TERRITORIES OF DEMOCRATIC MANAGEMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELECTION PROCESS OF SCHOOL MANAGERS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF JOÃO PESSOA/PB

Abstract

This study is justified by the need to critically analyze Public Notice No. 001/2025 – SEDEC/JP, which regulates the selection process for school administrators in the Municipal Education Network of João Pessoa/PB, given the problem of its compatibility with the constitutional principle of democratic management of public education. The objective is to investigate to what extent the adopted model materializes the assumptions of participation, technical merit, leadership rotation, and school autonomy, as per the 1988 Federal Constitution, the Law of Guidelines and Bases of National Education (Law No. 9.394/1996), and Goal 19 of the National Education Plan (Law No. 13.005/2014). To this end, qualitative, exploratory-descriptive research is conducted, developed through document analysis of the public notice, based on the content analysis technique. Thus, it is observed that the process formally incorporates technical criteria and public consultation with the school community, representing progress compared to exclusively discretionary models. However, relevant tensions are identified, such as procedural asymmetry between incumbent principals and new candidates, the absence of explicit objective criteria for periodic evaluation, the lack of a clear limitation on successive reappointments, and reduced deadlines that may restrict the expansion of access to the position. This leads to the conclusion that the model approaches formal democratic management, but presents limitations regarding substantive democratization, especially concerning the effective redistribution of decision-making power and the guarantee of institutional alternation. The study contributes to the debate on school governance and the improvement of municipal regulations for the selection of managers.