Teachers’ compensation and fiscal austerity: an analysis of municipal education networks in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraná

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper analyzed teacher compensation in municipal networks in two Brazilian states, Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraná, according to the Annual Social Information Report (Relação Anual de Informações Sociais), from 2008 to 2018. The period was characterized by fiscal austerity policies implemented after the approval of Constitutional Amendment no. 95/2016. The data were extracted from Relação Anual de Informações Sociais and relevant educational legislation was consulted. The approval of the Amendment interrupted a cycle of teacher appreciation policies that had been in place at the intersection between the federal government’s education policy and that of each Brazilian state. Although the educational sector, through its entities, has shown resistance to ensure recent achievements, the context of fiscal austerity has led to significant losses in terms of teacher compensation, which has put the maintenance and expansion of the right to education at risk.