One of the most basic and obvious sources of data for education policy analysis is text. This article discusses content analysis as an important part of the methodological toolbox for elucidating patterns and trends about education policy. Focusing specifically on media, I show how media content analysis can produce nuanced insights about the ways in which educational ideas are understood in a local context. Drawing on a research project that analyzed thirteen years of media coverage of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), I demonstrate the utility of media content analysis for understanding the way in which ideas and global trends influence national education policy on the ground.