ABSTRACT
This article examines the role of state governments in federal coordination with municipalities in education policy. The literature reinforces the importance of the Federal Government as a coordinator of social policy, including education, but there are few studies about the existence and nature of states coordination on Brazilian educational public policy. The empirical analysis is based on a comparison of six states: Acre, Ceará, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Pará and São Paulo. The methodology includes analysis of documents and qualitative interviews with managers of state and municipal education departments, managers of the Ministry of Education and administrators of non-governmental social organizations. Empirical research has shown that there are different models of cooperation between states and municipalities and there is only one case with a model of state coordination, which is characterized by a permanent, institutionalized and systemic logic of action.
KEYWORDS
cooperation; education; intergovernmental relations
