O papel dos conselhos municipais de educação do Estado de Minas Gerais na formulação de políticas públicas de educação

Abstract

This thesis analyzed, comparatively, the role as formulator of public education policy performed by the Municipal Councils of Education (CME) of Belo Horizonte, Contagem, Divinópolis, Juatuba, Juiz de Fora, Ribeirao das Neves, Sabará, Santa Luzia and Sete Lagoas, within their respective education systems. The general objective of the research was to understand the role of CME in the State of Minas Gerais, members of the Municipal Education System, in the formulation of public education policies. In specific terms, the research aimed to understand the creation of CME, as well as their relationship with the respective municipal education systems; to investigate the institutional design of the Councils with respect to the institutional conditions for their action, considering the social and political forces that have acted and act in them; Understand how effective the action of these councils in the formulation of public policies of education in the respective municipalities; to compare the performance of these entities with regard to participation in the formulation of public education policies in the municipality. The study started with the following questions: do the CME effectively act in the formulation phase of municipal public education policy and influence this policy? What aspects explain the possible variations in the performance of CME in relation to their role as formulator of educational policy in the municipality? In line with these issues, the literature regarding CME was revised, demarcated for the following period to the promulgation of the Federal Constitution of Brazil (CF 1988) (BRASIL, 1988). In order to measure the legislative role of the CME, the methodological approach used was the comparative method. The option for a comparative research, quantitative and quality ones, performed through content analysis and descriptive analysis of the quantitative information collected through a questionnaire, made it possible to verify and compare the aspects that enhance or constrain the exercise of the regulatory role of CME. The results of the research point to weaknesses in the performance of the normative role of CME in the role of the respective SME. The variations in the performance of the CME, as normative entities of the respective SME, are due to the constraints imposed by the institutional design, associative dynamics and political conditions of the municipality, as well as by the actors acting in interconnection with other decision arenas.