In the last few years, a heterogeneous group of organizations has created new dynamics concerning public schools. This article discusses partnerships between nongovernmental organizations and public schools based on a case study carried out in the municipal school system in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The results suggest that these organizations currently occupy an ambiguous place in the educational field: if, on the one hand, they appear to replace the state by alleviating immediate necessities that are theoretically state obligations in the public school system (material and pedagogical support as well as human resources); on the other, these organizations also create a space of resistance where professionals in the educational field can discuss the social reality and reflect upon their role in constructing educational policies which more specifically address social demands.
Nongovernmental Organizations; Social Movements; Public School