actors—most notably specific legislators, lobbying firms, and education advocacy organizations—who exerted consistent influence across all three tiers. These results underscore the complexity of policy formation in decentralized education systems and highlight the value of SNA in exposing patterns of influence that are not readily visible through traditional policy analysis.