Payment by performance in the context of educational reformations in the Sao Paulo State

This article presents the results of a research that has as its analysis focus the payment by performance, represented in the public educational system of the Sao Paulo State by the bonus-merit. The bonus, such as other measures implemented in the last decade, is part of neoliberal reforms that were predominant in the public educational system of the State. The article intends to debate the implications of this mechanism for the teaching from a bibliographic review about the topic as well as from the interpretation of data originated from a qualitative empirical investigation based on semi-structured interviews with second cycle teachers of high and middle schools of three regional departments of education. The results revealed an influence of performative and managerial elements in the organizational work of schools and teachers. Moreover, they showed that the payment by performance has not contributed for the improvement of the work conditions and for the career of the teachers, has a very limited impact to change the quality of education and thus represent a teacher accountability mechanism.