The implementation of the Bolsa Fam?lia Program and the educational conditionality : the role played by street-level bureaucrats.

Abstract

Este artigo analisa a implementa??o do Programa Bolsa Fam?lia na cidade de Belo Horizonte, a partir dos agentes de base (street-level bureaucrats), sob a perspectiva da condicionalidade educacional. O programa transfere uma bolsa para fam?lias em situa??o de pobreza, vinculando o pagamento ao cumprimento de corresponsabilidades nas ?reas da educa??o e sa?de. Lipsky (1980) ? uma refer?ncia nesse campo, porque, ao analisar esse processo a partir da perspectiva dos atores que est?o na ponta, assume que tais agentes exercem influ?ncia sobre essas pol?ticas, alterando seu curso de a??o. Nessa cidade, os profissionais da educa??o e da assist?ncia s?o os que correspondem ? caracteriza??o do autor. As 31 entrevistas realizadas indicam que h? tipos diferentes de intera??o, explicados pelas distintas percep??es, valores e interpreta??es que esses atores constroem quando desempenham suas fun??es, estimulando o fortalecimento de redes de coopera??o. A pesquisa revela que essa condicionalidade mobiliza os agentes de base, mesmo quando a intersetorialidade ainda ? um problema institucional. _________________________________________ABSTRACT: This article examines the implementation of the Bolsa Fam?lia Program in the city of Belo Horizonte (Brazil) considering the role played by street-level bureaucrats regarding the program?s educational conditionality. The program grants a benefit to poor families in compliance with co-responsibilities in education and health. Lipsky (1980) is a reference in this field because he analyses this process from the perspective of actors who are on the edge of policies, assuming that these agents exert influence on these policies by changing their course of action. In this city, school and social workers are the ones who correspond to Lipsky?s characterization. The interviews indicate that there are different types of interaction, explained by different perceptions, values and interpretations that these actors construct when they perform their duties, encouraging the strengthening of cooperation networks. The research reveals that the program?s conditionality mobilizes street-level agents, even when intersectoral support is still an institutional problem