Focusing on a specific segment of the private education system: low-cost private schools

Abstract

Based on the school census data of Inep/MEC, this article focuses on empirical finding that, over the last decade in Brazil, a continuous expansion of enrollment has been seen in private schools of basic education. Evidence has shown that this phenomenon is related to the improvement of economic conditions of certain part of Brazilian low-income classes. However, sociological literature has been looking mainly at a clientele composed by the elites and wealthier fractions of middle-classes, ignoring the internal heterogeneity of the broader sector of private institutions, especially those which offer low-cost tuitions therefore attracting families from lower-income fractions. The objective of the research was to take the first steps to understand the characteristics of this private education segment. To do so, we investigated two private schools in the city of Contagem, Minas Gerais. We selected the schools based on the tuition value. The research instruments were the direct observation of the school and semi-structured interviews with school professionals and families. The results have shown some shared characteristics of the two cases investigated: origin and family management; limited facilities and material and pedagogical assets; human resources engaged in multitasking; special care with students’ discipline and safety; close family-school interaction.

Private school; New middle class; Private school system