The perception of Chilean teachers about the program of focused schools: elements for the analysis of a 'positive action' education policy

Abstract

The Program of Focused Schools (formerly P-900) is a long-standing education initiative promoted in Chile by the Ministry for Education in the wake of the return to democracy (1990). It is one of the most successful programs, even if its redesign is already needed in face of results derived from several studies. Its strategy was to give pedagogical support to the schools whose pupils from the first four grades were within the 10% worst results in assessment exams (nowadays the 18% worst results). The pedagogical process proposed by the Program centers on teachers and pupils, with a positive action in several spheres. The text reports on the perception of participating teachers from one of the geographical areas with the worst results and levels of poverty in Chile: the Talca Province. The work involved 249 teachers, with the application of structured questionnaires with Likert and Nominal scales. The results confirm that the teachers know about the program, that they have a positive perception of it, but that its new practices are still not valued as a significant factor of professional development. From the point of view of an education policy based on positive action it is essential to introduce changes of meaning, implying in the redesign of the program, an aspect discussed in the conclusions of the article.