Democratic management in schools: impressions conveyed by participants of the program Pro management (Progestão)

Abstract

This paper is a sampling of an extensive research which analyzed and assessed the Distance Learning Program for Qualification of School Managers (Progestão) carried out in three schools, which preserved the same management team during the program. Progestão provided continuing and in-service development for public school managers by means of distance and presential types of learning. This paper deals with the concept of democratic management understood by the proponents of Progestão, the training team (trainers and multipliers), and the managers assisting the course (principals, vice principals, and pedagogical supervisors). Three issues that check the understanding of the democratic management concept were analyzed, as well as how those participants implement it in schools. The research is based on the qualitative approach, which has an evaluating character. It discusses the profile assigned to school management since the amendment of the State and the passing of the Law of Policies and Principles of Education (LDB)/96, besides pointing out the difficulties to support democratic management dissociated from other school practices.

Key words: management, democratic management, continuing development, public policies.