EDUCATIONAL POLICIES AND QUALITY OF EDUCATION: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

This article aimed to critically analyze the impacts of educational policies on the quality of teaching in Brazilian public schools. The research approached the topic from three main perspectives: curricular standardization, large-scale educational assessments, and the role of school administrators in policy mediation. Through bibliographic research, academic texts published between 2024 and 2025, available in databases such as the CAPES Periódicos Portal, were analyzed based on criteria of timeliness, relevance, and full access. The analysis indicated that contemporary educational policies have favored a technocratic and centralizing logic, marked by quantitative targets and performance indicators that negatively impact pedagogical autonomy and the educational process in public schools. It was also observed that school administrators, despite their strategic role, face institutional and educational limitations that compromise their critical performance. It is concluded that, although there are experiences that demonstrate possibilities for resistance and redefinition of policies, it is necessary to expand the spaces for continuing education, democratic participation and appreciation of educational diversity.