GRADE PROMOTION AND LEARNING IN CRISTALÂNDIA DO PIAUÍ: CONTRADICTIONS IN STUDENT FLOW AND EXTERNAL ASSESSMENTS

Abstract

The coexistence of high promotion rates and learning difficulties raises questions about the extent to which educational indicators reflect teaching quality. This study examines whether improvements in school progression in Cristalândia do Piauí are accompanied by better learning outcomes, considering differences across educational stages and socioeconomic and racial groups. This exploratory and descriptive case study draws on bibliographic and documentary research, analyzing aggregated Saeb, Saepi and School Census indicators alongside the contextual sources presented in the article. It covers 2005–2025, with series of varying lengths. The findings show high promotion rates and lower dropout rates between the endpoints of the periods examined, without uniform improvements in learning. Socioeconomic differences persist, while racial patterns vary across curricular components. School progression should therefore be interpreted together with the distribution of learning outcomes and educational provision, informing policies for learning recovery and equity.