Three years ago, the Lemann Center began gathering very detailed state test data in Pernambuco, Sao Paulo, and Ceará. These data have served to estimate variation among regions of states and among municipalities of aggregated student middle school test score gains (5th to 9th grade) and to explore reasons for these variations. This is proving to be a fertile ground for analyses that in a largely ignored are of educational reform: the potential effects and explanations for the effects of various aspects of middle school management on student and school performance across low or high income schools. The methodology is both quantitative (state achievement tests and surveys) and qualitative (interviews using management protocols). The initial results suggest that this could be a very high yield research project with important implications for reforming state and municipal educational management practices. We foresee partnerships with several institutions in Brazil interested in these types of issues.
