THE EDUCATIONAL POLICY FOR SERVING THE PUBLIC OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IN BRAZIL: NORMATIVE FOUNDATIONS, DISPUTES, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR GOAL 4 OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATION PLAN

Abstract

This article aimed to analyze the educational policy for serving the public with special education needs in Brazil, with an emphasis on conceptual transformations regarding disability and the implications of Goal 4 of the National Education Plan (2014–2024). It starts from the understanding that the consolidation of inclusive education results from a historical process marked by the transition from the medical model to the social model of disability, incorporated into the Brazilian legal system through the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Decree No. 6,949/2009) and the Brazilian Inclusion Law (Law No. 13,146/2015). This is a qualitative research, of a bibliographic and documentary nature, based on the critical analysis of normative frameworks, specialized theoretical production, and official statistical data, especially from the Continuous National Household Sample Survey (PNAD Contínua) (2022) and the School Census (2023). The results show progress in expanding access to regular schools, with significant growth in enrollments in mainstream classes, but reveal the persistence of structural inequalities related to funding, teacher training, the provision of specialized educational services, and regional disparities. It is concluded that the effective achievement of Goal 4 requires federal coordination, increased public investment, and overcoming merely formal inclusion, guided by principles of equity and social justice.