Fluxo escolar: um estudo sobre a reprovação escolar na rede municipal de São Luís - MA

Abstract

This research was developed within the scope of the Professional Master of Education Management and Evaluation at the Center for Public Policies and Education Evaluation at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (CAEd / UFJF). The management case studied refers to the school flow in the public school system of São Luís, considering its irregularity caused by the high failure rate among students, especially among those enrolled from the 6th to the 9th grade, with emphasis on the 7th grade, where the highest failure rates are concentrated in a historical series from 2007 to 2017. Our aim was to analyze the possible internal and external factors that contribute to the failure of students in the 7th grade of elementary school, preventing them from completing the course at the due age. The general objective of this study was to investigate the factors that contribute to the high school failure rate among 7th grade students, as well as to devise an educational action plan aimed at improving learning and reducing the failure rate, in the municipal public network of São Luís. To this end, we applied a qualitative approach research methodology by means of a case study, with documentary research and sampling field research. The criterion for the sample was to select 14 schools, 7 with higher failure rates and 7 with lower failure rates. As instruments for data collection, questionnaires were applied to 312 students, and structured interviews were made with 25 teachers and 13 school coordinators. The studies carried out by Ribeiro (1991), Ortigão and Aguiar (2013), Tavares Júnior, Mont’Alvão, Neuberth (2015) Soares (2015), among others, provided the framework for analyzing the results of the research. According to the analysis, probably and mainly, there is a tendency towards naturalization of failure, explained by the so-called “repetition pedagogy”, among other factors, internal and external to schools. We conclude this study recommending an Educational Action Plan (EAP), in the hope that it can contribute to the reduction of failure rates and regularization of the school flow in São Luís. The AEP is comprised of the following actions: Continuing Education for teachers, coordinators and managers; Implementation of a project to encourage students to attend school; Implementation of a Pedagogical Intervention Plan in Literacy; Creation of Family D-Day at School, as a strategy to encourage family participation in their children's school life.