DEMOCRATIC SCHOOL GOVERNANCE AND TEACHER PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL DECISION-MAKING

Abstract

Although democratic school governance has long been established as a guiding principle of Brazilian education, its implementation remains uneven across schools. While some institutions genuinely share decision-making, others continue to operate through centralized practices despite having access to the same legal and organizational frameworks. This contrast suggests that democratic governance depends less on the existence of participatory structures than on the quality of relationships built within the school community. Based on this perspective, the present study examined teacher participation in school decision-making as a key element in strengthening democratic governance. The discussion indicates that teachers contribute to more consistent institutional decisions by connecting planning to the realities experienced in everyday educational practice. The findings also highlight that the sustainability of democratic governance is closely related to the organizational culture of the school, particularly to the presence of dialogue, transparency, and shared responsibility. Democratic school governance therefore becomes meaningful when participation effectively shapes the decisions that guide institutional life.