Data Envelopment Analysis as a Tool for Identifying Reference Schools: A Study in the Context of High School in a Brazilian State

To ensure compliance with students' educational rights and monitor education systems, many countries have developed indicators that assign statistical value to the quality of education. The Basic Education Development Index (Ideb) is widely used in Brazil as a strategic management tool. This study proposes using Ideb, weighted by contextualized educational measures, to identify schools that excel compared to others with similar characteristics (referred to as reference schools). The study employs the output-oriented Variable Returns to Scale approach of Data Envelopment Analysis, along with the Malmquist Index, to assess changes in outcomes over two editions of the indicator. The findings show that, in 2017, 17 schools operated on the production frontier and had at least one partner of excellence. By 2019, this number increased to 18 out of the 222 schools analyzed. Applying the Malmquist Index further indicated that most schools experienced modest improvements in technical efficiency during the analyzed period, effectively utilizing resources to achieve similar or better outcomes. This study underscores the importance of understanding successful school strategies, providing valuable insights for educational improvements, and facilitating the adoption of effective methods in comparable institutions.