Education in the Purview of Public Policy: An Assessment of Educational Reform in Brazil, 1990–2004

Abstract

This paper looks at educational reform in Brazil in the context of public policy. A review of reform during the early 1990s highlights the first public statements in relation to the state of education. The role of international agents and multilateral organizations in the formulation of public policy is discussed, as is the role of local interlocutors in promoting the implementation of public policy outcomes. The authors show how one principal goal of reform, curricular change, was used as a strategy to adapt education to the demands imposed by a changing economy, in general, and labour market in particular. The consolidation of a project for new qualifications in teacher training is studied. Finally, the results of educational reform and the performance of students subjected to standardized testing are analyzed.