Policies for School Trajectories in Brazil: A Systematic Review of Policies for Access, Retention, Performance, and Educational Equity

Abstract

Objective: To map and characterize Brazilian governmental educational policies aimed at access, retention, performance, and educational equity, identifying regulatory instruments, strategies, and monitoring mechanisms.

Methods: A systematic review of textual evidence was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines. The search was performed in the IPEA public policy catalog, screening official documents published between 2007 and 2024. Documents describing risk factors, implemented strategies, or monitoring indicators were considered eligible. Classification followed the Improving At-Risk and Free Education (IAFREE) framework.

Results: Of the 75 screened documents, 63 policies were included, of which 76.2% were still in force. Decrees (39.7%), ordinances (28.6%), and statutory laws (23.8%) predominated. An expansion of the regulatory agenda was observed between 2016 and 2024, with emphasis on equity (n=23) and performance (n=21). Initiatives were concentrated in the Teachers and Students macro-groups, particularly in accessibility (43.8%), school management and organization (39.6%), social skills (39.6%), and teacher expectations (31.2%). Family- and community-related dimensions were less frequent. Regarding monitoring, 60.3% of policies did not include formal indicators; among those that did, accountability (12.7%) and implementation evaluation (7.9%) were the most common.

Conclusions: This review highlights consistent progress in the development of policies aimed at school retention and educational equity, with growth in full-time education, teacher training, and digital inclusion. However, gaps remain in the use of robust monitoring indicators and intersectoral integration, pointing to opportunities to standardize information and expand indicators focused on retention, equity, and learning.