Possibilidades de enfrentamento da retenção e da distorção idade-ano na escola Estadual Esperança (MG)

Abstract

This dissertation investigates and proposes strategies to address grade retention and age-grade distortion at Escola Estadual Esperança, located in Coronel Fabriciano, Minas Gerais, in the Vale do Aço region. The study is based on the author's professional experience as a Mathematics teacher and draws upon institutional and public data (INEP and QEdu) to analyze the profile of students affected by school delay in a context marked by socioeconomic vulnerability, school dropout, and early entry into the labor market. The school serves students enrolled in lower secondary education and upper secondary education and has experienced an increase in enrollment in recent years, a scenario that contrasts with challenges related to student retention and learning. The data reveal high rates of grade retention, dropout, and age-grade distortion, which reached 21.3% in 2023, indicating the need for coordinated pedagogical and administrative actions, such as individualized monitoring of at-risk students, curricular flexibility, and the expansion of educational and psychosocial support programs. In this context, the study seeks to answer the following question: what measures can contribute to understanding and addressing the problems related to school flow and age-grade distortion at Escola Estadual Esperança? The general objective is to propose actions aimed at improving school flow and reducing age-grade distortion in the institution under investigation. Specifically, the study aims to: describe the profile of students experiencing grade retention, dropout, and age-grade distortion; analyze their school trajectories in light of the available institutional data; and propose management and pedagogical intervention strategies capable of contributing to the improvement of school flow. The research adopts a qualitative approach based on documentary analysis, seeking to identify factors that influence school delay and to support the development of strategies to address grade retention and age-grade distortion. It is expected that the proposed actions may contribute to strengthening student retention and learning, while also providing insights that may inspire similar practices in other public schools facing challenges related to school flow.