DEMOCRATIC MANAGEMENT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS: CHALLENGES AND PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

This article aimed to analyze the challenges and prospects for democratic management in Brazilian public schools, based on recent scientific literature. The research focused on the effective participation of the school community in decision-making processes and the development of collective practices based on democratic principles. Through bibliographic research, articles published between 2023 and 2025 were examined, selected based on criteria of thematic relevance and editorial quality. The analysis demonstrated that normative instruments of participatory management, such as school councils and the political-pedagogical project, have often been used in a formal manner, depriving them of their deliberative function. It was also found that the work of education professionals is conditioned by institutional limitations and a lack of ongoing political training, which compromises the development of a democratic culture. Finally, it was found that digital technologies, although they have the potential to increase transparency and school autonomy, are still underutilized or misused for logics of control and standardization. It is concluded that democratic management requires an articulation between normative structure, critical formation of school subjects and political intentionality, making it necessary to deepen investigations into real participatory practices in everyday educational life.