Inequalities in High School Performance in Minas Gerais: A Spatial Approach

Abstract

This paper analyzes high school achievement across municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, with an emphasis on the territorial dimension of educational inequalities. By integrating microdata from the National Upper Secondary Education Examination (ENEM) and the School Census, the study examines performance differences between public and private schools, as well as the existence of spatial patterns in average municipal achievement. The results confirm systematic performance differentials between the public and private sectors, with a consistent advantage for private schools. The observed average gap is approximately 100 points at the national level and 119 points in Minas Gerais, although private institutions represent a relatively small share of upper secondary schools. Spatial analysis shows that school achievement is not randomly distributed across the territory, revealing the presence of municipalities classified as hotspots, which suggests the influence of specific local factors on educational performance. Overall, the findings indicate that the public upper secondary education system in Minas Gerais has a structure capable of ensuring reasonable levels of school achievement, contributing to the broader debate on education, territory, and public policy.