A peculiar modality to privatize public education: The acquisition of "education systems" by São Paulo cities

Abstract

This paper discusses the growing tendency of partnership, through contracts, between cities of the state of São Paulo and private educational companies, which sells them "education systems". Data refer to a research developed under the "Research Strategies for the Municipal Provision of Basic Education: an Analysis of Public-Private Partnerships in the State of São Paulo", funded by FAPESP. Between 1990 and 2007, we note a marked expansion of this kind of relationship in cities with less than 50.000 inhabitants. This confirms the hypothesis of their dependence on the private sector. They have widened their responsibilities to supply and maintain basic education, but have not organized their local management technically and politically.