Exploring school resource and teacher qualification policies, their implementation and effects on schools and studentsâ educational outcomes in Brazil

This thesis explored how recent Brazilian educational policies focused on increasing resources and teacher qualifications are related to improving Portuguese and mathematics outcomes, and how these policy changes are perceived and experienced by teachers in schools in the north-eastern state of Paraiba. This mixed methods research project was organized into two linked phases of inquiry using a pragmatic philosophical approach, and the dynamic approach to school improvement (DASI) theoretical model as its framework. Phase I used secondary data analysis of Prova Brasil data (2007-2013) collected by the Brazilian Ministry of Education to explore how increased school resources and teacher qualification requirements may be associated with Portuguese and mathematics outcomes in grade 4/5 and grade 8/9 in the state of Paraiba (n = 358,623) using multilevel models. Using the preliminary models of Phase I to guide the development of a semi-structured interview schedule, Phase II focused on how major Brazilian educational policy changes are affecting schools by exploring the perceptions and experiences of a small purposive sample of Paraibano public school teachers (n = 16) in depth. The results of Phase II then informed and led to the further refinement of the preliminary models of Phase I as part of the way the mixed methods approach linked the quantitative and qualitative components of this study. The integration and synthesis of Phase I and Phase II results suggest that increased availability of teacher supports such as libraries, teacher access to computers and internet, photocopiers, infrastructure, and increased teacher education levels are valued by teachers and may be associated with gains in student Portuguese and mathematics outcomes. Teachers note that while resource levels have improved dramatically, inconsistencies and inefficiencies have prevented both students and teachers from fully benefitting from these changes, and additionally, that resource levels vary considerably between school districts.