Participação das famílias na escola e a atuação da gestão democrática : contribuições a partir da análise de pesquisas acadêmicas

Abstract

Democratic management in schools has enabled effective adaptations to the new realities and challenges arising from political, social, and economic changes in Brazil in recent decades. Given this scenario, the present study is guided by the following research problem: how can democratic management assist in bringing family and school closer together? To answer this question, the research aims to improve the teaching-learning process and foster a more collaborative educational environment, seeking to identify and analyze the main challenges and potentials in family-school relations, as indicated in theses and dissertations published between 2000 and 2025. The theoretical framework is based on authors such as José Carlos Libâneo, Heloísa Lück, and Vitor Henrique Paro. The adopted methodology is qualitative research, with a literature review and content analysis, grounded in the studies of Laurence Bardin. The analytical corpus was constituted from academic productions gathered from the BDTD Theses and Dissertations Catalogs, with 38 studies selected. The results indicate that the active participation of the family in school life has a positive impact on students' academic performance. Furthermore, effective communication between school and family is essential to promote parents' engagement in educational activities. Support strategies, especially for families in vulnerable situations, are fundamental to strengthen the bond between the school and guardians. As an educational product of this Professional Master's research, a practical guide entitled Escola e família de mãos dadas: guia prático para gestores was developed. The material offers action strategies focused on welcoming and access, efficient communication, the resignification of family presence, and the strengthening of democratic management. The practical guide works as a compass for management self-knowledge and practical assistance, providing guidelines for the manager to act as a bridge in building a more participatory and collaborative school community. Keywords: democratic management; family participation; teacher training; bibliographic research.