Has the Portuguese Compensatory Education Program Been Successful in Reducing Disadvantaged Schools’ Performance Gaps? A 15-Year Quantitative Analysis of National Exams

Tiago Neves,Hélder Ferraz,Gil Nata

doi:10.3390/educsci9040270

Abstract

A central goal of the Portuguese compensatory education program—Territórios Educativos de Intervenção Prioritária (TEIP)—is the improvement of the academic performance of socioeconomically disadvantaged students. In this article, we seek to understand whether the schools involved in the program have been successful in reducing their academic performance gaps—as measured by grades in national exams—relative to non-TEIP schools. We also analyze the evolution in the proportion of national exams carried out in TEIP schools relative to non-TEIP schools, as these are a proxy for students’ desire to proceed into higher education. The analysis points to a general failure of the program in reducing the gap between TEIP and non-TEIP public schools regarding academic performance. In addition, the proportion of national exams undertaken in TEIP schools has been decreasing. These results question TEIP’s ability not only to enhance academic performance, but also to drive students into higher education.

Highlights

Educativos de Intervenção Prioritária (TEIP)—is the improvement of the academic performance of socioeconomically disadvantaged students
Given that Territórios Educativos de Intervenção Prioritária (TEIP) schools are more vulnerable public schools, we considered that their performance should be compared with that of their public counterparts, and private, fee-paying, more exclusive schools were not considered in this analysis
As for the Phase 4 schools, which joined in TEIP program in schools, which joined in TEIP program in 2012/2013, their distance to non-TEIP public schools remains

Summary

Introduction

Educativos de Intervenção Prioritária (TEIP)—is the improvement of the academic performance of socioeconomically disadvantaged students. The proportion of national exams undertaken in TEIP schools has been decreasing These results question TEIP’s ability to enhance academic performance, and to drive students into higher education. During the 1960s, the consensus that educational systems should attenuate students’ prior social inequalities led governments to develop educational policies that seek to contribute to reducing social inequalities and ensuring equal opportunities [1,2]. In this context, the school should be erected as the foundation of social mobility and economic development [2]. The schools are reinforced with human and material resources, and have autonomy to decide how to use them

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Conclusion