Abstract:

Central Purpose of This Study:
This research aims at analyzing how Brazilian municipal public schools use participative management to adopt a decision making process based on the information flows in the VOLTEI Project.

Theoretical Framework:
Brazilian municipal public schools subject to the VOLTEI project target at reducing the rate of student evasion and infrequency, and this research aims at discussing the analytical categories in the information flow in order to understand the decision-making process
Libâneo et al. (2005) argues that participation is the intermediary between education and community professionals in school management, through the interaction of internal and external processes. While the internal mode refers to school issues like pedagogical undertakings, curricular and organizational actions the external model is characterized by the school community that shares decision processes, making the school interact with society.
For Dias et al (2016) it is through participative planning that all the segments that represent the school are involved, and that is what initiates the decision making process, helping to defining goals and strategies for the school year. Therefore, to map the process of management of school information in Brazilian municipalities, the Davenport model (2001) was used, in which information flows are mapped and understood so that the decision-making process is qualified.

Search Method:
This research adopts a qualitative perspective, and the research conducted in one municipal school located in the Northeast of Brazil, characterizes unique case study. The analyzed Project was the VOLTEI Project, which aims to reduce the rates of student evasion and infrequency. To collect the data, interviews were carried out, followed by questionnaires applied to management, students, parents and teachers. Content analysis of data collected was undertaken, findings ranked according to the categories of interest of the study.

Results and Conclusions:
By mapping the information flow of the VOLTEI project, the involvement of all actors in the school environment, either in a direct or indirect manner, could be noticed: students, teachers, management, parents/guardians as well the Secretary of Education/Guardianship Council.
Because it is a project that impacts on the benefits offered by the Brazilian government to the school, the school becomes more flexible, seeking different alternatives to maintain the student's bond with the institution, and, more importantly, helps to bring parents/guardians to be part of the school reality, where they can follow the experience of their children in the educational journey, which becomes extremely important for the management.
Finally, it was verified from the perspective of the actors involved in the process (students, teachers, parents and management) that participative management makes it possible for all those who are part of the institution to make a difference and be heard, and that their opinions and visions about the quality of teaching are welcomed and add value to the management of the School.

Keywords:

School management, Information flow, Decision making, Democratic management.