Inclusion and Social Justice in Portuguese Schools: Political and Evaluation Discourse

Abstract

Everyone’s right to education and equal opportunities for academic success demand that schools adopt practices that promote learning for all, in line with the principles of social justice. With this in mind, a study was conducted to answer the following questions: What social justice indicators guide policies in the Portuguese education system? What effects have been identified in these policies by the external evaluation of schools? What conditions facilitate and hinder the implementation of these social justice-oriented practices? Analyzing the content of legislative documents, school headteachers’ responses to a questionnaire, and external school evaluation reports led to the conclusion that the policies point toward justice guided by the following indicators: equity, recognizing and valuing diversity; inclusion, involving parents and guardians and the educational community; learning opportunities and personal development; access to resources. In its realization, the “equity” indicator, often associated with “inclusion,” is the most present and repeatedly pointed to as a strong point. The study also made it possible to recognize that headteachers adhere to the policies, although they point out difficulties in implementing them