Um histórico da fixação da Fundação Vanzolini como formadora de professores na rede pública de ensino de São Paulo (2001 – 2024)

Abstract

The State of São Paulo has resorted to private institutions for the execution of public services, outsourcing projects that should be the State's responsibility. One of these services is the management of public education, marked by reforms that expand the presence of public-private relations. In this context, the role of the Fundação Carlos Alberto Vanzolini stands out; traditionally focused on the fields of engineering and administration, since 2001 it has played a significant role in teacher training and educational policies. Its activities include programs such as PEC – Formação Universitária, São Paulo Faz Escola, the implementation of the third version of the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC), the production of teaching materials, and teacher training in partnership with the Escola de Formação e Aperfeiçoamento dos Profissionais da Educação “Paulo Renato Costa Souza” (EFAPE). The objective of this research is to investigate and analyze the position of the Fundação Vanzolini as a trainer of teachers for the State of São Paulo, focusing on the public-private relationship that spans more than two decades and is consistently presented in the form of "partnerships" and "contracts," yet is scarcely publicized. The study seeks to understand the reasons for the Foundation's interests in public education, particularly within the technological format of distance education proposed in the training provided by EFAPE. The investigation is grounded in theories of education privatization, neoliberalism, and social control, questioning the effects of this public-private relationship on pedagogical autonomy and the quality of public education in São Paulo. Methodologically, a critical approach is adopted, combining documentary analysis and a bibliographic review of contracts, legislation, and materials produced by the Foundation, EFAPE, and Seduc-SP, in order to understand the conceptions of "education" and "teacher training" that guide this private involvement in public education. To this end, various documents produced by the Foundation itself were analyzed, as well as others mentioning its participation in the context of private interference in public education. From a theoretical perspective, this research relied on Apple (2003) analyses of neoliberalism, curriculum, and ideology, complemented by the reflections of Laval (2019) to understand the influence of private actors in the formulation and implementation of public educational policies. As a result: the relationship between the Fundação Vanzolini and the State of São Paulo has consolidated as an opaque public-private partnership, with recurring contracts without bidding processes, advancing from technological infrastructure to the pedagogical core of teacher training. This involvement promoted the standardization and outsourcing of the curriculum, hollowing out state capacity and teacher autonomy by introducing a managerial and mercantile logic into public education